3 Keys to Nail Your Next Business Photoshoot

Lights! Camera! Branding! Professional photos can seriously take your biz to the next level, mama. Booking your first photoshoot is a huge step because it shows everyone that you’re ready to share your brand with the world.

Did you know that beautifully curated and engaging images are one of the most powerful ways to connect with your target audience and share the vibes of your brand with your tribe?

How many times have you caught yourself scrolling on Instagram and experienced a little visit from the green-eyed monster when you see carefully curated biz images on a fellow mum’s account? Does your thought process go a little something like… I wish I had more pics like that. Should I book a professional shoot? Would I even benefit from a branded photoshoot? Are curated images specific to my biz even worth it?

The answer to your questions is YES! You and your biz are SO worth it. Toss those negative vibes into the garbage, and let’s get you photoshoot ready!

Now, I know the thought of having someone take photos of you can make you feel super nervous, but trust me when I say that preparation is key. In my latest podcast I revealed a few of my secrets that I utilised when I got ready for my photoshoot with the crazy talented Jade Warne of Hipster Mum.

I wanted to share three keys from that episode in greater detail to help you take action and nail your next business photoshoot.

Know The Story You Want To Tell

Before you dive into a branded photoshoot, you must understand your brand/biz inside and out. What is your core mission and vision? Who is your audience? What will your audience find engaging?

Believe me when I say that you can’t just throw eye candy at your tribe and expect them to love any you crumb you toss their way – you’ve got to curate a story and tell it.

So answer these questions:

What will you use these images for?

• Are you shooting for your media kit?
• Do you need gorgeous pictures to run with your Facebook ads?
• Are you leaning more towards using them on your website? What vibe are you trying to sell on your site?
• Content for your socials? Aim for a mix of pictures with you in them and others with only your products. Think solo product pics and others with products styled alongside yours (flatlays are great for this).

A great way to figure out your vibe and the story you want to tell is to create an inspo board on Pinterest. This can be a secret board (like the ones we discussed in our Pinterest strategy podcast with Sarah Renae Clarke).

Once you curate a board that visually shows the look and feel you’re after for your brand, share it with your photographer. You could even start a Google Doc so that you and your photographer can both exchange ideas on the same page. I know not all photographers offer services likes this, so I’m truly fortunate that it was included with Jade’s service.

I seriously didn’t have to organise this aspect at all. My photographer Jade, from Hipster Mum, was ALL over it! #TotalWeapon. All I had to do was pin my vibes and share it with her.

I looked for poses, scenes, styling, outfits, colour palettes, etc. The more you prep for your shoot with these little details, the easier it will be to communicate your brand’s story to your audience in a visually powerful way!

Set Your Scene

The purpose of my shoot with Jade was to have curated images that we can use on upcoming sales pages for new products and programs that we’re going to be launching in the near future.

I wanted my images to be fun with colour, style, and quirky vibes. Essentially, I wanted some images to be so over-the-top (OTT) and show on the outside how I and all the bizmums want to feel on the inside.

Styling:

I’m going to be honest with you… I didn’t do my own styling! That was something I definitely had to outsource. I worked with the ladies from Designer Style List. They curated some very on point looks complete with accessories for this shoot. I also wore some casual pieces from Chasing Case, an online fashion store for mums.

Quick tips when it comes to styling for your shoot:

• Always have the right bras and undies. Take several variations with you!
• Carry clips to tie back clothes, so everything fits you perfectly.
• Get your hair, nails, and makeup professionally done for camera. Yep, this is an investment, so treat yo’self. During my shoot, I did change my lipstick up a couple of times, but my makeup stayed the same. For my makeup, I went with a fairly natural and glowy look. For my hair, I recently had my colour done, so I straightened it myself because that’s how it usually is.
• Choose a hair and makeup style that could go between looks. My straightened hair and natural makeup fits dressy me, sassy me, and casual me!

Props:

What props will help you communicate your story? If you know your brand story, finding props to use in your images will be a breeze. Sometimes, it would even make sense to take your littles along and let them be in the shoots with you!

For my shoot, I included props that were synonymous with me as an entrepreneur and the MWH brand.

Here are some examples of props that I used for my shoot:

I had to have Instagram represented in one way, shape or form… The form turned out to be a custom created hashtag by Angela Sibley at Decor Me. I also took along my laptop, iPad, cellphone, microphone, headphones, some coffee gadgets (#becausecoffee) and giant smoothie cups (#becausesmoothies).

If you’re unsure if your props make sense, ask your photographer! They have the expertise. Again, I was fortunate to work with Jade because she made everything so much simpler. By knowing the vibes and style I was going for, she easily made suggestions of what props would be a good fit for the look and feel I was going for. #AllOverIt

Get Your Head In The Game

Girlfriend, you can’t fake your confidence. In pictures, confidence shows and so does a lack of it. Before your shoot, I recommend working on yourself if you’re experiencing any insecurities.

Listen up, mama. I’m about to drop a #truthbomb.

If you find yourself picking your appearance apart – you better stop yourself right there! You are perfectly you. Your individuality gives you your power.

If you focus too much on trying to pose like someone else, look like someone else, or even copy someone else’s style, it’s going to put you in a negative headspace.

Just be you. Embrace the skin you’re in and think about your PURPOSE. You have an amazing brand story to tell to an audience of people that are hungry for it. You owe it to them (and to yourself!) to communicate that with confidence.

A good photographer will position you and give you direction – all you have to do is show up with confidence and have FUN.

During my shoot with Jade, she would give me four different places to stare and told me how to lift my head. She’d even point out if my shoulders were hunched (oops!).

Jade made sure the light was just right and that I was comfortable. Furthermore, she helped elevate my confidence by showing me how SICK the pictures were looking immediately after she’d taken them. #TrueStory

To be honest, all of the prep that I did before the shoot gave me confidence, too. I knew my story, I had killer props, and I knew what I was going to wear for each scene. Even my family attended the shoot with me (yep, the whole crew – hubby, the littles, and my mum to keep the kiddos sane – thanks, mum!!!). In fact, my boys jumped in pics with me.

It was an overall great experience because I took the time to prep for it, I was myself, and I had the right photographer. There’s no guarantee another photographer would have gotten and felt my Mums With Hustle vibes like Jade did.

A photographer will not fill you with confidence, if you ever feel like they don’t:

• “Get” what you’re trying to achieve
• “Get” your brand story
• Treat you with respect and kindness
• Answer your questions or concerns

This is why I went with Jade… She’s one of us. A mum with hustle who obviously understands my brand and my tribe. Jade knows what it’s like to organise and shift around your entire world just to have time to get in there and have a shoot. She gets that as startups, we are often holding our wallets super tight because at the beginning of business it can often feel like we’re bleeding money quicker than we’re making it.

Now It's Your Turn

At some point in your business journey, you’re going to have to invest in your brand with high-quality, powerful brand images that you can use across your website, social media, blog, media kit, and sales pages. So why not amplify your brand now, with one of the best shoots ever?

If at any point you’ve thought that it was impossible and unaffordable at this stage of your biz journey – think again! There’s nothing I love seeing more than mums taking action and elevating their brand. That’s why I partnered with Jade to offer the MWH Community 50% off half and full day shoots with Hipster Mum!

This promo is only available if you book your shoot before December 15, 2017. Not sure you can swing a photoshoot in December? We’re mums, we feel that chaotic holiday hustle!

It’s totally cool to schedule the shoot in for early 2018, as long as you book in by December 15.

Booking your photoshoot with Jade is easy! All you have to do is send her an email (Jade@hipstermum.com or click the button below), and let her know you’re a mum with hustle!

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