Commercial photography has long been a cornerstone of the industry–encompassing everything from individual headshots to large marketing campaigns. Now, thanks to an explosion in small businesses opening and customers wanting their businesses to have individual identities, personal brand photography (a.k.a. brandography!) has emerged as a new genre within commercial photography (it’s beautiful!).
Your days of wedding hangovers, body aches from running around for eight+ hours and missing family time on nights and weekends have ended, thanks to branding! No longer do clients call during business hours but there is so much room for creativity in branding services and photography services – especially if you decide to switch completely or add photography services into the mix – while taking on new clients have also gone away thanks to branding! Before diving in headfirst though there are a few key points you need to remember.
Key Differences between Branding and Portraiture
Wedding or portrait photographers have their own distinctive editing style; the gallery they deliver reflects who they are as artists. Our goal with branding photography, however, is to present our client with images that represent who THEY are as businesses; that means shooting to suit their aesthetic, permitting any necessary alteration and delivery without watermark or credit requirement.
At first, this may feel counter-intuitive and uncomfortable, which I can understand. We’re used to viewing our finished products as masterpieces that should be guarded carefully – now I’m encouraging you to hand it off like chop liver (OK, maybe that was too dramatic!). However, trust that this mindset change will pay dividends into your business!
Once your foundation is secure, follow these four steps to become a brand photographer!
