Does My Personal Branding Shoot Need to Be In a Studio?
The location of your personal branding shoot helps tell your story. It will also play a role in the first impression you create and what type of audience you attract.
When you think about personal branding photography, a studio setting and headshots, is usually what jumps to mind. However, this is only one of the many options that you can choose from. Let’s take a closer look at branding photography location options.
Home Office
Do you work from home? Do you feel that your home office visually represents your personal brand? Then it’s perfect for your personal branding shoot. Give people an inside view of how you spend your day. Plus, if you want a more relaxed, personal feel, you can even include your pet in a few of the shots. I would recommend taking a few shots in your living room or kitchen as well. But it all depends on the messaging you want to send. Just make sure that your home office isn’t too cluttered, for the best photos.
Meeting Room or Coworking Space
If you don’t feel your home office is right for a shoot, why not rent a meeting room or coworking space? Just make sure that the décor aligns with your brand image. You can even incorporate a few props if you want to add a personal touch. If possible, choose a space that has other areas you can use, such as a lounge with visually appealing furniture.
Photography Studio
A photography studio is still a great location for professional headshots, which is a must for any personal branding shoot. It offers a very professional setting and you get to take advantage of your photographer’s equipment.
Apartment or Air B-n-B
There are so many beautiful apartments and guest houses that can be used for your personal branding shoot. If you know someone who has a great apartment or you’ve seen a nice location on Airbnb, this can be a good option for your shoot. It’s also ideal if you would prefer a more private setting for your photo session, but feel your home doesn’t represent your brand.
Cafes and Restaurants
If you would prefer to show places you go for coffee, why not arrange a shoot at a coffee shop, café or restaurant? Unless you make prior arrangements though, you might need to work around other patrons. Either way, be sure to speak to the owner of the establishment first.
Get Outside
If your personal brand is more adventurous, or if you are an outdoor lover, then an outdoor location could be ideal. Whether this is by the seaside, in a park or somewhere more mountainous, there is no rule that says you can’t take personal branding photos at an outdoor location. Plus, the backdrop opportunities are endless.
As you can see, there are multiple options, over and above a studio, that you can use as a location for your personal branding shoot. It all depends what you want to portray to your ideal customer.