Your brand photos should be straight forward, cutting through the BS to clearly communicate to your target audience. So keeping with that tone, and maybe a touch of sarcasm here and there, I am going to deliver some hard truths worth knowing before you book a branding session, or not. It’s whatever 😉
Branding photos aren’t for you SILLY
Yea, these images aren’t for your partner’s new wallet photo or your parents mantel. They aren’t even for you, so knock yourself off that pedestal for a moment. Sure, it’s important for you to kinda like yourself in them but you aren’t doing this for yourself. Or maybe you are and you’re just calling them branding photos. The humbling point is that is the you have (or you should have) a target audience you hunting for. Literally, a sea of people/content online and you gotta be clear enough to jump out and grab them. All with a photo, or two. We gotta make it damn good. Don’t like pictures of yourself smiling, well that’s too damn bad if you are in the business of anything remotely wanting to welcome people in. You are easily your own harshest critic, so leave that to your selfies or whatever, and keep it in view that what you want to communicate with potential clients might not always align with what you personally think. Put yourself in your client’s POV and speak to them. You probably talk to yourself enough as is. I definitely do.
Brand photos go in the cart, behind the horse
Too many times I get inquires with brands that have way too many carts before their horse. Like where ya trying to go with all that good stuff lady? Gunna be way easier with that horse power in the front. That horse power is your brand voice, I am just one of those many carts that goes behind ya because I am not a brand strategist. I am not equipped to help you find your brand voice or outline your ideal clients. To GET THE MOST FROM YOU BRAND PHOTOS you need to have this signed, sealed and memorized. You already learned that these photos aren’t for you and that you are talking to someone else, but who is that exactly? Yea, I can’t answer that for you, the cart in front of me needs to. You don’t wanna throw money down a black hole do you? Or maybe you’re the irresponsible betting kind? You need to have an understanding of who we are communicating to so we can speak their language with your brand gallery.
Pretty doesn’t cut it anymore
Pretty is everywhere, whatever pretty is anyway. Aesthetic is now the standard. But I might actually agree with this one, hear me out. The definition of aesthetic “is a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement.” That’s the influencers way of saying brand photos, change my mind. Brand photography is a strategic photoshoot to highlight you, your business, a team, the process + products to potential clients. It’s basically your TV commercial. Your brand goes well beyond a logo and some color combos you like, because it’s the feel or aesthetic associated with you and what you bring to the table. Digging a little deeper here though, as pretty and aesthetic are probably now one in the same, people don’t want pretty anymore. I mean, we all eat that shit up with social media telling us everything from how we pack diaper bag, to organizing our car console and making coffee needs to be “aesthetic.” That aesthetic is exhausting! TikTok is now better than the Gram because people want real, messy, authentic mixed in with their pretty. Simply pretty brand photos simply aren’t going to cut through the BS. You can only cut BS with BS in silly little arguments, not business. I see your pretty but raise you the intention aesthetic to elevate your brand above the rest. See, through all this sarcasm I hope you know I want the best, best for you.
AI is the new stock photo kinda cringe
We should all know by now that stock images are just as cringey as the Millennials and their ankle socks. *guilty elder millennial here* But even no show socks sometimes, like stock images, have their place. Just don’t ask Gen Z , or maybe do as they will help drive home my point. People can spot a generic stock photo before your feed or site is even finished loading. I know it’s an instant turn off for me and now that buzz kill is AI generated brand photos. They, and in this case we actually care what “They” think, can tell it’s AI and it’s not a good look. I mean, they look good but they don’t perform well.
Actually, just this morning I was looking at an interior designer’s IG and all five of their headshots were AI, never made it to their website ‘cause it told me what I needed to know. *hard pass* Maybe I am bias as a photographer, but it goes back to understanding who want to attract and work with. Usually shortcuts with things that matter backfire. I will rock my ankle socks and bespoke branding photos, one holds *just* enough cringe.
Brand photos with Blue Flame
My brand voice aligns with the friend and sage archetype, like a straight-foward and supportive best friend. I am invested in you so I will hold space for you while not being afraid to call you out to help you actualize your potential. I mean if that’s not what want that in your corner for your brand photos, I don’t know what is? Like this sassy blog, I want you to have fun with your brand photography experience because, after all it’s fucking exciting, you built something you are proud of and I wanna help you scream it from the rooftops. But like that quality BFF, I want even more for you and that’s why these hard truths are good to consider.
I am here for you when you want to make pretty photos as sometimes that’s good enough. I am here for you when you want to pull up those boot and dig a little deeper to bring your baby to life through an intentional bad ass photo experience. You tell me, I am just excited to get creating!
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