A Lifestyle / Branding Photography shoot is a kind of photography shoot that mainly aims to capture people in situations. Capturing situations such as real-life events or milestones in an artistic manner and the art of the everyday.
Most people know the importance of a professional headshot, but what about ongoing content for your social media, blog posts and the other marketing efforts? Branding photography is key to the visual presentation of your brand. You should look at adding branding photography to your marketing budget. It could make a huge impact on your Return on Investment (ROI).
Branding photography is all about lifestyle. If you can sell people on a lifestyle, you can sell anything relating to that lifestyle. Behind all the best, most successful brands is one key element: the narrative of a lifestyle that the buyer is striving to achieve or emulate. We consider branding photography to be the pathway to selling without actually selling. Branding photography is one of the quickest ways to set yourself apart from everyone else in today’s world and make a lasting, emotional impact on the people you wish to connect with and eventually convert.
So how is Branding / Lifestyle Photography Different?
By definition, “branding photography” often times is interchangeable with the term “lifestyle photography” A branding / lifestyle photo shoot can involve people doing what they do for a living such as a plumber fixing a pipe, a roofer laying shingles or a dentist with their patient. If you have a product that can be photographed, it can involve the client interacting with the product as well. Companies may also want or need headshots and editorial-focused photos for print or their website’s “About Us” page.
Lifestyle photography is different in that it is typically on-the-fly and captures candid moments of reaction and interaction. The photographer often is capturing the moment emotionally rather than rationally. During a headshot photoshoot, you might be placed in poses that are uncomfortable and not feel natural. These poses will make you look your best and professional.
Unless you are updating your professional profile and you want to show off your new headshot you might want to show off more of your personality than the stiff professional pictures that are generated from a typical headshot or portrait photo shoot. Your clients and potential business partners most likely will relate more with you with your lifestyle shoot since it celebrates your personality and shows who you are. It doesn’t matter what business you are in, whether you are a real estate agent, a lawyer, general contractor or a service technician, you need to brand your company and yourself.
HOW Do I Know Which Photographer to Hire?
First and foremost you need to find a photographer that has a style that you like and a photographer that can make you feel at ease during the shoot. You can get a feel for the photographer’s style however you might find it harder to initially gage how at ease they will make you feel during the shoot. So below are a few questions that you should ask a photographer and some that they should ask you as well.
Questions you should ask a photographer before you hire them.
- What is your experience with branding and lifestyle photography specifically? Can I see a portfolio? You should be looking for direct examples relating to your niche if possible, or at least a wide variety of different types of works.
- What is your turnaround time?
- Do you offer any detailed retouching post-production? (Blemish removal, Photoshopping, etc. – this question is more important when discussing professional headshots vs. lifestyle photos).
- Do I own the rights to the photos upon delivery or is this an additional fee?
- Do you expect that your clients will credit you (byline) when they use your photos for marketing?
- What is your availability?
- Do you have any references?
Questions a Photographer Should Ask You
- What is your goal with your branding / lifestyle photography shoot?
- Approximately how many photos are you looking for?
- Do you have a location in mind for the photography shoot?
- What types of props do you want to use for your shoot?
- How are the photos going to be used?
- The photographer might have some ideas about the locations / props once you start a conversation with them. They might also give you some additional ideas as well that you can use with your social media campaigns.
What Should You Know About Usage / Rights to the Photos?
In general, it is not customary to edit the photographer’s final delivered images. You can crop or change out the background within reason, but check with the photographer before alterations. Keep in mind that you are hiring them for their individual style and aren’t going to turn around and ask them to “edit the photos differently”. When searching for candidates, make sure you pick those that have a style that you like. It is also common courtesy to credit photographers with a byline when posting their work on your social media, website, etc. but this shouldn’t be required. You should however ask before the shoot to avoid potential issues down the road. To read more about usage rights, click here.
In Conclusion
The photography shoot can be scary depending on your comfort level, however if you find the right photographer, they will make you feel at ease and the end result will be amazing. You will be investing in your business and this investment can have a huge impact on your ROI. Social media is here to stay and you should have multiple photos that you can post to brand yourself and your company throughout the year. If you have any questions regarding photography for your business please contact us at greg@gregdaily.com or 512-730-0291