A branding photography shoot is more than just some headshots of you in pretty locations. It’s about sharing your brand, so showing what you do and how you work is equally important. That means props can be a useful tool to help convey more information about your brand. They can also help you to feel less awkward in front of the camera. So, here’s how to choose props for a branding photography shoot!
Choosing the right props
It can be easy to get caught up in what props to choose for your business, but here are a few simple tips to get you started.
Don’t follow trends
Trends are fun and show you’re up to date with what’s fashionable. But they can also date your photos. So, try to avoid “trendy” props and stick with more classic items and ones that best represent your brand.
Be realistic
I’m all for creativity and dreaming big, but remember there are practicalities involved in bringing your shoot to life as well. Take into consideration things like the cost of buying new props and their portability. If we’re doing your branding shoot in multiple locations, you need to be able to carry them from place to place! So, do try to be practical in which props you choose to bring along.
Look around you
Before you go rushing to the shops to buy all the pretty notebooks and trinkets, take a look at what you already have at home that might work well. You may already have books and decorative items around your house that work perfectly with your brand. It’ll save you a few pennies!
So, let’s get more specific! If you need ideas and inspiration, keep reading on.
1: Tools of the trade
What is it you do? And how can you represent that with props? So, for example, if you’re a makeup artist, you might bring along some of your cosmetics and brushes. An artist might bring a canvas and paints. Think about your “tools of the trade” that you can bring to represent your business.
For those of you with more of a desk job, you have tools of the trade too! Look at bringing things like a laptop or tablet, pens and notebooks, your planner and phone, a pair of glasses or sunglasses, if you wear them.
And if you’re a crafter or maker, bring along your end product! This is an excellent way of showing your business, with a few relaxed product photos thrown into the mix.
2: Think brand colours
As you wander around your house looking for suitable props, think about your brand colours. I’m betting you have one or two items that would work well with your brand. Since it’s your brand, you tend to stick to colours that catch your eye, and that generally spills out into how you decorate your home too! You can also bring along any branded items you might have – stationery and clothing are most typical. The idea is to incorporate these into your photos to enhance the overall brand feel.
3: What’s your morning routine?
Bringing props that show a little bit of what you do outside of your working day also helps people to connect with the person behind the brand.
So, look at things like your morning rituals. Do you meditate, or read, or do yoga? What can you bring to represent those things? Maybe you take your dog for a walk. Guess what? He could be a prop too! I would recommend bringing a friend along to watch him while we’re taking other shots of you, though!
4: Food and drink
There’s something quite personal about sharing photos of you nibbling on a cupcake or sipping a big mug of coffee. It shows your audience what it might be like to sit down and chat with you in person. So, do bring along some food on the day, or we can divert to a favourite coffee shop or pub for part of your shoot if you prefer! If you do choose to bring a coffee along with you, try to avoid branded coffee cups. This is your brand shoot, remember, not theirs!
5: Just for fun
To add a bit of fun to the proceedings, what about adding interesting items like flowers or balloons to your branding shoot. You could also bring along a sign or blank canvas, which you can overlay text on afterwards. They’ll be great for your social media posts, too!
Now you’ve got a good idea about how to style your branding shoot, why don’t we have a chat and get you booked in? I can’t wait to hear from you!
