5 Steps to DIY Your Brand Shoot
I have found a consistent worry during my recent brand strategy calls in 2020, that worry is that COID-19 has canceled my brand photoshoot - What now?
If you are needing brand marketing materials, website photos, and social media content, I always suggest hiring a professional photographer for your brand identity photos. But, due to this year's social distancing requirements and overall safety, this may be hard to do in your area right now and that is ok.
In a pinch, you can DIY your own brand photos to get you by until a little more normalcy is back. I recently DIY'd my own photoshoot so to help my clients, I compiled my 5 tips in preparing for the day of your business photoshoot so you feel confident and don't wake up to that familiar feeling of wanting to reschedule until later.
01 PRE-GAME
A few days before your shoot, do a little research to get a clear idea of what message you want to get across. Ask yourself a few questions -
Who are you trying to reach with these photos? What is the mood you want to portray? My biggest tip here is to stay consistent with your branding and brand strategy. If you don’t already have your branding set up to follow, check out the importance of this for your business here. For example, if the color palette for your brand is more neutral, maybe avoid that beautiful neon green wall you're eyeing and choose more of a neutral background. If your brand is consistent with a happy, friendly mood then remember this when choosing your poses and outfits. A great way to get prepared for your shoot day is to create a board on Pinterest dedicated to your brand's photo shoot. Pin 10-20 different pose ideas, background goals, etc... This will be a game-changer the day of your shoot because you can visit your brand photoshoot board on your Pinterest app during your session!
02 TIME OF DAY
If taking your brand photos outdoors, I always suggest planning your DIY brand photos early in the morning, or later in the evening. This will help you to avoid that mid-day sun action to overexpose your photos, cause that "squinty face" struggle and avoid any down lit lighting that may cause harsh shadows if the sun is directly over you. The most ideal lighting is a little bit softer and even like what indirect sun will give you. Even a little bit of cloud coverage is perfect! If taking your DIY photoshoot indoors, make sure to choose a well-lit, preferably natural lighting,
03 PROPS
Oh my gosh, props can be your best friend if you are as naturally awkward as I am in any photoshoot situation. Props also help you to relax a bit with another item to focus on in the photo. When planning your brand photoshoot props, keep in mind to be relevant to your business. For example, I am a graphic and website designer. So naturally, I bring my laptop, sketchbook, color swatches, and cell phone. Don't be afraid here to also show some personality! Those of you who have followed me from the beginning know that calling me a coffee lover is understated. So of course, I sneak in an iced latte, my S co. Creative coffee mug, or even take a few shots in my local coffee shop/my second office. Trust me, having brand props will alleviate those "What do I do with my hands?!" moments! Plus, they create those beautiful candid moments that are sometimes difficult to grab when it's not so candid. Relevant props to your business also give the notion visually that you are a pro in your brand's business or business niche.
04 PHOTO CROPPING
It is super important that you leave plenty of room when taking your DIY brand photos for cropping. Make sure to consider plenty of room for different platform guidelines like Instagram, Pinterest's need for vertical images, your website banner, etc... When posting on Instagram, your post will be cropped into certain sizing.
Check this blog post out for Instagram sizing details!
Check this post out for Pinterest photo sizing!
Website photos are really important to consider, every platform is different so look into your hosting platforms size requirements before uploading for optimal results to avoid any SEO struggles. To avoid any sizing issues, just remember to leave plenty of room (but not too far away) in your photos, and take each pose in both a vertical and horizontal
Also, pre-plan any marketing material you may need. Think in terms of, will there be text on this, or will I use this for a website banner? If so, shoot a few photos horizontally and leave room off to one side to add text for marketing your brand, any announcement you may need to have, or a website button.
05 SHOOTING YOUR BRAND PHOTOS YOURSELF
Don't stress here, the most popular bloggers take their own blog photos every day! I am fortunate to have a great and patience fiance' to help snap my photos (an embarrassing amount of times) but I have also taken my own brand photos plenty of times. In a pinch, you don't always need a DSLR camera, your cell phone will work perfectly! If taking your own photos, use the self-timer option on your phone and snap a few test shots just to make sure you are in the view, in focus, the lighting is optimal minus any blurry areas. To make your DIY photoshoot go even more seamlessly, Amazon has great options for inexpensive Bluetooth phone shutter remotes that can do all of the work for you, some even come with tripods!
Just remember to have fun with it! Use these tips to plan to ensure the best photo results in the least stressful way. Having photos to connect your brand's following to you and who you are is well worth the effort and you'll be so happy you went for it.
