5 Shot Ideas for your Brand Photoshoot Shotlist
stuck for shotlist inspiration for your next Brand Photoshoot?
I've got you! As a brand photographer who also gets to shoot for magazines, I build creative and useful shotlists with lots of brand photography shot ideas on a very regular basis. In this list of brand photography shot ideas, you will find the images I get asked for by my magazine editors, that my clients use heaps online, and that have helped my clients to land mainstream press coverage.
Let’s get into it...
you using your phone
I know, not the first thing I'd think to add to my brand photography shotlist either! But this one comes straight from a chat with one of the magazine editors I work with regularly. You would be amazed by how often you will use photos of you typing, texting, or displaying your social media feeds. These can help you to talk about how to contact you, maybe how you feel about social media, how clients can reach you when they are ready to work together… The possibilities are endless.
group shots of your team
Lots of brands know they need individual headshots of their team, and during most team brand sessions we capture plenty! That said, I also like to add some group shots to the brand photoshoot’s shotlist. I love a good candid moment of your team in action, as well as some cute giggly shots like the one above.
These are so handy for highlighting the culture and feel of working with you as a client or customer, or of joining your team as an employee. If you cultivate a certain vibe within your office (or remote workspace!) then it’s important we reflect that in photos, so you have lovely shots ready for recruitment time.
gorgeous “stock” photos
Now I don't mean stock as in anybody could buy them too! For these ideas for your shotlist, I mean “breather” photos, that break up a portrait-heavy session and create balance throughout your gallery. These shots could be landscapes, hands, or details of the office, depending on where you are and what your brand does.
These shots add variety to your gallery and make it easier to tell a story, so you have photos that reflect where you are from and who you are when an editor wants to write a profile about you! This is why I love including cityscapes of a client’s hometown, which will be instantly recognisable to your most likely customers: those who are local to you.
As well as this, having some “breather” shots helps balance out formats where you will see a lot of your brand photos close together. I’m thinking on your blog feed, on Substack, or on your Instagram grid in particular. When we see lots of the same kind of images together – let’s say lots of headshots for example’s sake – our minds start to tune out a little! But by mixing through a variety, we can retain our viewer’s interest much more easily. Here are some of the ways I like to mix these into client’s inspiration Instagram grids:
your branded items (or your published work!)
If you have branded stationery, mugs, or swag in general, we’ll feature them into your session to show them off and emphasise who you are. This is a great way to underline your brand and start triggering customers to recognise your logo, your brand colours, or your go-to fonts. The more they associate your assets with your brand, the more likely they are to think of you when they spot them out in the wild.
Equally, if you are an author or have been published in magazines, these images are so useful for directing people towards those publication! Most of the authors I know are lovingly nagged by their teams about the importance of regularly promoting their books, and a variety of brand photos will make this so much easier. Well worth adding this to your creative shotlist for your next brand session!
your hobbies and passions
Personal branding continues to be huge, which means folks are looking to understand who you are outside your business as well as within it! I wish more folks knew that your brand photoshoot isn't about capturing just you at work. It’s about showing who you truly are as a human and what you are most passionate about… any almost anything goes.
Any true personal brand photographer will be so game for capturing your passions outside of work.That could be cooking in your kitchen, crafting in your cosy corner, pulling your Tarot, or wild swimming in the sea. All of this is vital to differentiating you, celebrating your uniqueness, and giving your audience more reasons to connect with you deeply.
I'm planning to shoot some cosy shots of Gilmore Girls ASAP because I want fellow GG lovers to find me and know that I’m so down for capturing a brand session that feels like fall in Star's Hollow!
bonus: podcast shots
I’m telling you, photos of you with a microphone are seriously handy! But I’m sure some of you reading will be like Anna, I don't have a podcast, why do I need podcast shots?
I’m glad you asked! I always encourage my clients to pitch for guest appearances and having supporting photos of you at a mic ready for these pitches is so useful. These are great for things like Instagram Story shoutouts, or mentions on your newsletter where you are letting the world know you are keen to be interviewed. Sometimes I even bring my microphone from home for clients’ photoshoots because these shots are so handy! Definitely worth adding to your shot ideas for your next brand photoshoot.
There you go my loves!
If this got you inspired about having your brand photography taken, I can help! I have just a couple of photoshoot spots left this year and I'd love to help you with your business goals. Let’s make content creation easy and beautiful; drop me an enquiry here!
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