Brand Photography (Part 1): WHY it matters
This post is the first in a 3-part Brand Photography Series. We’ll explore (1) WHY Brand Photography matters, (2) HOW to plan a Shoot, and (3) WHO to use as your Photographer.
Brand photos that authentically express the spirit of you and your work are such an asset for your business.
Rather than a handful of generic headshots, brand photos are intentionally crafted to express the spirit and nature of your brand and business. This can range from a few beautiful portraits, to a comprehensive gallery of images.
Brand photos can amplify your frequency, create cohesion, and build deeper connection. It is also such a gift, to have your truth & beauty reflected back to you.
Having said that, so many of the women I work with feel resistance around a brand photo shoot. Some find it vulnerable and exposing to have their photos taken. Some find it difficult to justify the time, money or ‘self-indulgence’. Some find it stirs up some deep discomfort they have around visibility.
I hear you, my love. As women, our visibility wounds are real. Especially when showing up as our fullest, truest selves.
This is why I see a brand photo shoot not only as ‘good for business’, but also a sacred rite of passage. Let’s dive into why…
Vanessa Fourcaudot, by Eva Bigeard
(1) Brand photos amplify your essence
I remember when I worked with eco-spiritual coach and founder of La Voix de Gaia, Vanessa Fourcaudot, her existing website was filled with travel pics she’s taken herself. Vanessa is all about authenticity, and being quite fond of her pics, she wasn’t entirely convinced that she’s need a brand photo shoot.
Through my Brand Therapy process, we identified Vanessa’s Brand Spirit as Rebel-Queen, and tapped into the spirit of La Voix de Gaia: “a waterfall, a bird song, the roar of a jaguar, the awe-inspiring song of a thousand women”. I just knew that there was so much more depth, beauty, and power that we needed to capture visually.
And so, Vanessa worked with French photographer, Eva Bigeard. As you can see from the gallery above, the results were INCREDIBLE. Eva captured the spirit of Vanessa and her brand in a way that was so beautiful and so honest.
There is of course they style of photography that’s over-posed and over-manipulated. Photography that feels, well, fake. I like to work with photographers I call ‘Seers’. One’s that see and care about capturing the truth of who you are.
As they say, an image speaks a thousand words. That right photographer can take your spirit, your essence, and amplify it a thousand times over.
FIT IN LOU by Jessie Kriech-Higdon
(2) Brand photos build Trust
And not just because they make you look more ‘professional’. Good brand photography helps express your humanity.
When I worked with integrative fitness clinic, FIT IN LOU, their website was filled with very, um, ‘stocky’ stock images of athletes, etc. But FIT IN LOU are SO much more than your standard fitness group. As we journeyed through my Brand Therapy process, we tapped into their vision for a truly integrative and inclusive health movement, one that’s rooted in holistic lifestyle medicine and community care.
The feedback FIT IN LOU were getting from clients was all about the safety, dignity, and warmth they felt, but their existing photography were doing very little to express the humanity that was so core to their values, and so palpable from their team.
And so, FIT IN LOU worked with Louisville photographer Jessie Kriech-Higdon. As you’ll see from the photos above, Jessie did such a beautiful job of capturing the sense of warmth and community that sets FIT IN LOU apart.
So many businesses hide behind ‘professional’ visuals that feel cold, fake or generic. Some don’t even show their faces! But when you’re a coach, therapist or heartfelt service-provider, your business is literally built on trust & emotional connection. Having brand photography that authentically captures your humanity, and warmth is SO important to building that deeper trust with your audience.
Rachael Collins by Jewel Afflerbaugh
(3) Brand photos create Cohesion
I know ‘the notion of ‘brand cohesion’ can feel a bit contrived and perfectionistic, but there’s something deeper to it that I think you’ll appreciate. On a subconscious level, brand cohesion suggests congruence, which in turn builds trust.
When your visual branding’s inconsistent, it’s like meeting someone who feels fickle and all-over-the-place. When your visual branding’s consistent, it’s like meeting someone who feels congruent and trustworthy. That they are who they say they are.
This doesn’t mean we have to be rigid and perfectionistic about our visuals, it just means we have to be intentional.
What is the core energy you want to express through your brand? How do you want people to feel? Try distilling it down to 3 Brand Words, and use this as a compass for your brand visuals and photography to create that sense of clarity and cohesion.
The other wonderful thing about having cohesive and congruent brand photography is that it makes our lives so much easier!
Rather than endlessly scrolling for stock images that never seems to ‘feel’ right, having a beautiful and intentional library of brand images can save us so much time and energy! Even if you don’t have a huge library of brand images, having an intentional aesthetic will make it easier for your to curate stock images that resonate.
Mama Comes First by Still Poetry Photography
(4) Brand Photos are an act of Self-Love
As I mentioned earlier, so many women I work with feel resistance around a brand photo shoot. Some find it vulnerable and exposing to have their photos taken. Some find it difficult to justify the time, money or ‘self-indulgence’. Some find it stirs up some deep discomfort they have around visibility.
The feelings are SO normal. As women, many of us have personal and generational visibility wounds to tend to, and they can really get triggered when we’re choosing to show up as our fullest, truest selves in our business.
And so, an authentic brand photo shoot (much like creating an authentic website) can be a sacred rite of passage. Giving ourselves that time and space; letting ourselves be seen in our truest light; having a beautiful collection of images that make us say, “wow, there I am”… can be so empowering. Healing, even.
Because authentic brand photography can be so vulnerable and powerful, it’s important we have a photographer that makes us feel safe, seen and free.
Stay tuned for my upcoming posts in this Brand Photography series - HOW to plan a brand photo shoot, and WHO to choose as your photographer. Whether you just want a few really great portraits, a full brand shoot that becomes your entire visual world, or something in between, there’ll be someone for your style, needs and budget.
Hey there!
I’m Christina Paul, a therapist turned Brand Therapist, here to help women share their medicine with the world through branding, websites, and visibility.
I work mainly with coaches, therapists, creatives and change-makers - women who are part of the gentle revolution our world so desperately needs.
If you’re feeling a connection, feel free to explore my offerings, find me on Instagram or subscribe to my e-community for love letters sent straight to your inbox.
