Do you have branding session questions? Are you thinking about a branding session for your business?

This resource guide is here to help answer all your branding session questions that may come up as you plan a branding shoot here in the North Dallas, Texas area.

Catie Ronquillo Photography is a personal branding photography studio, serving female business owners throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, and specifically Prosper, Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Allen, Little Elm, and The Colony. I’m here to answer common branding session questions when it comes to planning and executing your own branding photoshoot.

Common branding session questions

What is branding photography?

Check out my post on What is Branding Photography.

Want to know more about personal branding photography shoots? Check out the post.

What does a branding photographer do?

A branding photographer specializes in capturing you, your business, and your brand. These photos go beyond the traditional headshot and include product photos, behind the scenes photos, tools of the trade, action shots, and more to represent your business visually.

Why are branding sessions important?

I like to think of it this way. If you were choosing between two service providers – say two realtors – and all things being equal about them and their ability to help you sell or buy a house, how would you choose?

Let’s say Realtor A has a standard issue broker website. It’s a template and gives you the basic information about the realtor and how to contact them.

Now let’s say Realtor B has their own website that’s customized with photos of them and shows some of their personality. You can tell that they have a family, have lived in the area you want to purchase in for years, and are very familiar with the community.

If you were looking to purchase a home, had a family of your own, wanted to the know the ins and outs of the area, which realtor would you choose?

You may be wondering why branding sessions and brand photography matters. I’ve got a post for you. Why branding photography matters to your business.

Who needs branding photography?

Business owners, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, personal brands, influencers need branding photography. Basically, if you’re selling a service, product, or just wanting to build a know, like, and trust factor with your audience, you can benefit from branding photography.

How to Know When to Hire a Brand Photographer

How to Find the Right Brand Photographer for Your Business

Why do you need a brand shoot?

Ever wonder why you need a brand shoot? Check out this post. If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, solopreneur, franchise owner, or run any kind of business where people come to you for your service because of what YOU bring to the table, you should consider a brand shoot for your business.

What is a branding session?

A branding session or branding shoot is more than just headshots. It’s a photoshoot with multiple looks, sometimes multiple locations, that represent your brand and personal brand. Whether you sell products or services, a branding session can what you do, how you do it, and who you do it for. Check out this post about what is a branding shoot.

Brand Mini Session vs. Full Session: How to Choose

What is a personal brand photographer?

A personal brand photographer refers to a professional photographer who takes images that represent people, like entrepreneurs and small business owners. These business owners need help building their brand and attracting their ideal clients. The personal brand photos convey a small business owner’s vibe, their mission, their personality through color, style, props, and setups.

Planning your branding session questions

6 Important Questions to Ask a Branding Photographer

How to Find the Right Brand Photographer for Your Business

How to Know When to Hire a Brand Photographer

What should a brand photoshoot include?

A full brand photoshoot should include a variety of photos. These include headshots, behind the scenes photos, working photos, flat lay photos, product photos, service photos, tools of your trade, and lifestyle photos.

It’s important to take into consideration where you’ll be using these photos. Will you be using them on a website, on social media, on marketing materials, on a book cover, or a billboard? All of these factors play a role in how your branding photographer will plan and execute your session.

How much does a branding photographer cost?

As with any service, branding photography will vary in cost based on where you live, the market you’re in, and the experience of the photographer. Of course, how “expensive” something is is completely relative. However, it’s a great idea to have a budget in mind, do your research, and if there’s a photographer you’d love to work with, start saving up to book them! Plus, remember that a branding photoshoot is for your business and a business expense that you can write-off on your taxes – that’s a win!

If you hire a photographer who dabbles in all the genres from family photography, wedding photography, and event photography, you’ll likely find someone “less expensive” however, they may also be less experienced when it comes to branding photos.

I recommend finding a photographer who specializes in branding photography. There is strategy involved when it comes to brand photos, so that these photos can attract your ideal clientele.

From my own research of branding photographers in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, you’re likely looking at a range starting from $800 up to $4000+ depending on the length of the session, number of locations and outfits, and number of images delivered.

How do you prepare for a branding session?

Once you decide that you’re ready for a branding session for your business, it’s time to get ready. So you may be wondering, how do you prepare for a branding session? First, it’s important to lay out your brand story – how did you get started, why you do what you do, who is it that you want and love to serve? Next, take into account your brand colors when choosing your outfits. Then, choose a location that best represents your business. Whether that’s a home office, coworking space, natural light studio, or Airbnb.

What should I bring to a branding session?

You’ll want to bring your outfits, props, and makeup for touchups. Props can include anything that you work with regularly, such as a laptop, tablet, phone, mug, notebook, favorite books, and more. If you use industry tools, like floral shears for a florist or a camera for a photographer, those are great props. If you’re a yoga instructor, bring your mat and yoga blocks.

3 Easy Outfit Ideas for Great Brand Photos

How to Prep for a Brand Photography Shoot

What local makeup artists do you recommend for North Dallas branding sessions?

While this is not an exhaustive list, these are makeup artists that I recommend in the DFW area.

Kay Castro Makeup

Erin Blair Makeup

Makeup by Wendy Zerrudo