Have you been hearing the buzz about brand photography? There’s people talking about pivoting to a brand photography business?
Now let’s clear things up. Brand photography as a whole is not new. The term “brand photography” is. Before there was an umbrella term, people would use the term “marketing photos” or “commercial photography” or “business photos”.
Essentially, brand photography are the visual assets (aka photos) used to market and promote your business across all your platforms and channels. These photos tell the story of the business and business owner in order to convey who they are, what they do, and who they serve.
Because what is business? It’s providing solutions for our customers’ problems. That’s what it is at its core.
So you may be wondering how to start your brand photography business.
In this post, I’ll be sharing how to get started in brand photography.
What You Need to Start in Brand Photography
If you’ve been a photographer, like a wedding photographer or portrait photographer, you are actually well positioned to start offering branding photoshoots. You’ve already got the gear and the understanding of how to take good photos.
So what do you need to get started in brand photography? You need to flex your storytelling muscles as well as understanding who your client is targeting. Because ultimately, these branding photos are created in order to attract and appeal to your client’s target market.
This is why preparation is so important in brand photoshoots. You cannot just show up and shoot. You will not yield the types of photos that will drive your client’s results.
Before I ever photography any brand client, I have a questionnaire and strategy call to really understand the types of photos that need to be created.
Looking for a branding photography templates? Check out my shop.
How to Find Your First Branding Photography Clients
The “quick and dirty” method of getting your first branding photography clients is to reach out to your warmest contacts. Pitch them with an offer to take photos for their business and how to would benefit them. Whether you do this for experience or for a fee is entirely up to you.
However, if you don’t have a portfolio with brand photoshoots, then doing a few portfolio building shoots can help you get started. If you do this for free or discounted fee, it’s a great way to practice delivering the client experience.
If you want to get your feet wet in brand photography without committing to a pivot or adding packages to your offerings, portfolio shoots are a great route. You’ll be able to determine if it’s the right genre for you.
Mistakes to Avoid in Your Branding Photography Business
Like I mentioned above, one of the biggest mistakes I see newer brand photographers make is treating brand photoshoots like a wedding or portrait session. In other words, they just show up to shoot. There is no strategy or plan involved. I promise that when you start with a plan, your photoshoots will yield the right photos.
Another mistake I see is photographers pricing their brand photoshoots like a wedding photographer’s portrait session. What do I mean by that? For most middle market wedding photographers, they usually offer portrait sessions like family sessions, senior portraits, maternity and newborn sessions. And they are usually priced at an all-inclusive rate such as 45 minute session + 30 digital images. (There’s nothing “wrong” with this).
However, with branding photography, these are marketing photos and a business expense for the business owner. In other words, these aren’t just “pretty photos” these are photos that are created with the purpose of helping drive more sales. These photos make the business more money. And are therefore worth more and photographers can charge more for them.
3 Steps to a Thriving Brand Photography Business
Are you ready to start a brand photography business? But maybe you need a little more help and guidance? I’m excited to invite you to my FREE masterclass on September 27!
The masterclass will cover 3 Steps to a Thriving Brand Photography Business so that you can stop working so many weekends and evenings, create a business that works around your life, and make an income doing what you love.
Secure your spot in the masterclass here. If you can’t make it LIVE, you’ll receive the replay when you register.
Interested in 1:1 Coaching when it comes to getting started in branding photography? Book a session here.
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