theresa elizabeth
the
Branding Guide
take your business from
boring to booked!
a little bit about me
I am a Louisiana based photographer, a seasoned wife of over a decade, a learning mother to one heck of a determined daughter and a happy resident of suburbia New Orleans. I mainly focus on weddings, but have been broadening my offerings lately and I am so excited you are here to read this! I'm a lover of pizza, wine, brunch, dance parties and trying new restaurants.
In addition to my full time photography business, I also lead the New Orleans Chapter of the Rising Tide Society. The Rising Tide Society is a worldwide non-profit group of creative entrepreneurs that get together on the second Tuesday of every month to collaborate on ideas and discuss a monthly business topic. This group is very special to me and it is what fueled me to offer photography branding services to creative entrepreneurs in the area. Speaking your truth is so important...but showing it is BETTER! Do not be afraid to put your face out there. Showcasing what your business is all about and what you can do is crucial to landing your ideal client!
Keep reading for more information on what to wear, how to plan and tips to make your branding shoot the best it can be. Let's chat soon!
Hi friend!
I'm Theresa!
Stop hiding behind your i-phone selfies, boo!
take a deep breath and imagine...
lifestyle brand shoot
full branding shoot
lifestyle headshots
$800
$1,400
$375
Ideal for refreshing your brand images
2 hour photoshoot
1-2 locations
(depending on distance)
3-4 outfits
15+ edited photographs
Ideal for start up brands that need lifestyle photos, headshots and social media/blog content
4 hour photoshoot
up to 3 locations
6-12 outfits
30+ edited photographs
Ideal for people who want a quick session
30 min-1 hour photoshoot
one location
two outfits
5-7 edited photographs
Radiating your badass energy through every pose, expression and photo.
Having a gallery full of beautiful on-brand content that ignites you to make social media your boss like you know you can.
Saying goodbye to the boring stiff headshots and HELL YES to co-creating playful and passionate photos that speak about your brand.
Now let's get into the options
We recommend booking quarterly for variety
We recommend booking twice a year
We recommend booking once a year
I've seen enough. Let's book this thang!
I know what you are thinking
Well sweets...i can't beat around the bush...planning for your branding session is hard work. but you have me in your corner to help! hooray!
I will give you a few tools and questionnaires to help you plan your branding session. since i plan my own branding sessions, I can tell you that it takes time and effort. what i know is it’s worth every single second of it because it never fails, the photos of myself on instagram do ten times better than my work and my 'about me' page is what potential clients rave about. they love that they feel like they know me before even meeting me.
if you’re ready to get the most out of your photo shoot, read about the process of how the shoot will work and how to be prepared below.
how the heck do i even do this?
dig deep...catch those feelings
Step One: Visualizing
The first step to preparing for your branding session is first to know:
WHAT IS YOUR BRAND IDENTITY?
These things make up your WHY. Why do you want to provide a service and who do you want to provide it to? Your logo, brand colors, studio / store space, visuals, brand voice, ideal client, brand values, etc. are all part of it and all come into play when it comes to knowing how to prepare for your branding session. For my own personal branding sessions, I want my images to be feel fresh, light, funny and bubbly which is a direct translation of my brand identity. If I had dark and moody images, they wouldn’t reflect or compliment my brand.
The second step is to know exactly why you’re doing a branding photo shoot.
Is it because you need an updated headshot? Do you need more content for social media?
Have you been taking all of your own photos, but don’t have the time now?
Perhaps you have no idea, but realize that quality photos are important in your business. This is why I send questionnaires and do a phone consult before our session. We talk about why you want a branding photo shoot, your brand identity, and pull it all together to bring your brand to life with photos of your business that feel genuine and honest.
Step Two: Be Specific
Step Three: Get that notepad out
Start working on pulling together a shot list! This is absolutely essential to knock your shoot out of the park. If you get stuck, what social media captions, blogs, ads, emails, etc. do you want to share?
From there, think about photos that would bring those words to life. More great ideas to think about are:
your process from start to finish
your client experience
your workspace / location
behind the scenes
your life outside of work
location location
tips to rock your shoot
Of course after you’ve done all of this work you’ll need to decide what the perfect location is for your session. Do you need to be outside? Inside? At a coffee shop? Do you need a kitchen atmosphere? For an hour session, I suggest 2-3 locations max, and that all depends on how far away they are from each other, the time of day (#traffic) and how many outfit changes you have.
Here are some great options if you’re completely stumped on a location for your session:
rent an AirBNB
rent a local photography studio
rent a show home
rent a local yoga studio
use a family member or friend’s home
ask a fellow creative if you can use their space
clothing. bring it all.
props
For each “shot” on your shot list, you want to aim to have a different outfit. For a one hour session, I suggest 4-5 outfit changes, but I’ve photographed up to 8 before. The goal is to make it seem like you’ve done multiple sessions on multiple days, but in fact, we’ve done it all at one time!
For your outfits, the first goal is to feel comfortable. If you’re uncomfortable it will show in the photos via your expression and your body language. You also want to make sure that your outfits match your brand identity, especially visually and professionally. Is your business more of a 'jeans and tee' kind of aesthetic or do you want to come across as more formal? Referring to my own business, I pick outfits that are light in color and more on the casual side so they compliment my brand identity. I want my clients to see my style of photography is bright, honest and that I’m personable, fun and inviting.
Don’t overthink this one. My number one piece of advice: if you’re thinking “ahhh, maybe?” just bring it. The worst case scenario would be to realize a prop would be the perfect fit except it’s sitting at home because you weren’t sure. Again, props will help support your brand identity so if it’s a mug that has a saying on it that’s “so you”, bring it. If it’s your brand colors, bring it.
The most common items for my clients are:
mug / coffee / tea to fill the mug
day planner / laptop / notebook / fancy pen
cellphone / iwatch / ipad
finished products / styling products
makeup / hair tools /
mock application
faux client meeting
A Litte Session Inspiration
