What do you think is the most important thing when planning your Personal Branding Photoshoot?
Outfit? Location? Make up?
I’ll tell you… it’s light.
What I mean by that is when you plan your shoot and pick out locations you would like to use, don’t just look at the cute decor and the lovely furniture. Instead, really pay attention to how much light the space has.
I know some gorgeous cafes and co-working spaces that look fantastic on their websites – usually because there are no people in the photos which means it’s easier to manipulate what the space looks like in real life. Photography is “painting with light” but light is so easy to cheat on in post production. That all goes out the window once people enter a space though.
Spotlights on the ceiling create dark shadows under someone’s eyes. Limited daylight means we rely on artificial light that could create wonky colours in combination with certain wall colours.
Our brain doesn’t notice that – it’s smart enough to understand what white and green and red is no matter what the light situation is. A camera can’t make that many distinctions which can make colours in photos look a bite weird.
Basically what I’m saying is that an abundance of (day)light is an important factor. Paying attention to that is crucial because I can’t make a room with black walls and no window look like a white room with a huge window front. So when you’re planning your session, pick a location with good light and a space that works for you, your business and your personality. And if you’re not sure, talk to your photographer about it and get their opinion to help you choose the right place.
For a number if reasons I usually shoot with the light that’s available in any given space. It means I’m super flexible, my gear is less intimidating (based on client feedback that’s a huge comfort factor) but it also means I can be at the mercy of the space we shoot at.
I will always try to make use of the best angles to put you in a flattering light but I’m not a magician. A black box will always be a black box. I do bring a flash with me and will use it if needed but it can’t fix every light-induced challenge.
Plus, you look better in good light. That’s a given and I will die on that hill!
If you’d like to dive further into the style of photos we could create for your business, have a look at this article: How to get the “right” brand photos for your business. It covers different types of locations and how they can be used to impact the message we visualise in your brand photos.
And if you’re ready to talk about how I might be able to help you bring your vision to life, get in touch.
