If you are new to the Personal Brand wave and are starting your own business and feel lost that’s ok. Whether it is coaching, wellness, real estate, or other business where you are the face and your values are the brand. Here are some must-have photos for Personal Branding.
As an intro to Personal Branding, you can check out these articles first if you still lost as to where to go.
I’m sure you, like I did, wanted to do more with your art, the thing that you can’t live without and fills your soul. So you decided to make it your career. Good for you!! I started this business back in 2015 with zero knowledge of what I was doing in terms of my brand. It has been all pieced together with some strong wins and some not so great ideas. But that is how you learn and grow into the business and person you want.
As a photographer, I started photographing just about everything from flowers to leaves, to landscapes, and have found what clicks with me. Portraits. I really enjoy talking with someone and connecting with them and then seeing their true selves come through photographs. This has been especially great for personal branding because people are excited about what they are doing and are expressing the best version of themselves as their brand.
There is a lot that goes into building your brand and it can be overwhelming. Here are some thoughts about must-have photos for personal branding.
The Portraits
These are you through and through and can be the hardest ones to be present for. Getting into the mindset of business and your art will help portray the confidence and personality that you want your clients to resonate with. These can have a wide range of options but ultimately they need to fit your brand. Some might be what is called “camera aware” and that is when the person in the image is looking at the camera. Often the best way for people to really connect with you. One of the most important photos for personal branding.
Headshots
Perfect for social media profile photos or used for printed programs say for speaking engagements, or classes, that you are a guest speaker. The headshot is typically cropped tighter to your face, usually chest and up so that your face is the focal point of the image. So people can see your face first. Many people lump all portraits used for business into this category but there are other things that would differentiate different types of images.
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Lifestyle and Professional Portraits
Throwing a little personality in images is the best way for people to connect with you. They want to see you not read about you. A portrait generally shows more than just your head and shoulders, with body language playing a bigger role in the perception of it. Some can be in front of a clean background “Camera aware” and other portraits are with a cup of coffee or in a coffee shop. Maybe you are strolling down the street in a kick-ass outfit that makes you feel amazing. These are meant to show the style of your life, as it would pertain to your business persona.
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At Work
These are often similar to Lifestyle images but are more of you in your element, in your work, in your art. Think “behind the scenes” images if you were going through the motions of doing your work. If you are a yoga instructor these could be you showing a pose in front of a class or a close-up of hands repositioning a client. Or you can be meeting with a coaching client in your office. If you are a maker and have a workshop that is an amazing place to show off what you do and where you do it.
These can also be close-ups of the tools and workspace you have. Showing your clients the process through still images. Keith Field Goldsmith has some great examples on their website from our session.
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I see these as important photos for personal branding because it tells more of the story behind your brand and business.
Interactive
Getting a little silly is totally ok for these types of images. Pointing to empty space that will eventually have your latest offer for your customers. Get creative with these and let your brand personality shine through. These are great for email campaigns announcing a new offering. Launching a new course and directing people where to sign up etc. These are always a lot of fun.
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So how and where can these Must-Have Photos for Personal Branding be introduced and used? Go check out this article about how to use images on your website for your Personal Brand.
So now you know some kinds of images you may need. Ultimately you will need to figure out the specific photos you need for your brand and business. Make a list. Even add where or how you will use them. Getting strategic with your images will help get more life out of the photos for your personal brand.
Here is a FREE guide that gives more information about types of images and how to use them. Including one type not covered here. Put in your email address below and the guide will be sent to your inbox.
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