Updating your personal brand photos with Marty | Boston Photographer

How do you keep fresh content flowing for repeat clients? When someone comes back to update their personal brand photos once every few months or once every year, it’s important that we get it right everytime. We want it to be consistent with their brand, but not redundant from one shoot to the next. Marty Moore’s two shoots are perfect examples of how to properly execute this.

Here are my top 3 things to consider:

Consider location.

I always emphasize how important location is for a brand shoot, but the 2nd or 3rd time around, location plays an even bigger role.

Contrary to what one might think, you don’t want to choose somewhere wildly different. The goal is to choose somewhere that offers new perspectives but is still cohesive with the photos we’ve already shot and the brand story we’ve been telling. For some, that could even be the same location for more than one session. For others, that could mean hunting for the perfect new space to rent for each shoot.

Freshen up the wardrobe.

This will vary from brand to brand, but for Marty’s in particular, his look is the casual suit jacket over a white shirt with jeans or trousers. So for him, we kept it consistent but paid close attention to the smaller details - the cuff links, the watch, the tech accessories.

For other brands, half of the fun in planning the 2nd shoot could be choosing a whole new wardrobe! There are no rules here, so switching up the look or keeping it similar, it’s all good.

Dig into the purpose behind the shoot

Is it for a new product or course launch? Are you offering a new service? Celebrating a big biz milestone?

Whatever the purpose is, this will steer us in the right direction to create brand new content, even if we are shooting on the same neutral backdrop. Planning the right “action” shots is really what guides the story we want to tell.

Marty’s team chose to rent the lovely Newburyport Studio for their shoot. It was my first time shooting there, and wow was it versatile! I can’t wait to shoot there again. Marty’s team once again provided amazing creative direction, and it’s always satisfying to hear they were thrilled with the outcome.

Where do we shoot? How to determine location | Boston Photographer

Yessss we’ve booked your brand photo shoot! We’ve had our discovery call, you’ve filled out your brand questionnaire, and we have a date on the calendar. We’re off to a great start, and now we must decide - where will we shoot?! Location is one of THE most important elements to planning for your brand photos. The location is our backdrop, the foundation for creating the vibe, for telling your brand story. We have to get this right. I certainly have my suggestions, but really the decision comes down to what feels right for you and your brand.

Here are the spots I suggest turning to first:

Your work space. This is as real and authentic as it gets folks. Where do you ACTUALLY make the magic happen? You do not have to have an HGTV ready space in order for us to have a successful shoot. Think about all the places you work - studio, workshop, living room couch, office desk, your kids’ playroom floor :) Make a list of all your potential workspaces and we can narrow down the most photogenic and relevant from there.

The photo studio. Need a clean, minimal backdrop to show off your products, process, or service? Our studio is a great clean slate to build in a few of your own brand elements.

Outdoors. Infinite possibilities. A well manicured park will NOT be the place for everyone’s photos. But this is a great way to subtly incorporate key elements. Do you operate your biz out of the city? Let’s brainstorm potential city backdrops without being in-your-face about it. Are “organic” and “natural” words you use to describe your brand vibe? Maybe we use soft textures in front of an old barn. Those are two COMPLETELY different stories, just by changing location.

Rented space- Airbnb or Peer Space. I love this option. This may take a little more investigation, but so worth it in my opinion. If you are a food blogger and need a gorgeous kitchen as your backdrop (but your kids and messy kitchen at home make it impossible to shoot there) this is it. These spaces come photo ready, are easy to book, and have a huge range of options if you know what you are going for. This will require a rental fee, but it makes planning for our shoot so easy, I think it’s worth every penny and then some. We don’t want to spend half the day setting up, breaking down, and rearranging. Keep it simple and effective with a turn-key option.

Now that we’ve addressed the BEST spaces to shoot, I want to talk about the places that do not make great locations and why. Generally speaking, public spaces that we can’t get pre approved for shooting, or are open to the public when we want to shoot, do not make great options. There are too many variables that are out of our control and can seriously hinder our ability to shoot. Not having permission ahead of time, and trying to shoot there usually results in disappointment. If we want to shoot at a public space, I’ve learned to ALWAYS ask ahead of time. Even if we do have permission, if we want to use the table in the corner with the best artwork, and best natural light… Guess what? Someone will already be sitting there when we arrive. I’m not saying we never shoot at public spaces, but they will take some extra consideration and planning, and always require a backup plan.

Above all, our location needs to speak to your brand. It needs to be consistent with the look and feel you are going for. This requires some brainstorming together, but is actually a really fun part of the process. The right location makes wardrobe, prop and shot list planning so much easier.