A branding shoot can be a huge undertaking, but with the right photographer (who will help you plan your session to the letter) and the right prep you can ace this step in your business and come out relatively stress-free and with a collection of images that can take your brand to the next level!
1. Decide on a content strategy and how many images you will need.
Where will you be using this new and exciting content? Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin?
Will you be posting exclusively your own branded photos or will you be sprinkling in some styled stock, free stock or quotes/text based images?
How often do you need to post to those feeds?
With the above questions in mind, you should be able to work out how many images you need for the next few months (and YES you can 100% recycle content, in fact I encourage it to increase brand recognition).
2. Work out what you want those images to look like.
Locations, content, are there people in the photos or just products? How many of the images will you be in, can we see your face, the logo on your uniform, just hands, feet? People using your products? Flatlays? Inside or outside?
Think about your brand aesthetic, is it light and white or dark and moody or bright and colourful or pastel and muted? 
Now is a great time to begin compiling an inspiration board (create a Pinterest secret board and pin away!!). After you pin a bunch of images that you think embody your brand aesthetic you will begin to see what a collection of those images looks like together as a whole. And YES PLEASE share that board with me when you’re ready to shoot because that tells me what ‘mood’ you’re going for, sometimes much better than words can. 
3. With the above in mind, create a ‘shot list’.
Now it’s time to create a master list of must have images that will be the guide for your photographer. This list will be used during your session/s and leading up to it in the planning stages to make sure that you get every image you need.
Here’s an example of a great shot list that I received from a client recently. 
**Note how my amazing client included directions on whether she needed tall or wide images, props needed, locations, and aesthetic with inspirational images to show mood. **
4. Book your services.
Now that you know what you will need it’s time to book your services. That’s the photographer, stylist, makeup artist, venue and anyone/anything else you will need for the shoot.
Your photographer can help you work out exactly what you need and who else would be great to work with. This way you can create a dream-team who will ensure you get exactly what you need.
5. Have an awesome shoot!
It’s an excellent idea to ensure that your shoot is catered or that your services know how long they will be there for and can arrange to be fed. 
(consider a donut bouquet from Pizza & Pie Co in Toowoomba)
Allow lots of extra time either side of the shoot for setting up, travel, packing, hair & makeup etc. A three hour shoot does not just take up three hours of your day!
Keep your shot list on hand and physically mark off the shots that are completed until the list is done. Always bring up extra ideas you have at the time, you might have forgotten something when you were creating the shot list or a magical idea might pop into your head – a great photographer will take more than what is on your list and Tilly usually has a lot of great ideas too.
Find an assistant. A friend, employee etc. Someone who can help you on the day. Pay them in donuts or a gift voucher to their fave restaurant.
Are you keen to get the ball rolling on your very own brand changing, life changing personal branding photoshoot?
Schedule a discovery call with Tilly to chat about how to make your dreams come true. 
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