HOW TO ENSURE YOU HAVE A GREAT PERSONAL BRAND PHOTOGRAPHIC SHOOT BEHIND THE SCENES

Hands up if you freak out when you get in front of a camera, so you just keep putting it off… even though you know it’s a good thing for your business? Getting in front of a camera can freak many normally-brave business owners right out! There is something very intimidating about having all eyes turned to us and seeing ourselves as others do. So much so, that most business owners do not have any up to date images of themselves, let alone any that would be considered of a ‘rockstar’ calibre.

Don’t let the fear of getting in front of the camera stop you and hurt your business, because we can help you have an amazing shoot. It just requires some serious planning and a healthy dose of self-awareness of what you are trying to achieve. Below we have some amazing tips on how to have a really successful personal brand photography and video shoot.

And watch our behind the scenes video for creating a Rockstar personal brand for myself and my agency and online courses, with the fabulous photographer Melinda Hird, shot at Visions in Style in Annandale, Sydney.

PART 1: THE RECCE

- Find an amazing location. One that really resonates with you and your brand. I have wanted to shoot with Visions in Style for 18 months now and these sneak peek photos of just some of the space shows you why!
- Do a recce trip to the location with your photographer before the shoot. Understand the location, the lighting, vehicle access, what props you need to bring. You don’t want any ‘surprises’ on the day.
- Give your photographer a very detailed brief. They need to know what you want to achieve, who your target audience is, what your brand message is, where the photos are going to be used and the look you are going for. This will help them to get their creative juices flowing and if they’re any good, they’ll also make lots of suggestions to you that will only enhance your vision. Just make sure they truly understand you and don’t hijack the original brief!!
- If you need to, have your designer there as well if they are helping you create this vision. Too often I see business owners go off and get their own photos done and come back with images that don’t fit the vision of the new website/new promotion, and it’s just a missed opportunity if it doesn’t hit the mark.
- Start preparing yourself physically for the shoot. (I’ll do another post on this in the coming days). You cannot be too prepared!!! Most people are pretty intimidated in front of a camera so it’s best to put your best face forward, and that can take a little planning. Getting lots of sleep and keeping your water intake up leading up to the shoot sounds so basic, but it is a huge plus to making it a successful day.
- Start a vision board going with your inspiration and share that with your photographer.

Focus on YOU. Don’t worry about what people are going to say or play small just because you feel self-conscious. Actually talk to somebody motivating or inspiring before your shoot so you feel pumped about it. (Your designer should pump you up before and during the shoot if you are working with somebody.) I find a lot of business owners are all just mimicking each other in their shoots and it’s so boring. Dare to stand out, be different, do something reflective of your personality and HAVE FUN!!!

Many thanks to Mike on our recce trip and for the great rock stories behind all of the pieces in your event space. It’s a virtual museum of behind-the-scenes of rock touring for every great artist around the world. If you want to check out the Visions in Style space in Annandale get in touch with Mike direct. You can use the space for your own shoot, event or hire out individual pieces for your own location.

PART 2: GET CLEAR ON YOUR AIM

I’ve spent a good chunk of this weekend getting really clear about my upcoming photographic shoot. It’s the difference between a good shoot and a sensational one! Unless you want to look like everybody else (no thanks), you really do need to put in the leg work and help your photographer and designer give you the best results possible.

Get very, very clear on what the AIM OF YOUR SHOOT is. For me, I need images for my business website, my personal website and my music website. I also need images that will support my online programs, podcast, press releases and speaker information. Plus to support general content that I have planned. So list it all out and understand exactly what you need and give that list to your photographer.
YOUR SOCIAL MEDA IMAGES NEED TO BE A PATTERN INTERRUPT. That is why the good old selfie is such a reliable shot! You need to help people to stop scrolling past your posts, and one of the best ways is through a great image of what most of your followers find engaging, and that is YOU! Yes it feels very ego-centric. But, that’s marketing these days so get over yourself and just handle it! Other ways to create a great pattern interrupt are unusual angles, really high level photography, dramatic lighting, unexpected poses/props, unusual colours and anything that is OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
You need to know who your TARGET AUDIENCE is. And what your brand message is to them. Your images need to ooze that message. There is an epidemic among business owners to all just play safe and mimic each other (subliminally we all just want to fit in)… but please don’t! We are all individuals so use that difference and stan
Who do you need to BE? I’m a big fan of visualising the shoot before you turn up for it. For my shoot I’ve got a theme of being a ROCKSTAR BUSINESS OWNER! It supports my interests as being a singer/songwriter, and the names of my programs and online course are all around being a Rockstar. So on the day I’ll have to really pump myself up to pull it off. Your photoshoot is such an opportunity to show your true personality. Don’t be all self-conscious and unprepared and sabotage the moment.

PROPS: Planning your look and clothing is important, but having the right props is great too! I follow a great online entrepreneur and I was first attracted to her brand because she was photographed in front of a light blue kombi (which totally embodies her brand). It was an instant attention-grabbing moment for this kombi lover! So think about what is unique about you that you can blend into your photoshoot?

PART 3: LOOK YOUR BEST!

This is where most business owners really panic about getting their photos done and do all sorts of stalling tacts in the hope they will:

a) Lose weight
b) Get in shape
c) Spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on new clothes thinking it matters

But these are all self-sabotaging acts. Just get your photos done! And if you do change your look substantially in the coming months or years, then just get them reshot. You should be updating your photos every 18 months or so anyway because your audience is ready for something new by then!

Here is a list of what I’ve been up to for the past week before my shoot:

I got my hair cut and coloured a couple of weeks ago so it’s nice and fresh for the shoot, but has that lived in look. Nothing crazy, it’s important you look like you.
I visited my beauty salon today for a lovely face freshen up and had a pedicure because I love my feet and will be barefoot in some photos. I don’t care too much about fingernails, I like to look like I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty… but I do love painted toenails! Whatever your normal go-to is, do that.
Fake tan… I wear it all the time. I don’t glow orange, but I don’t shine my normal shade of white either! Again, just be consistent with what you normally do so you look the same when people actually meet you in the flesh. Be super careful of it on your face – it can do strange things on camera.
Work out. I do that anyway, but I have maintained the rage leading up to the shoot with special focus on my arms as that is what will be on show!
Watch what you eat, your skin really does reflect what you consume. I told my trainer that I have a shoot coming up and she put me on a different diet for the next week that will help shred me a bit and then I can resume my weight training diet afterwards (which is usually very high in carbs as I’m trying to build muscle). Don’t do any weird fasting diets before your shoot, I have been a fan of fasting for detoxing, but right before your shoot it’s a bad idea because you won’t look or feel good.
Stay away from sugar. Drink lots of water. Don’t drink much caffeine. Don’t drink alcohol. You want to look your best and alcohol and sugar are so bloating.
Sleep a lot. It’s called beauty sleep for a reason!

It all feels like common sense but these are the ways you can really prepare yourself for a great shoot. I also have booked in a hair and makeup artist. I usually do my own but because I’m running to a Rockstar glam theme I need a little bit more love and care with this shoot.

And I’ve really carefully planned out my outfits and have a few spare.

Please don’t go and spend lots on new clothes. It’s not necessary. You need to look like you and it’s about capturing your personality. Sometimes a plain t-shirt, jeans and barefoot is all that you need. (Hence my pretty red toe nails!) And you can create so much with the location, the lighting, props, the energy you bring to the shoot and the composition.

Hope these tips are helping you. It’s getting very exciting leading up to the big day and it deserves your attention!

PART 4: THE BIG DAY!

The big day! Photoshoot day!

It’s tempting to just freak out and stumble through the day as quickly as possible.
OR. You can get a great night sleep, do a big stretch and/or workout in the morning so you feel amazing, eat a small but sufficient breakfast, and visualise the crap out of how awesome you are and speak super-kindly to yourself all day, so you give your very best in front of that camera – because believe me, the camera DOES NOT LIE!!!

I had my shoot last Friday and I can honestly say I loved it! I was fully prepared, knew what I wanted to achieve, had done all the visualisation and now it was time to have fun, let the pros do their work and get the great results.

If you’re stressed, nervous, tired or unconfident, it’s magnified.
So, better to be relaxed, confident and self-assured. And you can only look like this if you prepare yourself to be in a great mental space, and ENJOY YOURSELF!

Here are some photoshoot day tips to help you:

Make sure you have given your hair and makeup oodles of time to be done so nobody is rushing. (And you’ve briefed your stylist prior to the shoot so they turn up ready to roll.)
Pack your car up with all your clothes/props/shoes BEFORE you get your hair and makeup done.
Plan the food for the shoot and/or drinks prior as well. You don’t need to be buying anything on the way!.
Get to your location and play your favourite music along the way so you’re really in a good mental space. (That might also mean turning off your phone!!).
When you get on location, unpack everything and hang it on a rack in the sections for each shoot so you are really organised.
Get to your location and play your favourite music along the way so you’re really in a good mental space. (That might also mean turning off your phone!!).
Change into your first outfit and relax into it. It’s just a camera, nothing to be intimidated about at all! If your photographer is a true pro they will have you really relaxed and feeling great about yourself. If you have a designer/art director with you they will also help to ease you in so you are feeling at your best.
If your budget can afford a stylist, I highly recommend it. For your clothing/look, your settings and also your posing. It makes all the difference between a good shot and an incredible shot because of their eye and experience.
When in doubt… just smile big! People want to do business with people who are happy, confident, self-assured and easy to be around… so be that person in front of the camera!

You too can have a fabulous personal brand photo video shoot, just follow our tips and have some fun, and if you really find yourself struggling with the mere idea of this, we have lots of ways to help prepare you, you just need to reach out!

If you want to have more success in your business and sales, you need to become an expert at creating trust and connection online through your personal brand, and creating quality content. Book a free half hour strategy session with Melissa today to find out how you can be the Rockstar in your industry. If you want it, it is possible.

And if you would like to check out Melissa, follow these links:

https://www.connectionmarketing.online
https://melissajscott.com/