Step-by-Step: What Happens at a Brand Photo Shoot?
It’s no secret that I love photographing fellow artists and creatives. What might be a secret is that when I meet people whose work lives at the intersection of art and science, I get especially buzzy. (Fun fact: I was a scientist in my first career, so I have a soft spot for fellow researchers and clinicians!)
Brand sessions are one of my favorite things to photograph because they go beyond headshots—they’re about capturing the story of your work, your values, and the way you connect with the world. If you’ve ever wondered things like “What is a brand photo shoot?” or “What is the difference between a headshot and a branding photo?”—this post is for you.
What Is a Brand Photo Shoot?
A brand photo shoot (sometimes called a personal branding photoshoot) is a photography session designed to capture the essence of your business and your personality. Unlike a quick headshot, brand photography creates a whole library of images—portraits, lifestyle shots, detail images, and environmental scenes—that tell the story of who you, how you work, and what good or service you provide. The aesthetic of your brand imagery should align with your brand goals and values, your brand colors, and should communicate in a tone that reflects what your brand is all about.
Headshot vs. Branding Photo: What’s the Difference?
A headshot is usually one or a few simple images - shoulders up, often with a basic background. Headshots can be beautiful - I’m not knocking them - but they don’t communicate much about your business.
A branding photo, on the other hand, goes deeper. It might show you working in your environment, interacting with clients, using tools of your trade, or even enjoying the everyday rituals that connect you to your work. Brand sessions are less about “posing” and more about creating a cohesive visual story.
Branding photos can include:
Professional portraits (looking at the camera)
Lifestyle imagery (you in action, working, teaching, creating)
Behind-the-scenes details (hands on a keyboard, sketchbook, tools of your trade)
Environmental images (your studio, office, or favorite outdoor location)
A well-rounded brand photo session gives you variety so your content never feels repetitive.
What to Wear to a Branding Photo Shoot
The golden rule: wear clothing that helps you feel comfortable, confident, and aligned with your brand values. A few tips:
Stick to your brand color palette, as long as those colors are flattering on you.
Choose outfits that feel like you, just elevated. (Think: your best “work self.”)
Bring two to three outfit options so you can vary the look across your images.
Avoid clothing with busy patterns or writing/logos that might distract from your face.
Accessorize simply - your personality should shine more than your necklace.
I always walk clients through wardrobe choices ahead of time to make sure their clothing will photograph beautifully and feel aligned.
How Long Does a Brand Photoshoot Take?
It depends on your needs and the size of your small business. Many of the brands sessions I do are 2-hour sessions. These Quarter Day Sessions are ideal for solopreneuers, artists, therapists, and medical professionals. These sessions allow time for multiple outfits, 1-2 locations, and a mix of portrait and lifestyle shots.
Longer shoots (Half Day (4-hours), and FullDay (8-hours)) are more ideal for businesses with a small team, product-based businesses, and businesses that are doing a big brand overhaul and want to start from scratch with their collection of images.
What Happens During a Brand Session?
Here’s a peek behind the curtain of what happens after you book a brand session with me:
Session Confirmed →I send you a thorough prep guide to get you excited for your session and help get oriented to wjat’s going to happen. I also send you a brand questionnaire, so I come to our planning call with some idea and feeling like I already know your brand.
Planning Call → We talk through your short-term and long-term goals, your audience, and your brand values. We come up with a lighting plan and pin down our shoot locations. We discuss lots of practical details like aspect ratios (for website banners vs. Instagram squares), individual website page needs, etc. After our call, I create a shot list that I share with you before our session.
Shoot Day → We capture a mix of portraits, lifestyle shots, working images, environmental (wide) and detail (tight) shots that reflect your work. Your shoot day should feel relaxed and like a culiminating event after so much thought and planning.
After the Session → I go away and cull the best images from your set, making sure we’ve hit everything on the shot list. Then I lovingly edit your best images to make them shine. About 1-2 weeks later, you receive a, expertly-curated gallery of high-res images ready to use across your platforms.
How to Use Branding Photos
One of the best parts of investing in brand photography is the versatility of the images. Clients typically use them for:
Website banners and About pages
Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and other social media
Email newsletters and blog posts
Speaking engagements, press kits, and book launches
Course platforms or podcasts
Basically—anywhere you want to visually connect with your audience.
Real Brand Client Story: Leah Kern, RD
Leah Kern might not self-identify as working at the intersection of art and science but that is what I experienced when she shared about her work. She is a registered dietician nutritionist and works with people all over the country who are on a journey of embodied healing and intuitive eating. She treats people individually, offers courses, and even has a podcast. When photographing her, I wanted to show her both as an expert in her field, but also as a warm, approachable, and engaging person that folks can trust.
Final Thoughts
A branding photography session is about so much more than a few nice headshots - it’s about creating images that capture your story, your personality, and the values that set your brand apart. Whatever it is you offer, your photos should reflect both your expertise and your human-ness.
If you’ve been wondering what to expect at a brand photo shoot, I hope this gives you a sense of the process, and maybe some inspiration for your own session.