Have you ever wondered how to plan an epic brand photoshoot of your own?

I’ve organised two successful photo shoots for my business and along the way have unlocked the secrets to planning an epic brand photoshoot.

As the online environment becomes more saturated, the need for your brand to have a strong visual identity has never been more important and having a professional photoshoot is a simple, yet effective way to elevate your brand and stand out online.

While planning an epic brand photoshoot is a lot of work, they are a great investment in your business and can be a lot of fun with the right team around you. 

Below are the five secrets that I have unlocked for planning an epic brand photoshoot, so that you don’t have to!

1. Create a mood board on Pinterest

When you are working with a creative team, it’s so important to clearly communicate what you are wanting to achieve visually from the photoshoot. This includes anything and everything from colours to locations, and images to poses that you like and are hoping to recreate in your own epic brand photoshoot.

It’s such a great way for the photographer to see exactly what you are wanting to capture and helps to reduce the risk of there being any miscommunication about the desired outcome. 

My mood boards often include:

• Photos of the location we were going to shoot at
• Images of the cocktails that I was going to make
• The colours of the clothes that I was going to wear
• And photos of other people that I really liked

When it comes to the day of the photoshoot, having a printed copy of your mood board to refer to can be beneficial also.

It’s a great way to make sure that you have captured everything that you had wanted and was pre-planned. And as a non-model who feels a little awkward in front of the camera, I find that having a copy of my mood board can also help to guide the poses that I am doing, so that the images don’t come out looking repetitive. 

So, a Pinterest mood board is an absolute must!

2. Source a suitable location

Your locations plays such an important role in bringing your creative vision to life. 

When you have a good location, it’s a lot easier to take really beautiful images. So I would suggest doing some research and looking for a location that has a lot of natural light and suits the needs of what you are trying to capture. 

For example, cocktails are central to my brand, so when I am looking for a location I specifically pay attention to what the kitchen looks like. I also have a podcast, NakedChats, and so I also focus on what the living areas look like and if I could set up my podcast equipment there. 

So you need to find a location that meets your individual needs. 

Where should you look for a location?

If you have family or friends that have homes or venues that you could use is a great place to start. If not, there are a number of companies, like Aloca and Pure Locations) that do location hires for brand photoshoots too.

Alternatively, Instagram is a great place to look as well, that is how I was able to find both of my locations for my brand photoshoots. In the past, I have booked directly through the owners of the properties which helped to bring the cost down a little as opposed to booking through a third party. 

3. Schedule a creative meeting prior to the photoshoot

I’m all for winging it but turning up and winging a brand photoshoot just isn’t a great idea in my mind, not when you are investing so much money. 

Having a creative meeting with your photographer and other key stakeholders that may be involved on the day, can help to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Coming together to discuss the photoshoot promotes more of a collaborative approach where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and really owns their area of expertise, to ensure that the best possible outcome is achieved on the day.

Speaking from my own experiences, I’ve always had these meetings 1-2 weeks prior to the photoshoot date and have used them as an opportunity to have a conversation about the purpose of the shoot, the desired outcome and encourage creative input from everyone involved. 

Having these conversations ahead of time helps to make your shoot as stress free as possible. 

4. Write a brand photoshoot plan

Organising a brand photoshoot plan is an absolute must!

A photoshoot plan is a document that contains:

• An overview of the brief for your epic brand photoshoot
• A list of the shots you want to capture on the day (e.g. talking on the phone, recording a podcast, making cocktails)
• Information on the props needed and who is responsible for bringing what
• The outfits that will be worn throughout the brand photoshoot
• Any location information
• The contact details of everyone who will be there on the day
• And of course, a copy of your mood board!

Your photoshoot plan is something that you can write after your creative meeting, as it essentially just pulls everything you discuss together into a single reference point for everyone, to allow everything to run smoothly on the day.

5. Prepare for mistakes

I am personally yet to have a photoshoot that hasn't had any hiccups. So I would suggest going in with a realistic mindset because things don’t always go smoothly and you just need to push on if they do.

I’d recommend that you always overprepare and have some backup options available should any mistakes or hurdles get thrown your way.

Whether that be extra outfits, extra dishes (if you are photographing food), or even extra shot ideas should things not work out as you had originally hoped on the day. 

The take home message?

Consumer expectations have changed. In order to capture people’s attention online and make a good first impression, you need to develop a unique visual brand identity. 

Organising an epic brand photoshoot is a great way to bring your brand to life visually and can be such a rewarding investment.

Be sure to communicate everything that you want to achieve at the photoshoot with your creative team via the development of a mood board, creative meeting, and shoot plan. 

Sourcing a location that suits the purpose and aesthetic of your epic brand photoshoot is just as important too, so be sure to find a space that meets your individual needs.

And remember always expect the unexpected, have a realistic mindset about how things may actually run on the day of the shoot and prepare accordingly. You never know what might happen!

Now that you've got your brand photoshoot organised, the next step is to develop a strategy based on your unique twist as a part of marketing your business.

I teach this and so much more in Markerita, where you will learn the exact ingredients you need to build a modern-marketing system that converts your *dream clients* like a breeze and sets your business up for success in a way that feels good to you.