Creating a Shot List for Your Brand Photos

Coming prepared to your brand photoshoot is absolutely necessary! You want a successful shoot, and I want that, too, as a brand photographer.

Let’s talk about what it takes to make a successful shoot. I’m going to share some a shot list of some PERFECT shots to get for your social media, website, email list, and so much more. You can easily create a list in Google docs, Canva, or even on a simple notes app. Jot down your ideas, audit your website and social media currently, and see what needs work. Are there images you can add or replace? Do things need freshening up?

Now this isn’t an exhaustive list, but I hope it gets you started planning your next brand photography session. It’s important to have some concepts and setups in mind, and think about telling the story of your brand, instead of shooting with no agenda.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Set yourself up for success instead! (Please note this is not a one-size-fits-all, but it’s a great place to start. Tweak it to make it your own, you and your photographer can come up with some fantastic ideas together.)

Prompts to Create Your Perfect Shot List for Brand Photos

1. Your WHY: Why do you do what you do? (Bonus points: Why do you do what you do, and how do you do it differently and better than everyone else?)
2. Your client or creative process: How do you work with your clients/customers? Digitally, in-person, both? Interact with them and document what that looks like, to demystify your process and welcome your audience and clients in your little workspace!
3. Details of your work: What are the “tools” of your trade? Before you think you don’t have any tools, reread the part about your process above. Even if you’re not a product-based business or maker, you have tools. It can even be as simple as your laptop, phone, journal, podcast microphone – whatever you use to do your job.
4. Your customer journey: Are there any points in your customer’s journey (i.e. buying your product or hiring you for your service) that you want to capture in photos to help them feel more at ease about the investment?
5. Your priorities and how you spend your time away from work: Any fitness or morning routine you can’t live without? Do you have pets, a family, love to support local businesses, volunteer or give back to your community, etc.? Find what makes you unique, and some commonalities you share with your customers, and show that in photos.
6. What fuels you: Literally, what are some of your favorite ways to support your energy – what you love to eat, drink, do for exercise, do for fun, etc. What inspires you and replenishes your energy? The sky is the limit!

Be sure to also check out my recent post about How to Choose Outfits for Your Brand Session. And you can browse 8 Tips to Prep for Your Brand Photo Session!