One of the most common things I hear from small business owners is some version of: “My business has grown, but my visuals haven’t caught up yet.” Maybe your website still uses a mix of phone photos from different years. Maybe your social media feels inconsistent. Maybe you’re doing great work but it doesn’t look that way online. That’s exactly what brand photography is designed to solve.
What is brand photography?
Brand photography isn’t just about getting professional photos of yourself. It’s about creating a library of images that help potential customers understand who you are, what you do, and what it’s like to work with you before they ever reach out. It shows your personality. It shows how you’re different from others. It provides the visual context so they can almost hear your voice when reading your content.
Brand photography matters because we as humans use most of our senses and emotions to make decisions, even if it’s subconscious. Whether a customer is checking out your website or your social media, you generally have 3-5 seconds before they will make a decision on if they want to learn more or move on. Brand photography helps those seconds count.
The three types of brand photos every business needs
There are three main types or brand photography that ever small business needs to make a good visual impact on a potential customer: portrait or personality shots, behind the scenes or process shots, and environmental or workplace shots. Each is important because it speaks to different stages of their decision process.
The portrait shots are what put a face to the business. Most importantly, they answer the question: “Who am I working with?” This category may include headshots, but it’s also going to be more casual than a normal headshot session. Brand photography portrait shots are your chance to communicate the personality behind the brand. While there is usually a sense of professionalism, it’s not like posing for a new LinkedIn profile picture! Your customers are not looking for a new best friend, and your website is very different than a dating profile, but most people like to work with people they can get along with.
The behind-the-scenes brand photos are what really begin to convince your customers (especially if you’re a service provider). These images answer the question “Can I trust this person to do what they say they can?” They let your potential customers visualize what it would be like to work with you and show the expertise you bring to your work. If you’re a product business, this is how the potential customers gain respect for everything that goes into your products. These photos are especially helpful on your website to be a visual explanation of what you’re describing.
Lastly, the environmental or workplace give another view to your customer about working with you. They answer the question “What will the experience actually feel like?” They give more context to what you do as a business and are especially helpful for social images to quickly give that context to viewers.
What brand photography isn’t
Now that we’ve talked a lot about what brand photography is, let me clarify a few points about what brand photography isn’t. It’s not just a headshot session. A branding session may include some headshots for marketing materials or other places, but it’s not the entirety of the session. A branding session is also not about looking perfect. Now, of course it’s ok to want to portray a professional, put-together version of yourself! However, you want the images to still look like you and your business. Most importantly, a branding session shouldn’t just be about copying an image from a different business. You may have an entirely different audience or goal or process than that business. Just because the image fits that business, doesn’t mean it’s going to fit yours. Lastly, a brand photography session isn’t just about getting hundreds of random images. If the image isn’t going to serve a purpose for your business or isn’t going to work for what you need, then it’s not a shot worth taking.
How to prepare for your brand photography session
Now that we’ve talked about the types of brand photography and their uses, let’s talk about how you can prepare for your brand photography session. Some of these steps may feel like a bit of a step back, but skipping them will make it so much harder to have cohesive images that work for your brand.
First, to prepare for your brand photography session you should start by asking a simple question: What do these photos need to accomplish? Are you needing these photos to launch a new product or service? Are you needing to do a website overhaul? Are you needing new photos to have images for your content calendar for the next 6 months? The “why” answer will shape everything else. The key to a successful branding photography session is to start with the business goals in mind, not the inspirational images.
The second step is to define your brand identity. This partly involves having answers for the following questions: How do I want my customers to feel when they see my branding? What words describe my brand? What colors can bring those words and feelings to mind? What experience am I trying to create? How does my brand voice come across? Sometimes your field may dictate how casual or formal your brand should be portrayed. Your own personality should also be a consideration. It may confuse your clients if you portray yourself as super bubbly and animated online, but in person you’re more laid back. Identifying your brand identity drives a lot of other brand creation decisions. Check out these other posts to learn more.
What is it like to work with a brand photographer?
Now that you have an idea of some of the things that go into planning a brand photography session, you’re probably wondering what it’s like to actually work with a brand photographer! Having all those answers and plans is a great place to start, but the good news is that a brand photographer will guide you through all of these steps even if you’re not sure how to answer some of these questions. Once a brand photographer understands your brand and what is important for you to communicate to your customers, we use that information to plan storytelling shots.
A good brand photographer isn’t just showing up with a camera and hoping for the best. Before your session, they should be asking questions about your business goals, your audience, where the images will be used, and what story needs to be told. The planning process is what turns a collection of photos into a library of marketing assets you can use across your website, social media, email marketing, and other brand materials.
How to use your brand photos
Now comes the exciting part: getting your pictures delivered! You’re looking through and love how you and your brand come across, but what now? When my clients receive their gallery, their client portal also includes a use guide, which includes specific recommendations. Some important places to start are your website, your social media, and email/marketing materials.
Your website will use a full spectrum of the images. Pictures focused on you and your personality work great on the about section of the homepage, the about page, and the contact page. Pictures of your work process can be used on your services/product pages. Environmental images often work well in website hero sections because they immediately give visitors context about your business.
Social media is often where your brand photography gets the longest lifespan. Use your favorite personality shot as your new profile pictures so your customers know they’re interacting with a person, not just a business. Images of you working can be used on educational posts or descriptions of what you sell.
When you send out email marketing messages, you can use process images to demonstrate your product or service as you are describing it in the email. Your favorite personality shot can be used in your email signature or as a featured image at the top of the first email you send to new subscribers to introduce yourself.
How much does brand photography cost?
As with most photography, brand photography can have a range for its cost. Some of the factors that affect the cost may be the years of experience of the photographer and how they position the strategy of your images. Some photographers may treat a branding photoshoot as more of a portrait shoot and not work to plan the strategy of the images. It’s important to remember that these images serve a purpose and that each image should be planned with the strategy in mind. This outlook does make the price of a brand shoot more than your normal family portrait session. Brand photography isn’t capturing memories of where you are in the moment, it’s driving the communication of where your business can go.
How to find and hire the right brand photographer
When you’re looking for a brand photographer, be looking for someone who has a defined process and experience working with brand strategy. Your brand photographer should sit down with you on a call or in person to listen to what is important to your brand and recommend ideas for how to communicate this through your images. You can expect a little homework when you’re working with a brand photographer, but that means that they will work in the background to plan a shoot specific to you and your business instead of using a generic assumption.
Brand photography frequently asked questions:
What is the difference between brand photography and a headshot session?
A headshot session is going to be photos that are more formally posed and focused mainly from the waist up. A branding session is going to be a mix of posed and naturally staged process photos that show all aspects of your business.
How many brand photos do I actually need?
The answer depends on how and where you’ll be using them. Most small businesses benefit from having enough variety to support their website, social media, email marketing, and other promotional materials. Rather than focusing on a specific number of images, focus on having the right mix of personality photos, process images, and environmental shots that support your business goals.
How often should I update my brand photos?
Most businesses should plan to update their brand photography every 1–3 years. However, you may want new images sooner if you’ve rebranded, launched new products or services, changed locations, significantly updated your appearance, or redesigned your website.
What should I wear for a brand photography session?
Choose clothing that reflects how you normally show up in your business while still looking polished and intentional. The goal is not to dress like someone else. It’s to present the most professional version of yourself. Your clothing should align with your brand personality, industry, and the clients you’re trying to attract.
Where should a branding photoshoot take place?
The best location is one that helps communicate your business and supports the story you’re trying to tell. That may be your office, studio, storefront, home workspace, a rented studio, or an outdoor location. Many branding sessions include multiple locations to create more variety and context.
What if I don’t know my brand identity yet?
That’s more common than you might think. Part of the planning process is helping identify what makes your business unique and how that should be communicated visually. You don’t need all the answers before reaching out. A good strategy process helps uncover them.
Can brand photography help if I’m redesigning my website?
Absolutely. In fact, a website redesign is one of the best times to invest in brand photography. Custom images help create a more cohesive experience, improve credibility, and ensure your website reflects the current version of your business.
Do product-based and service-based businesses need different types of brand photography?
Yes, but they still share the same goal: building trust and helping customers understand what you offer. Product-based businesses often need more product-focused and behind-the-scenes images, while service-based businesses typically rely more heavily on personality and process photos. Most businesses benefit from a combination of both.
What props should I bring to a branding session?
Start with anything you regularly use in your work. This could include tools, products, packaging, technology, notebooks, client materials, or anything else that helps tell the story of your business. Props should support the story, not distract from it.
How long does a brand photography session take?
The length of a branding session depends on the number of locations, outfit changes, and types of images needed. Some sessions can be completed in an hour or two, while larger sessions may take half a day or longer. The planning process helps determine the right scope for your business.
What should I do with my photos after the session?
Start with the places that matter most: your website, social media profiles, email marketing, and other customer-facing materials. The goal is to consistently use your images across your visual presence rather than saving them for special occasions.
Is brand photography worth it for a new business?
Brand photography can be valuable at almost any stage, but the answer depends on your priorities. If you’re actively marketing your business and trying to attract customers, professional photography can help establish credibility and create a stronger first impression. Even a smaller branding session can provide assets that support your growth.
Can I use brand photos for social media and marketing materials?
Yes. In fact, that’s exactly what they’re supposed to be for! Brand photography is designed to support your website, social media, email marketing, print materials, advertising, and other places where customers interact with your business.
What makes a good brand photographer?
A good brand photographer understands both photography and business strategy. They take the time to learn about your goals, audience, and brand before the session. The best brand photographers don’t just create beautiful images—they create images with a purpose.
Do I need brand photography if I already have a logo and website?
Many business owners already have a logo and website but still feel like their visual presence is incomplete. Photography is often the piece that connects everything together. Consistent, strategic images help your brand identity and website feel more cohesive, making it easier for customers to recognize, trust, and remember your business.
