Behind the Scenes of a Personal Brand Session in Marblehead with Kelly Duggan | Boston Photographer

This past fall, I was up in Marblehead (which is so beautiful!) every few weeks working with some incredible interior designers and architects. One of the shoots that really brought Marbleadhead to life though, was Kelly’s personal brand session. This all-inclusive, all-day lifestyle session for Kelly was really meant to show off HER. The perfect combo of her biz and life… because honestly is there really that much of a line between the two anymore?

Walking in the door at our first location Kelly chose - a beautiful home overlooking the bay in Marblehead- I gawked at the stunning clothing laid out for this session, which pretty much turned the downstairs entrance into a walk-in closet. Our mutual friend Paula was her hair and makeup artist, and really went above and beyond, taking the role of wardrobe stylist as well, adding accessories to compliment and finalize outfits. (Thank you Paula!) Kelly and Paula absolutely NAILED wardrobe, and Kelly wore her clothes with such confidence. Side-note: even if you are coming to the studio for a quick headshot, I recommend getting your hair and make-up done by Paula. She’s my HMU spirit animal and always creates the perfect camera-ready-but-still-yourself look.

Kelly had a clear vision for her shoot, bringing fun props along with her to clearly define her brand and add some personality (pro move Kelly). How fun is it to have a bunch of balloons and pop some bubbly?! There was even fake snow, which required us to get creative with our cleaning in our efforts to be as eco-friendly as possible. We had an action packed shot list for the day (I may have broken a sweat on multiple occasions), but we ended up with a TON of variety that will fill her content library for months.

And, as always, we had to be flexible in true photoshoot fashion, as one of our locations in town was closed. That just led us to a lovely flower shop right down the street, with great steps for posing, and pristine lighting. Everything worked out beautifully in the end! We ended the day in Lynn, right along the water in time to catch the sunset over Boston; casting a golden glow to the end of our session. Of course, there was a toast to celebrate!

How Gwen made the most of her brand shoot | Boston Brand Photographer

Gwen, Homeopath, came to me when planning her website with her website designer Lulu, and her photos from this brand shoot fit her website. During our consultation, she described how she wanted an organic and neutral look to her images. We decided to do the shoot at my studio in Lawrence, starting with a complete blank slate background and adding in details and items reflective of her brand such as earth toned art and plants. A minimalist approach with beautifully simple results. One of our goals was to recreate the warmth and openness of her office environment and the general vibe of zoom calls with patients, and we were able to do just that using a few key items and colors.

And while we had the whole brand session in our studio space, we were not limited! Gwen worked with a virtual wardrobe stylist before our session, and they put together A LOT of looks. In fact we had 7 outfits which we fit into a half-day shoot! Talk about really creating versatile content. Once again, here is where planning and prep are everything. We were able to be intentional about shooting 7 looks in one half day session, and successfully giving Gwen the variety in her content that she needed. Of course I have to give a shout out to Paula, my friend and makeup artist, who was with us for the entire session to transition between looks, she makes everything look so effortless. 

I can’t say enough good things about working with the right team. With Lulu’s direction, Gwen’s clear visual inspiration, Kate’s magical wardrobe, and Paula’s always natural HMU, we were able to produce exactly what Gwen wanted.

5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Brand Shoot | Boston Photographer

1. Re-evaluate what your brand means to you and how you want that visualized. What are some of your business’s grounding principles or your own personal mantra? What do you want to be known for- approachability? Family oriented? Think about what locations are good visual representations of your brand. 

2. Image research and prep. Time to head on over to Pinterest and other social media (or scroll through my instagram) to find poses and images that give me some direction for what you want. I will guide you through posing the day of our shoot, but this is a good place for you to figure out what you like and (maybe more importantly), don’t like aesthetically. Additionally, if you already know where you want these images to end up, that’s super helpful in creating a shot list customized to your needs.

3. Keep me updated! Communication, communication, and did I mention communication? We will start with a consultation call to go over how to best showcase you and your brand during our time together. This is a great time for me to really listen to your needs, pain points, and ideas, so that I can start putting those all together into a custom shot list before our session. If any changes do happen along the way - you decide you want to change location, add a specific shot, prop, bring your dog, fill in the blank, let me know ahead of time so we can plan for it.

4. Picking your outfits. A perfect excuse to look through your wardrobe with a fresh set of eyes. It’s so important to choose clothes you feel confident in AND that are representative of you and your brand. If that means shopping to add in some key pieces, or borrowing some accessories from a friend, you’ll want to leave yourself plenty of time for searching and ordering what you need. I always suggest having a few extra options.

5. Day of shoot. Leave yourself plenty of time to prepare, and arrive at our first location punctually so we can make the most of our time together. I highly recommend bringing a few snacks and water bottle. Trust me, the time will go by fast, so take a deep breath, and relax so you can enjoy it and be your authentic self. Once we get going these sessions are so much fun!

Cooking up a successful brand image with Tyler Kinnett | Boston Photographer

A young (super) successful chef with passion, kindness and humility needs some great photos to up the ante with his brand image.

Tyler was clear in the direction he wanted to go - away from wholesome and typical, and more toward gritty, edgy, Anthony Bourdaine. He wanted to show that he was more than a restaurant chef, he encompassed the total package and had big plans to expand his career.

After learning that sourcing his food is one of his top priorities, I knew we had to make that a highlight of our shoot. Tyler focuses on using ingredients that are not only unexpected, (like pine in sauces and desserts… see above photo), but locally sourced and seasonal as often as possible.

He has a great relationship with one of his suppliers, Allendale Farms, which was clear from the way they greeted each other when we arrived to shoot there. Tyler takes the time to chat with lead farmer, Kate, and she goes through their current and upcoming seasonal crops with him.

It’s always great going into a shoot with someone who is so passionate about what they do, it makes it easy to create beautiful, genuine images for them.

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.

What you can learn from Marty Moore and his brand shoot | Boston Photographer

No Bullsh!t on this brand shoot with CEO mentor, now author, Marty Moore for his book release, “No Bullsh!t Leadership”. It had to be one of the most organized shoots of 2021, which is mostly due to his daughter, and business partner, Emma.

Definitely a powerhouse father-daughter duo.

Emma was pretty much my dream client- she had a clear idea of the visual story they wanted to tell, and came up with a detailed shot list, including inspiration visuals, before our shoot.

The whole family played a part on this brand shoot:

Marty’s wife, Kathy, doubled as a personal stylist and helped get the most natural expressions out of Marty. His leadership skills, particularly his charisma and confidence truly came through in the finished photos. Overall he is a natural in front of the camera!

Determining location is such an important piece in telling your brand story.

More on how to determine the best location for your brand here. Since they needed a very minimal, clean backdrop, we opted for renting a space. After doing a bit of research, I sent Emma three options of potential sites, and let her decide which one best fit their brand and specific look for this shoot. We ended up renting the perfect studio space right in East Boston. 

Oh! And…

if you have that ever growing pile of books you mean to read but haven’t gotten to yet, I encourage you to add this one to the pile, though he also has a podcast for leaders and future leaders. It’s worth a listen on your next drive.

YES! Your workspace is photogenic. How to easily prep your space | Boston Photographer

Ok, our workspace does not look like HGTV in day to day life, but there are some really simple things we can do to style it for photos. If you know me, you know I love shooting a portion of our brand photos in the spaces my clients actually work in. If we are talking real and authentic, this is it! We want it to look clean and “effortless,” but not perfect, so there are some really simple ways to prep your space for photos.

1. Declutter. This is the number one, number two, and number three way to prep your environment. This doesn’t mean clearing off your desk completely, we want it to look functional, but not chaotic. Remove stacks of papers, organize pens, and clean up wires. These simple things will dramatically impact the way your desk photographs.

2. Remove “heavy” or dark objects from background. Darker objects steal focus, and we want to keep distracting elements out of the background. (example here before and after?)

3. Add life! Now that we’ve removed, it’s time to add. Green plant life would be my recommendation but any sort of flowers or plant will do the trick. This can be a desk plant, bamboo stalks, or a larger standing tree-type plant. (photo example with plants in foreground and background). Plants are a styling must have for most lifestyle photoshoots, no matter what your business is.

That’s it! Just a little rearranging and your space that you didn’t think would be appropriate for photos, is now the clean, personalized space you need for your brand photos. We want it styled, not sterile.

Bonus tip: if you already have brand colors, subtly accessorize your space using those colors in your vase, plants/flowers, pen, notebook, or desk organizers. The key here is subtle, pick one or two of those items, not all of them.

What to Expect on Kids Brand Photoshoot | Boston Photographer

I love working with kid’s brands!!! Love it, love it, love it. And even more so when the marketing coordinator doubles as the stylist and totally nails her vision. Commercial and editorial shoots with kids can be about as unpredictable as they come, but that’s part of the fun - thinking on your toes and getting spontaneous authentic images. This shoot was also special because we got to work with Todd and his two sons, so capturing the natural chemistry between them was easy.  

There was never a dull moment at the studio, as Todd’s launch for children’s eyewear brought in a mix of fun and curious personalities. Part of the joy of working with kids is the wonder and energy they bring to a photoshoot.

They remain in constant awe of the world around them and ask questions about absolutely EVERYTHING! It makes you pause for a moment to think about how exciting it must be to experience something for the first time. Some of the most common questions revolved around my camera. How does it work? Where do the images go? Can I see them? Not only were they fascinated by my camera, but also my 7 month pregnant belly! Where is the baby? Can I see it? How does he breathe in there? (Still trying to figure that one out myself actually :) 

When working with children I find it so important to speak their language and engage with them, in order to build connections. Being a bit goofy and silly can create some great expressions. 

There was one point in the shoot that I had each of them scream as loud as they could, which would immediately turn into giggles and so many fun outtakes.

While the children were absolute CHAMPS, in true kid fashion, they were all falling apart by the end of the day. I always watch for indicators that they are done when working with child models, it won’t do any good to push them past their limit!

Overall this shoot was a blast! The fact that the whole family played a role made it extra memorable. Leigh, the marketing coordinator and Todd’s wife, took control over the creative directing, styling, and casting (Leigh can you organize EVERY photo shoot for us please?). And Todd got to interact with his sons, who inspired him to create the “Still” line of tween vision wear. The images captured from this shoot were honest and genuine, I just love how children feel so comfortable with themselves. Did I mention how much I love working with kids’ brands??

7 Tips for What to wear to your Brand Photoshoot

When scheduling a Personal Brand Session, clients always ask, “What should I wear?” I’d like to share my top 7 tips for what to wear to your brand photoshoot! Before we get to the details, my best advice is to work with a wardrobe stylist, especially if you are doing an Essential or All Inclusive Personal Brand Session.

A good stylist will take into consideration what will be most flattering on you and relevant to the overall vibe we are going for in our session. If you love styling yourself and you know you got this, GO FOR IT! You know yourself and your brand best! Whether or not you decide to work with a stylist, here are some items to consider when choosing outfits for your Brand Photoshoot.

1. What do you Want to Convey?

Is your brand upscale luxury? Or, down to earth and casual? Your wardrobe should 100% reflect the messaging you want to put out there.

2. Variety

We all need some variety in our lives, and our photos are no different! You don’t want to have 20 photos of you in the same outfit scattered across your social media. Instead, consider all the different hats you wear.

You dress one way when you’re working at home (although maybe we can go a step up from the sweats and unwashed hair here). I'm going to bet you dress another way when you’re meeting with clients, doing a speaking engagement, or shipping out products. Your looks can be multi-dimensional and still cohesive.

3. Survey your Wardrobe

Go through your wardrobe with a fresh set of eyes before our shoot in order to determine what you already have and what you need.

• What are your absolute favorite go-to pieces?

• What do you love about them?

• Do any of them fit into your brand?

If yes, great! Use these items as a starting point. Now, think about what you need to complete each outfit - a statement necklace or earrings, a floral skirt for twirling, a ripped pair of jeans, or a cute hat, there are a million ways to refresh a wardrobe staple for our shoot.

4. Give Yourself Time

Choose your outfits and accessories ahead of time. You want to give yourself PLENTY of time to order, try on, and return if necessary.

5. Choose Colors Wisely

Keep your brand aesthetic at the forefront of your mind. Now, I’m not saying that if your brand colors are navy and gold, you should come to your brand session dressed head-to-toe in navy and gold. (please don't do that!) But the colors you choose should complement your brand aesthetic. You can accomplish this in a variety of ways like throwing on some gold bangles to complete your look, or draping a navy blazer on the back of your desk chair.

Bottom line:

If your website and insta feed are all neutral, soft tones, we should not be focusing on a rainbow palette for your wardrobe. That being said, don’t be afraid to strategically throw in a pop of color to grab attention when appropriate.

6. Ask for Feedback

Try outfits on, take photos, & send them to your photographer. This is a collaboration, so if you’re on the fence about what is appropriate for your brand photos, ask for feedback!

I LOVE helping clients curate their wardrobe for a brand photo shoot.

7. Fit + Comfort is Priority

Above all, we want you in well-fitting clothes. If something is uncomfortable, too big, or too tight, it will likely translate in the photos. When you feel and look your best, you radiate confidence!

I’ll say this one last time for those in the back:

Try it on BEFORE your shoot

Bonus Tip

While I highly recommend working with professional hair and makeup for your session, keep in mind that whichever option you choose, it is most important to remember that we are almost always going for an everyday look. If you’re done up with smokey eyes everyday when meeting with clients, then girl, Rock it! But we want your clients to see YOU in your photos, not a done-up, unrecognizable version of you. You’ll be at your best in front of the camera when you look and feel like yourself.

I hope you found these 7 Tips for What to Wear to Your Brand Photoshoot helpful! If you are interested in learning more about Emily O’Brien Personal Brand Photography, or want to schedule your Personal Brand session, contact me here. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Emily O’Brien Photography is a Boston based Photography Studio specializing in Personal Brand and Family Photography.

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.

The 5 best ways to put your brand photos to use | Boston Brand Photographer

Having your personal brand photos taken is a big leap for any professional. Some reading this may be thinking, “Yeah, that is a big leap - a big, scary leap!” Think of it this way, though: it’s also a leap that announces to anyone and everyone you know - and lots of people you don’t know yet but will soon enough - that you are someone who takes your career seriously enough to start forming your own brand through imagery. You have a message to tell the business world, and you’re going to do it through actions, words, professional business photos - you name it - to reach your ultimate goals.

Getting personal brand photos takes time, investment, and confidence to say to the world, “This is me. Take a look. I’m a professional who’d like to know more about you, so I’m taking the first step and putting myself out there. Let’s collaborate!”

So taking the photos is one thing. You go the session. It’s a beautiful setting. The vibe with the photographer is great. You really feel like your brand and personality were captured during the time, and you feel great after leaving. 

And then you receive the photos. What do you do next?

Using your brand photos effectively

Social Media:

Not that these are necessarily in order, but social is an obvious choice for having professional business photos. Clients, employers, and others in your field not only interact and see the content you post on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and other platforms; remember, before they knew you, their first impression of you was likely your profile picture. So you want a picture that reflects who you are and how you do business, not only to those who follow and interact with you on social to make the conversations more authentic, but also to people visiting you and may end up becoming followers, friends or colleagues in the future.

Personal Website:

A clear need for personal brand photos is to offer readers a couple different glimpses of you on your personal website. While not everyone has or needs one, for many - for example, freelancers - letting your audience get a peek behind the curtain and see more of you personally is a great way to grow trust before even communicating. In addition, the quality of the photos represents a very obvious investment in your work (think, the old: “Here’s someone who isn’t messing around.”), giving potential clients another reason to consider you for the gig.

Print collateral:

It’s science: we remember things we touch better than things we hear or see. So to real estate agents, attorneys, insurance reps, financial advisors, yoga instructors - to anyone looking for regular clients: Take a good look at your print collateral...does it illustrate your brand as fully as it possibly could? Details matter - in any industry - so some finer points in pictures that more closely define you, and not just a random face in a mailbox, could help set you apart.

Hold onto them:

Obviously you want to use your pictures. But don’t go using all of them! At least not yet. Rotate your profile pictures out with fresh ones. Change up the mailer or brochure looks, or your photos on your site or social platforms. What’s important is that you have some you can turn to periodically to keep your audience giving you a second look. And another reason to hold some pictures in the back pocket: press! If you are ever featured in an article, having a handy folder full of a variety of shots makes you look like a pro.

Repeat:

Eventually, you’re going to run out of photos to cycle through. Your styles may evolve and more importantly, the styles around us change as well. Stay ahead of your competitors’ three-year-old photos. Be that person on your followers’ social feeds who not only has fresh things to say, but has a fresh look as well. So periodically getting brand photos taken - at least once a year - is key to that process.

While getting brand photos taken is a huge first step in establishing yourself as a force-to-be-reckoned-with professional, it’s what you do with them that matters most. Make sure to take full advantage.

The Top 3 Things Holding You Back from Your Brand Photos and How to Fix Them | Boston Photographer

Feeling hesitant on planning your own personal brand photo session? You are not alone! But rest assured, as I walk you through three of the most common things holding people back from taking brand photos, and how to fix them. 

1. I don’t like the way I look.

Leave that to us! 

First I will  provide you with a posing and style guide. If you want to take your style to the next level, I can recommend one of the wardrobe stylists I love. Working with professional hair and makeup is also a key factor in amping up your look. It’s important to work with someone who can give you an everyday look - if you don’t wear an updo and smokey eye as part of your everyday look, let’s keep it real. Great HMU artists know how to give you the gorge look that’s still YOU.

We created a PDF guide with the absolute best wardrobe advice everyone needs before going into a photo shoot: Download it here

2. I don’t know how I would use these images.

Social media, blogs, website landing pages, about pages, process pages, email campaigns, printed marketing materials, press releases, etc, etc, etc.

Did you know that images on social media posts receive 120-180% more engagement and visibility? Powerful images provide a quick and clear message to your clients (esp for those who scroll right on past text). With the images from your brand shoot, you can create a visual library for fresh social media and marketing content.

3. I’m not ready.

When is anyone 100% ready?

Anything new can be intimidating, but you gotta start somewhere. We will start off with a brainstorm session, which will allow me to get to know you and your brand better. From our discussion, I can create the perfect shot list for your business. This is a great opportunity for you too to discover what you value in your business and want to highlight. I guarantee once we start, you won’t be able to wait to do it again! 

Captivating images are what make you stand out to your potential clients. They give your audience the chance to see what it’s like to work with you. All personal brand sessions are 100% customized to you, and conveying your brand story.

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“Working with Emily was incredible! Not only did she know how to work with my brand board, but also went out of her way to create her studio with my brand colors & specific plants to extenuate the look and feel of my brand. She was professional, extremely accommodating, friendly and more importantly.. AMAZING at what she does! I have the most gorgeous photos for my web site…”

— Gwen K, Homeopath

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