PREPARING FOR YOUR HEADSHOT & BRANDING SESSION

Thank you for booking a headshot and/or branding session with me. I’ve put together some information which I hope will help you to get the most out of your shoot and answer any questions you may have.

Your Brand

It is important that your pictures showcase the real you and your brand. You might already have a brand/website and have a vision in mind for your images – let me know if you do! We can collaborate on a Pinterest Board or look through other shoots I’ve done for inspiration.

Think about where you would like to use your images – a profile picture on Linkedin might have an entirely different vibe to pictures used on your Instagram feed. The more you can tell me before your shoot the better. I’ve put together a questionnaire which is a great place to jot down ideas.

What to wear

Most importantly wear something you feel comfortable in – if you wear something you don’t normally wear and feel awkward it will show in the photos. Consider your brand and the colours you use and make sure the colours you wear work well with your website or logo. Plain colours and textures generally photograph well – all-black or all-white outfits not so well. Logos, branding and bolder patterns on clothes tend to look overly complicated and can date the images so stick to plain and limited patterns if possible.

Soft blouses for women always work well. Consider long rather than short sleeves if you’d like the images to work throughout the year. I’d stay clear of polo necks or very low v-neck tops if you can. Layers are good – adding a scarf, jacket or jewellery can quickly change your look if you’d like some alternative shots. Pockets are great if you’re having 3/4 or full-length shots. Feel free to bring a change of outfit/top to your shoot too. Creases will show in the photos and cost extra to edit out so please iron everything beforehand and consider changing at the shoot if you are travelling a long way.

Shirts are always great for men, please go easy on the heavy checks though – they can be very distracting! Bring a blazer/jacket too for a different look. Most of my clients don’t wear ties – but of course, it’s up to you!

If you are sourcing friends/models for your shoot to act as clients please brief them on clothing too so they are ‘on brand’.

GLASSES

If you wear glasses all of the time then I would wear them for your shoot. If (like me!), you only wear them some of the time it would be worth taking some pictures wearing glasses and some without. Please avoid wearing re-active glasses if at all possible.

MAKE-UP

It’s entirely up to you whether you do your own makeup or hire a make-up artist but as with clothing, your photoshoot is not the day to start experimenting! You are more likely to be happy if you stick to your classic look.

DETAILS & PROPS

Detail shots are a great way to give you a larger variety of custom content for your websites and social media. The more time we have – the more we can set up and you can have a bank of images to choose from. Think about what details you might like so we can work out what props you might need. They could be pictures of you working, holding a cup of tea/coffee, your phone, laptop, business cards, plants/flowers in the background/products you sell etc. Consider your branding colours when you choose props, for instance, you might choose a notebook or piece of artwork that ties in with your brand colours. Props are also a great way to tell a story or start a conversation on social media – think about including your favourite mug, your pets, your hobbies and your interests.

Continued below . . .

Be Inspired. . .

Image of a business man's feet walking down an ornate staircase to illustrate a section on Corporate Photography buy Sussex Portrait Photographer Alex Rickard

Brightly coloured mugs sitting on a shop shelf

A selection of interior design materials

Location

The location of your headshot/branding session obviously plays an important part in the overall look of your final image. There might be an obvious place to have your pictures taken, such as your home, office or studio but if you are unsure I can help you choose an alternative venue.

Once we have chosen the venue the most important thing I will be looking for is light, (natural is best!) I’m likely to choose a spot near a window rather than the darkest corner of the room. If you have a particular shot in mind (like for instance you standing in the doorway of your home or studio) we can time the shoot depending on when the light hits (or doesn’t hit!) the doorway – again, please let me know before we start to plan your shoot further.

PINTEREST BOARD

Pinterest boards are a great way for us to create a shared vision for your shoot. I’m more than happy to collaborate on one with you (I can set it to private) and recommend we select no more than 40 images between us. Pins to include could be clothing ideas, posing ideas, prop ideas etc.

AND RELAX . . .

It is possible that you might be feeling a little nervous (I certainly get nervous when I’m in front of the camera!) but rest assured I’ll do everything I can to ensure you feel as relaxed as possible and I hope you’ll be delighted with the finished results. If you have any worries or concerns please don’t be worried about mentioning them to me before your shoot.

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"Alex's pictures perfectly capture my PERSONALITY, my BUSINESS & my BRAND"

I’ve been lucky enough to book Alex Rickard for three commercial branding photo shoots and her talent and service are equally awesome!
She always makes the most of the light to produce unique and memorable photos in outdoor and indoor locations.
Alex‘s pictures perfectly capture my personality, my business and my brand.
I’d recommend her to anybody wanting a special and unique portfolio of photographs. Whether you need a corporate, commercial, modelling or family shoot, get in touch with Alex Rickard Photography for an outstanding result.

Katie Flamman

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