You and me babe, how about it?
Choosing your brand photographer - if only it was as easy as that!
With so many branding photographers out there, how do you know which one to choose?
So, you’e taken that first step of deciding to create a portfolio of branding images to elevate your look on social media, and there are a ton of great branding photographers out there? How do you know which one to choose? Where do you even start narrowing it down?
So, just a few tips to get help you find your ideal photographer?
Trish, from Sherni London
People like me
Have a good old scout round their instagram page (& any other social media they use) & look at the people they photograph.
Ideally, you’re looking for a variety of types of people they photograph & they’ll come in all shapes & sizes.
Make sure that they’re not too many (or any) models being featured on their page…all photographers practise and up level their skills, quite often using models and while its great to keep investing in your own training, models are models because they know exactly how to pose in front of the camera. They work the camera in ways the rest of us can all dream about - and that is exactly why they do what they do.
What you want to see are ordinary people who may have the same hang-ups as you looking great on camera.
When you see someone looking relaxed, comfortable & confident in front of the camera, it’s about the photographers skill in getting them to feel that way.
Create a short list of photographers who fit that bill and then….
…Book that Discovery Call
Most branding photographers offer Discovery Calls so take advantage of it.
Discovery Calls give you the opportunity to find out more about them, what its going to be like working with them and a flavour of the process. Just remember, while it’s important to get a flavour of working with them, they’re not going to create a shoot plan on the spot for you.
Spend time on their website to find out all the detail so you are making the most of your Discovery Call - most photographers do provide lots of information to help guide you and also provide FAQ pages.
And, don’t forget, Discovery Calls are just as much for photographers to assess whether they can work with you and if they can meet your requirements. Occasionally, a photographer may not feel able to deliver and will let you know that. Don’t be shy in asking them for a recommendation at this point - most will be happy to do so.
You can also use it as opportunity to ask to see more of their work, especially if you work in an unusual or specialised field.
I provide clients with a Personal Branding Welcome Guide - its ideal to see this before you have a Discovery Call. It makes the whole conversation so much more productive and gives you a really good idea of what to expect.
Tina Kad, how she works with clients as a speech & language therapist
Chemistry is everything
The most important thing of all is …do you click?
It’s so important that you click with your photographer and that you feel comfortable with them. After all, its their job to ensure that by the time you start your shoot, you feel relaxed and comfortable - and if the chemistry isn’t there….?
So many of us feel uncomfortable in front of the camera so as part of the process, you want to feel entirely comfortable sharing any hang ups you might have so it matters that you can speak freely to your photographer about this. Your photographer can then take this into account when planning your session.
You also want to feel comfortable during your shoot so if your photographer does want you to do something a little differently or step out of your comfort zone, then you feel entirely happy to do so…or happy to say no, which is just as important.
Ian Robertson, accordion & fiddle musician
I hope you’ve found these tips useful…if you’re thinking about it, then by all means get in touch for my Personal Branding Welcome Guide and then lets chat.