I’ve recently had the great pleasure to create an architect branding photoshoot for Anil Barnes, the founder of Indigo Architecture in Brighton (https://www.indigo-architecture.com/). In this article, I will walk you through the process of creating a branding shoot; from establishing the visual brand identity to planning the shoot and creating images that tell the story of the brand.
What is a Personal Branding Shoot?
A personal branding shoot is all about creating a set of images that represent you and your business. It’s a way to show the world what you’re all about and what your business stands for.
The main goal of any personal branding shoot is to create images that accurately represent your brand and what makes your business distinct so you can connect with your ideal clients and grow a profitable business.
These images will be used across your website and social media and will play a crucial role in your marketing strategy.
Now that we defined what a personal branding shoot is, we’ll take a look at how to plan and execute one.
Your Brand Personality and Visual Identity
If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand. – Howard Schultz
The first step in creating a successful personal branding shoot is discovering your brand personality and defining your brand identity. Your brand personality will become the foundation on which we will be building your visual branding. I knew from our initial call with Anil that he is looking at rebranding his architecture website. So we started by defining his brand personality and what his brand stands for. We defined:
- who he is and who is here to help
- main drive
- purpose
- values
- colour palette
- his brand voice
- the look & feel of the brand
Architect branding. The planning of the shoot
Once we had all the answers, we could translate them into a set of visuals that would represent Anil and his brand entirely.
Superpower: knowledge, expertise, and ability to understand his client’s deepest needs and guide them towards their goals.
Core desire: to create sustainable housing and help homeowners live in a safe, warm environment that they can call home.
Values: truth and authority through knowledge
Favourite colours: are sage, earthy brown, and white.
Choosing the Location
The next step was to choose a location for the shoot. For Anil, we wanted to find a location that would reflect his style and showcase his work. We both agreed that the best place to do this would be his own architecture office.
The shoot would take place in the morning and we wanted to use natural light. This would give us a clean, bright look for Anil’s images.
Outfits and Props
We moved on to deciding on the outfits and props that we would use in the shoot.
We knew that we wanted business images to communicate his expertise as an established architect; but at the same time, we wanted to show his warm and welcoming personality.
We chose a mix of smart casual clothing and formal outfits that would reflect these two aspects of his brand.
We also selected a collection of props that would help us communicate his purpose as an architecture firm such as drawings, laptops, etc.
Types of branding images, from creative headshots to behind the scenes
Once we had everything planned, it was time to start thinking about the types of images that we wanted to create.
We knew that we wanted to create a range of images from creative headshots to behind-the-scenes shots in his office.
This would give us a varied set of images that would help communicate his brand story in the best way.
The Shoot Day
On the day of the shoot, we arrived early to set up and take a few test shots.
We started by taking a few shots of Anil in his more casual attire, enjoying a cup of coffee.
Next, we took some creative headshots of Anil in his office that will capture his passion for architecture and show his expert knowledge in the field.
We then moved on to take some shots of him at work, drafting blueprints and working on his laptop, and talking to clients making sure that we have images in which he showed different paint samples, tiles, and bricks types.
Lastly, we took a few shots of him winding down after a long day at work, looking at former projects, and smiling.
The shoot was a great success and we managed to capture all the different aspects of Anil’s brand story.
When it comes to your business, having a strong visual brand identity is essential. It’s what helps people identify and connect with you, and sets you apart from the competition. If you’re looking to create a strong brand for your business, be sure to keep the following in mind:
Your driving force – what is your main reason for being in business? What is your core purpose or mission? This should be at the heart of all your branding efforts.
Your values – what are the most important things to you in life? These should also be reflected in your branding.
Your target market – who are you trying to reach with your products and services? Once you know this, you can tailor your branding to appeal specifically to them.
Your tone of voice – how do you want people to feel when they interact with your brand? Friendly and approachable, professional and serious, or creative and innovative?
Your style – what is the overall look and feel of your brand? Modern and sleek, earthy and natural, or classic and timeless?
Once you have a good understanding of these elements, you can begin to create a visual brand identity that truly represents your business. And don’t forget to keep it consistent across all your branding materials – from your website and social media profiles to your business cards and stationery.
Branding Stories
At Branding Stories by Gabi, we create photos that help you communicate your business and brand vision to your ideal clients. To learn more, check the about page, or our photography portfolio. Ready to discuss your photoshoot? Get in touch over on the contact page.
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of business headshots for professionals please visit my headshots page to learn more: https://brandingstories.co.uk/headshots/
