Branding Session Tips from a Minneapolis Branding Photographer

These days, showcasing your human-ness goes a long way—especially for small businesses. The internet is flooded with AI slop, and your potential clients and customers are craving interactions with real, awesome humans behind the products and services they buy or use.

One of the best ways to showcase your humanity is with photos, especially photos that capture your uniqueness. An amazing way to get photos like that? A branding session.

Branding photos are perfect to use on your:

• Website
• Portfolio
• Newsletter
• Social media
• Google Business Profile listing
• Print collateral
• Office decor

I’m a branding photographer in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, and I have some important tips and things you should consider when booking your branding session. Read on for my suggestions!

Note: Featured in this post are branding photos from Dr. Kailee Acupuncture and Oak Endurance. Check out their websites to see how they’ve used their photos to bring their brands to life!

What exactly is a branding photography session?

A branding session is sort of like headshots, but better. Instead of just taking photos of you posing, a branding session involves taking photos of you doing. They tell the story of who you are, how you work, and what you’re about. They might be action shots, lifestyle, product, workspace, or detail shots.

A branding photography session takes what you do and turns it into a visual story that your audience can resonate with and really get to know you through.

How do I know if I need a branding session?

Branding sessions are ideal for:

• Small business owners
• Creatives
• Coaches
• Realtors
• Therapists
• Makers

Basically, if people are hiring you (not just a company), a branding photography session is the best way to showcase who you are and what you do at the same time.

Where should my branding session take place?

A branding session often happens on-site where you’re doing your work, but not always.

If you have an office, studio, or workspace that is central to what you do, it makes sense to have the session there. However, there’s one thing that you absolutely need to have in order to have your branding session at your location: lighting. Without proper lighting, your photos won’t turn out the way you want them to!

An abundance of natural light is best. If there isn’t enough natural light, you’ll need a space big enough for your photographer’s lighting equipment.

Don’t have natural light or a big enough space, or don’t really have an office or physical location? You’d be surprised how awesome branding photos can be when they’re done in a photographer’s studio location or rented space that fits your vibe! We can absolutely recreate a work environment or set up a space that’ll showcase your personality.

What should I wear for my branding session?

Any photos of you should showcase your personality, but with branding, it’s even more important. You’re showcasing who you are, what you do, and why someone should hire you or buy what you’re selling. Your outfits will play into that personality, so you’re right to have a good think about them.

Here’s my professional photographer outfit advice:

• Go ahead and showcase your personality, but keep the focus on your work and your face. If you’re a bold, bright person, add a pop of color somewhere to let your client know what to expect from you without losing the message.
• Dress how you do on a normal basis. You want to show who you are for real, not a pretend you in clothing you’d normally never wear.
• Think about your brand colors. If your website and logo lean warm and earthy, a cobalt blue outfit might clash with the overall look of your brand — try to stay in a palette that feels cohesive with your visuals.
• Avoid busy patterns and small prints. These can be distracting on camera and pull focus away from your face and expression, which is the whole point.
• Dress for your ideal client, not just yourself. Think about who you’re trying to attract. For example, a corporate consultant and a yoga instructor are both showing personality, but in very different ways.

How should I prepare for my branding photos?

Your photographer should be able to help you figure out exactly how you want your branding session to go. I work with my clients to walk them through styling, location selection, what to bring or do, how to dress, a shot list, and any other questions that pop up. It’s a collaborative effort to get the photos you want that are going to showcase you and what you do!

In general, try looking at examples of other branding photography examples for other people or businesses in your industry. What do you like? What would you do differently? What kind of a vibe are you going for? Maybe you’re looking for laid back and comfortable, or maybe you need to look more professional and responsible.

Whatever style or vibe you’re looking for, I can help you figure it out! Let’s work together.