Today we’re joined by branding queen, Jessica Negron-Solis, who’s here to share the importance of brand photography for your business. We’ll cover why you should prioritize brand photography, the images you need for your website and social media, how to get the best shots, and even how to overcome that fear of the camera! 

WHY You Should Invest in Brand Photography

According to Jessica, businesses that prioritize brand photography are more likely to stand out from their competitors. Our visuals are often the first thing people see when they come in contact with our business – on our website, social media, or elsewhere. People are more likely to remember/engage with images that are of higher quality and more personal than say, a stock image.

HOW to get Good Brand Images 

Brand photography is 50% planning and 50% execution. Before your brand photoshoot, or even before you decide on a brand photographer, come up with a plan for what kind of images you want, and what message you want your images to convey. Your brand photographer should help you with this plan, but it doesn’t hurt to come up with a few ideas ahead of time!

Every business/business owner should have at least the following:

• Standard headshots (¾ body shots or close-ups)
• Lifestyle headshots
• Photos of you working with clients
• Behind the scenes photos 

Once you’ve got all those covered, take images based on where/how you plan to use them (i.e. on your website, Instagram, Facebook….) This will help you decide the orientation you want your images to be in, as well as the overall vibe of the photos (casual, more formal, etc.)

Overcome Camera Shyness!

If you have a fear of getting in front of the camera, you are NOT alone. In fact, this is a problem for more business owners than not! Here are some of Jessica’s tips for overcoming camera shyness:

• Practice posing in the mirror… find your good side!
• Do something you would normally do while your photo is being taken. For example, if you own a bakery, have your photographer take photos of you while you’re baking! 
• If you’re not sure what to do with your hands, try using a small prop. It could be something business related, like a notebook or book, or even just a pair of sunglasses will do! 

WHERE You Should Share Your Images

So you’ve got your professional brand images… Now what? Jessica’s advice: use them EVERYWHERE. Put them on your social media, website, marketing emails…you can even use them in your email signature. Not only will you be getting a great return on your investment by using your photos everywhere, but this will help create a cohesive brand image that people will start to recognize. 

If you want more from the branding queen herself, you can follow Jessica on Instagram or check out her website here! As always, I would love to hear from you, whether it’s feedback on the podcast or you just wanna chat about your business! Leave me a review wherever you listen to this podcast or follow me on Instagram. Until next time, Marathoners, keep running your race.