We’re living in a world where everyone’s scrolling, double-tapping, and making split-second decisions about whether they trust a brand or not. Your current photos and videos are making or breaking that first impression.

We don’t want generic stock photos of people pointing at laptops with fake smiles or stock photos where you copy and paste your product into the image.

For your website, amazon listing, social media and overall online presence, we need authentic branding photos that actually tell your story.

What Makes Branding Photos Different from Regular Photos?

Regular photos feel more like snapshots where branding photos have a solid brand strategy behind them.

It starts with competitor research, a shot list and a collaborative approach. We want the images to communicate what your business is about and who your business is for.

Think of your brand identity as your business’s personality. Part of your personality comes out in the colors, fonts, logo and the way you talk to people.

Part of your branding personality comes out in the why behind your brand. When I know that story, I can lay that as the foundation in your shot list and it adds a deeper meaning to your photos.

Branding photos should help connect your brand to your potential customer.

We want your visuals, messaging and overall feel of your brand represented in your brand photos. That’s when people don’t just see your brand but they also feel it.

Why Branding Photos Matter (Beyond Looking Instagram-Ready)

Look, I get it. Professional photos feel like a luxury when you’re bootstrapping a business. But here’s what I’ve learned: when done right, they last a long time.

Every day, your ideal clients are bombarded with content. Hundreds of posts, dozens of ads, countless brands all fighting for their attention. Having cohesive, professional branding photos helps to cut through all that noise.

Plus, there’s credibility. When someone lands on your website and sees high-quality, consistent photos, their brain immediately thinks, “This is legit.” It’s psychology – we associate quality visuals with quality product or quality work.

These photos become your storytelling toolkit. Instead of just telling people you’re approachable, you show them. Instead of saying you’re professional, you demonstrate it.

Get Clear on What Your Brand Stands For

What are your brand core values? Not just “innovative” and “customer-focused” that could describe any business.

Think about…

What gets you fired up?

What do you believe in so strongly that you’d argue about it at a dinner party?

What change do you want to see in your industry?

There are a lot of ways that we can incorporate your brand values into your visual content.

Find Your Target Demographic’s Visual Style

Who is your target demographic? We want to appeal to them and speak to them in these brand photos. Sometimes we want to answer the question “What does my target demographic wear?” But sometimes we want to answer the question “What does my target demographic want to wear?”

The answer isn’t what’s trending on Instagram this week but instead what is valuable to your target customer.

How to Find a Photographer

When you’re choosing a photographer or videographer, don’t just look at someone who takes great photos in other niches. You really actually do need someone who understands brand photography and videography.

Taking photos of products and brands requires a different approach than shooting weddings.

When you’re looking at portfolios, pay attention to more than just technical skill. Do their photos tell a story? Can you get a sense of each brand’s personality through the images?

The best branding photographers are part artist, part business strategist. They should ask you questions about your brand, your audience, and your goals before they even mention camera settings. You also need good competitor research for your brand shoots to be effective.

And communication is huge. You want someone who’s excited about your vision and can offer creative input, not just someone who shows up and takes pretty pictures.

Planning Your Shoot Like a Boss

You can create a shot list or you can let the pro handle it. Or a mix of both! I find it is always best to generally let the experts you’re hiring do what they do best.

If I’m getting my hair done, I come with a vision of what I want but ultimately trust my hair stylist. Same is true in business.

I love doing the competitor research for my clients and then creating a shot list. This helps me to create a really competitive gallery.

Then my clients can use these images on their website headers, social media posts, about page, email signatures.

Location, Location, Location

Your location should tell part of your story. Some of my clients need the studio setup with sleek seamless backgrounds and others need a lifestyle setting. It works best to make this decision based on the competitor research.

Wardrobe

What to wear? Sometimes you are the one in the photos representing your brnad and sometimes we are working with models to represent your brand.

We want those outfit choices to be complimentary to the product or business that we are supporting with the images.

I always tell my clients and models to bring lots of options so that we can change things up if we need to. Maybe we need a casual outfit, an athleisure outfit and a dressy outfit. Or maybe the whole approach is aimed toward a sporty look.

Props That Actually Add to Your Story

Branding photos should be brand-centric. Product photos should be product-centric.

So we want to add props based on the brand or product but then also add props based on the story of the scene in specific photos.

Making Your Photos Work Across All Your Platforms

Once you have your gorgeous new photos, it’s time to put them to work. Your website should showcase these images. Put them on your homepage and about page. These are often the first pages people visit, so make those pages count.

You can also use these images on social media as a starting place. When it comes to social media we want to focus on content that is current, creative and useful.

Don’t forget about the “old school” stuff either. Business cards, brochures, and other printed materials can be valuable depending on your business. Having consistent imagery across digital and print creates a seamless brand experience.

Building Real Connections Through Your Images

Here’s what I think is the most important part: your branding photos should help you build genuine connections with your audience. People don’t just buy products or services – they buy from brands they know, like, and trust.

Use your photos to show the human side of your brand. Let people see who’s behind the business if you’re running a personal brand.

And if you have a product based business that isn’t built on a specific person? Build your visuals around what your target customer wants.

Share the brand story, brand personality and the aspirational content that your customers are wanting to see.

Keeping Your Brand Fresh and Current

Your brand isn’t static, and your photos shouldn’t be either. As your business grows and evolves, your imagery should grow with it. Plan to refresh your branding photos regularly – maybe annually or whenever you have a significant shift in your business.

Branding photos are separate from social media content. Social content should be updated regularly. Ideally we are not recycling any content on your socials.

Regular updates also keep your content fresh and show that your business is active and thriving. Fresh photos give you new content to share and can re-energize your marketing efforts.

Remember that for social media we really need content that is current, creative and useful.

Cheering you on! Share your work with the world because only you can see the world the way that you do.