If you are lucky enough to hire a photographer who shoots branding images- congrats, your project has just gotten so much easier. You should be able to receive help & guidance on how to express all that is unique about you and your business. You want to understand how much assistance you will receive in crafting the vision for the shoot. Your photographer, upon conversation, should be able to contribute ideas and suggestions for the look and vibe of your photos.

If your photographer does weddings, newborns, families, and anything in between, chances are you’ll have to brainstorm a bit yourself in preparation for the session. You can either hire a branding expert, or DIY – create a Pinterest board or mood boards for inspiration and ideas.

I specialize in Personal Branding Photography, and usually have a consulting session pre-shoot (via Skype or in person) to really understand my clients’ message, vibe and marketing direction. I then send out a document/ questionnaire that helps to plan for the itinerary of the day and to organize our ideas. Some of the questions you can ask yourself in preparation for the session are:

Who are you and what is the best version of you that you want to show to the world? Who are your clients, and what results do they hope to achieve from working with you? What color palette are you working with in all of your materials? What is the vibe of your materials? What is your typical day like? What props and accessories would you engage? Which tools/ objects do you use in your work? What’s on your desk? Which geographical locations have meaning for your brand? What are your brand colors? What outfit would you wear to lunch with your favorite famous person?

A portrait photo shoot is an investment of money and time, and you want to maximize your chances of looking your best. ????

The way the camera sees your face is not exactly how the naked eye sees it. The makeup artist’s use of light and shadows on your face adds dimension and definition. It provides the perfect photo-finish that will render your complexion flawless, and conceal any of the tiny flaws you might worry about.

The MUA will work to enhance your most attractive features. You are thinking of doing the makeup yourself? Most makeup artists invest a lot of time and money into their makeup kits. You get the benefit of having very high quality products that look amazing on camera.

Many photographers have people on their team they work with and recommend.

Most of my packages include makeup and hair artistry. Furthermore, my artists often stay for the duration of the shoot to keep an eye on the stray hairs, washed out lipstick, and can change the look (to soften or to amplify the drama as the outfits are changed ).

If your photographer doesn’t provide that service- you might book it in the salon, or have someone come to your home, hotel or shoot location. Many cities have DryBars for hair styling, and often Sephora shops will do the makeup at a minimum cost when purchasing products.

Will the session take place indoors or outdoors, or both? How many clothing changes, locations and concepts are included? How will you move from location to location- and who covers the transportation? Where will you change your outfits? Will there be an assistant to help carry any bags with clothes or props? Do any of the locations require permits for photography?

If your session is only a couple of hours long, chances are you might have time for one or two locations – taking photos takes way more time that most people take into account.
Having indoor and outdoor setups such as an office, beautiful room, cafe, city streets, park, natural area, etc., gives you the most variety in your pics.

If it’s a long day- find out is there’s food on offer (or bring some light snacks)- nothing worse than being ‘hangry’ while trying to look energetic and upbeat ????

I put a lot of care into building a smooth itinerary for the shooting day- so that the shoot doesn’t feel hectic and stressful and my clients get the maximum value. A fantastic experience in the process is a must.

Assistants help to carry any clothing and props. We use car service to move us from place to place. I pre-scout a lot of locations, so there are no surprises.

That can vary widely from studio to studio. Some photographers will only include a limited number of touched up images, selected by client from an online gallery. Additional images might be available for a fee. On the other hand, some photographers will release all of the images from the shoot. In some cases, a photographer might require you to keep their logo/watermark on all of the images (which doesn’t make any sense…but I have heard such stories…), or credit them each time the photo is published.

It’s important to get clarity on the deliverables- so you are aware of any extra costs that might arise later. That photo shoot that you thought was one price might end up costing you $$$$ more if you’re not clear ahead of time!

Depending on the photography session booked, I include 15, 25 or 35 touched up images, often with the rest of images (not retouched 200-350 files). That’s a lot of photo’s! Normally, my galleries are online 10-14 days after the session.

Since most likely you have to pay the retainer to reserve the date for the session, it’s a good idea to get clear on what happens if you need to reschedule, or when the weather doesn’t cooperate. Ideally, in case of the postponement, same retainer applies, but in some cases you might have to reschedule ‘at least so many days’ before the date.

In the unlikely event that the photos don’t turn out to your satisfaction, your photographer can offer a re-shoot (possibly for a reduced fee). This is what my agreement says: In the extremely unlikely event that Client is completely dissatisfied with the final results based solely on personal preference, Photographer will reshoot at a 25% discount from the original session fee. Client will then be able to order images from the second portrait session only. In the unlikely event that the finished product from a portrait session is unusable due to technical problems, (camera failure or exposure problems), Photographer will reshoot at no additional charge.

Be optimistic that everything will turn out beautifully, but know the ‘worst case scenario’ to keep a peace of mind!❤️