You know that moment when you’ve booked a brand photoshoot, you’ve chosen a location, have an idea about what you’re going to wear…and the photographer says “tell me what sort of photos you want???”

And you think…what… now I have to decide on photos too??? (although I always recommend taking a look at Pinterest if you’re struggling for inspiration)…

In reality your photographer is going to have hundred’s of ideas for how you can pose at your brand photoshoot, where you should be etc, but it’s a good idea to know what YOU want, and make sure you get them too!

Introducing 101 Must-have prompts for your Brand Photoshoot

I’ve broken it down into different types of businesses, mainly because 101 is a lot to get through but also so that you can skip ahead if you don’t think it applies to your business (but check out the final part because it can apply to any business):

Business Coaches

• Facial expressions – happy, sad, angry, surprised, fed up, celebrating
• Celebrating with a glass of bubbly
• Holding your laptop or tablet in front of you
• Sat with your phone and a cuppa
• Working on a planner (or wall planner)
• Power pose – taken low
• Leaning on a table (stood up leaning forwards)
• Having a coffee in a nice café with your ideal client

Public Speaker

• Stood on a stage with a microphone
• Stood in front of people (seated) talking
• Photo with you wearing a name tag
• Photo next to a floor banner
• Photo from behind you – showing your audience
• Close up of you holding a microphone
• Stood in front of a projection of your presentation

Author

• Holding a pile of books on top of your head
• Throwing lots of your books in the air to celebrate
• Hiding your face behind an opened copy of your book
• Flatlay with your book and some of your stuff (coffee, notebook, blanket, sunglasses?)
• You signing one of your books (up close and for a fan)
• Hands typing on a laptop or typewriter
• Sat in front of a bookshelf

Interior Designers

• Fabric swatches – fanned out in front of you.
• Wallpaper samples on a table in front of you – or being held.
• Colour wheels or paint colours
• Plumping cushions
• Measuring dimensions
• Putting up artwork
• Photos in your design studio

Wedding Business

• Talking to a couple
• Zoom calling with a couple
• Visiting a venue
• Tidying up at a venue
• Setting a table
• Laptop and wedding magazine tucked under your arm
• Sat on the floor surrounded by magazines and samples

Food Businesses

• Preparing food
• Raw ingredients
• Finished food plated up.
• Using tools and kitchen equipment
• Close ups of cookbooks, food magazines
• Shopping for food
• Eating food…either that you’ve created or not

Florists

• Preparing flowers (close-ups)
• Finished bouquets
• Tables set ups for weddings
• Real life settings
• Behind the scenes of a floristy business
• Close ups of branded stuff (aprons, tissue paper etc)
• Seasonal images (Christmas, Mothersday, Valentines day etc).

Photographers

• Taking photos of your ideal client
• Sat editing
• Chatting with clients
• Holding your camera (leaning against wall, sat at table, sat on floor)
• Pretending to frame your subject with your hands
• Camera held down by your side
• Behind the scenes of a shoot

Health/fitness

• Yoga/exercise poses
• Relaxing with a branded water bottle
• Unrolling exercise mat
• Show any branded equipment
• Checking off a list as you talk to a client
• Eating fresh fruit whilst laughing
• Pouring yourself a smoothy
• Sitting on a worksurface eating a salad

Therapists

• Talking to clients
• Having zoom call sessions
• Read trade journals or book
• Writing in notebooks
• Your therapy room

PR

• Piles of magazines that you work with
• Photo with a loud speaker
• Throwing curtains open to show yourself.
• Talking into a microphone (podcast or public speaking)
• Celebration image with balloons or champagne

Podcaster

• Photos of podcasting quipment
• You podcasting
• Microphone up close – you blurred out behind
• Podcasting with a guest
• Screen showing podcast/listener figures

Clothing shop/stylist

• Rail of clothing with your hands
• You helping a customer
• Folded clothes next to a laptop
• You holding a pile of neatly folded clothes
• Carrying clothes shopping bags
• Flat lays of style inspiration
• Flat lays of accessories

Financial Services

• Financial Times and other money related publications
• Use props like calculators or abacus’
• Laptop/tablet showing graphs
• Branded leaflets
• Money inspired books (Get rich luck b*tch etc)

Graphic Designer

• Blank screens on laptop and tablets
• Design elements you take inspiration from
• Paper/pens/paint
• Sticking post it notes to a white wall
• Sticking design ideas of colour swatches to a wall

All Businesses

• Sat in a chair but leaning forwards
• Talking to someone on the phone
• Sat on a work surface with a glass of prosecco
• Holding a postcard towards the camera with a quote on it

If you need any more ideas – just get in touch and we can plan your brand photoshoot!

And when you’re ready, here are three ways that I can help you:

1) Visit my blog for tips on VISIBILITY.

Every week I discuss strategies to improve your visibility, get over your fear of visibility and my latest shoots.  Read here

2) Plan a bespoke photoshoot.

We can plan a shoot based on what you actually need (read more) or you could join me at a Branding Day.

3) Join ‘Visibility School’.

Visibility school is a membership group where you get 12 months of photoshoots, a fab little Facebook group and lots of bonus content too (new for 2023 members) . Read