3 signs you’re ready to invest in branding photography

This guest post was contributed by Emily Kim Photography.

As an entrepreneur, we’re all too familiar with investing in our business. There are so many areas to consider – education, legal, finance, marketing, etc. But, a question you might be asking yourself is, when should you book a brand photoshoot? Where does it fit in with everything else?

As a brand photographer myself, I’ve observed a few key factors over the years that show when business owners are ready for custom branding photography. Without further ado, here are three signs that you are ready to invest in a personal brand photoshoot for your business.

1. You’ve already hired a brand and/or website designer

Many of my clients first reach out to me because they are in the process of rebranding, or they’re getting a brand design for the first time. This is the perfect time to invest in brand photos, too! When you invest in a designer as well as a brand photographer, these professionals are able to work together to create the brand of your dreams.

Your brand photos are going to end up on your website, after all. Wouldn’t you want these two people to collaborate? Your web designer can let your brand photographer know what types of images they need and where they will go on the website. Your photographer can then add these to their shot list, and boom – you have a cohesive, ultra-strategic website visuals in place.

2. You are tired of constantly searching for on-brand stock photos for your website and social media

Odds are, if you are not a photographer, it’s probably safe to say that photography is not your zone of genius. That’s okay! Hiring a brand photographer saves you all kinds of time. For instance, here are all of the things you no longer need to do when you invest in personal branding photography:

• Spend hours scouring for on-brand stock photos
• Pull your hair out while you attempt to DIY selfies with your phone
• Scramble when it’s time to post to social media because you don’t have a photo for that post

By hiring a personal branding photographer, you’re able to offload all of these tasks so that you can get back to focusing on what you do best.

3. You’ve recently gone through a major life event or transformation

Did you go from mermaid hair to a pixie cut? Or maybe, you’ve just moved to a totally new place. Either way, major life milestones or life changes warrant a personal brand photoshoot. If you’ve drastically changed your look or appearance, new brand photos will help you 1) document this change, and 2) share this change with your audience. This is especially important as a service provider, because you want to give your clients an accurate picture of who they are working with.

Another sign that you are ready for brand photos is if you’ve moved to a new place, and you offer in-person services. The easiest way to share that you’ve moved is by capturing new photos near local hot spots like landmarks, parks, and other local venues.

A sign that you’re NOT ready to invest in a brand photoshoot

Even though there are many reasons to book a personal branding photoshoot, there are also reasons to not. Out of personal experience, I recommend that you wait to book a brand photoshoot if you don’t yet have clarity in your brand. 

You should be in business for at least a few months before investing in branding photography. This will give you clarity on the types of photos you need, as well as what direction you want your brand to take in the future.

There you have it, folks – three reasons to book a brand photoshoot, and one reason to not. If you are still unsure about if you’re ready to invest in brand photography, feel free to send me a DM on Instagram. We can chat about it!

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