Great photos are the heart and soul of your personal brand. But if you are still stuck at home or not feeling ready to book a full Personal Brand Photo Session, you can get a little creative on your own and take some new photos for social media.
Here are 4 types of personal brand photos you can DIYI right from home. All you need is a camera, or a smart phone, a tripod, and a plan. Use the tips below, set aside a short block of time, and learn how you can DIY some great brand photos in the comfort of your own home until you are ready for me to come come help you out! 😉
1. A Work-From-Home Shot
Show potential clients where the magic is currently happening these days! With so many people figuring out temporary – or permanent – at home offices, we’re all curious to see how everyone else is doing it. Are you set up to work at your kitchen table? Do you have an Instagram worthy home office? (We all wish we did!) Or are you simply on the couch, snuggled up with your pup? Juggling work with kids crawling all over you? People love to see that, go ahead and show it! Set up a tripod – there are so many great, inexpensive options you can find online, many with specific phone holders – hit that timer button and give us a glimpse of your WFH life.
2. Flatlays
I don’t know the psychology behind this, but everyone loves a good flatlay! The best part is, they can be so specifically tailored to you. Add in small details that help tell your story. The tools you use for work can paint a vivid story abut who you are and what you do. Gather objects the represent you and your biz, arrange them on a pretty tabletop, surface or even the floor. ( I love to use my dark bedroom floorboards for this) And take some photos directly from above. Quick tip when using a floor – watch your toes! Spreading your legs into a wide stance can help hide those socks from sneaking into the frame!
Some examples – If you’re a baker, gather some cookies, your latest recipe, whisk, rolling pin, mixer and sprinkle some flour all around. Graphic Designers, grab your laptop, sketchbook, some favorite prints, color swatches and pencils.
3. Portraits
This may sound intimidating, but you can definitely get a pretty decent, simple portrait of yourself. My biggest tip – use a window. Either face it of place yourself right next to it. This will give you natural, even, bright, flattering light. Get up close and personal so people can see who you are. Take a few shots of yourself from the shoulders up. Keep the emphasis on your face and find a clean background. No one will know you took these shots in your living room! Bonus – these work well for bio pics and your LinkedIn profile without looking like a “selfie”. Use that tripod, on a timer. Make sure to raise it up to eye level and don’t have bright backlight unless you also have a bright front light. And yes, those ring lights we are all using for Zoom calls are made for moments like this!
4. Outfit Changes
The best thing about an at-home photo shoot is that you can do as many retakes as you need and try out as many outfits as you want! Test out different looks. My biggest tip here is, if you have brand colors or a certain aesthetic, try and stick with that palette for consistency. And always choose well fitting, high quality fabrics. They will make you look your best. Here are some of my best headshot tips!
If you post regularly on social media, it’s a great idea to set aside a chunk of time, shoot a few different outfits, poses and locations so that you can plan a few posts for different days that only took you one day to create. Planning ahead is pretty much the secret to everything!
So what do you think, helpful right? We’re all spending more time at home and online than ever before. And over the past year, so many of us have switched careers, pivoted our businesses and even started new ones. If you’re an entrepreneur, small business owner or working professional, there’s never been a better time to give your personal brand a much needed visual refresh with a great at home DIY photo shoot.
While hiring a Professional Personal Branding Photographer – like myself – is definitely the best and most efficient way to get the personal branding experience and photos you need, these tips can hold you over until you’re ready to book a full session or just need a quick update.
This is Part 4 in a series of blog posts to help businesses develop their brands.
Check out the other 3 below:
Check out more about my Personal Branding and Headshot Sessions here!
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