So you’ve started marketing yourself and your career in your own unique way. You want your personal brand to come across as exciting, engaging, and different from the rest of your competition. You want to put the task of capturing your image and your essence into the hands of a capable, professional personal branding photographer. But how can you tell whether a photographer is a good fit for that daunting task? Here are four things you should keep an eye out for as you’re trying to find a good match.
1. Portfolio Every photographer has a unique aesthetic and style. Are you looking for classic and sophisticated personal branding photos? Or is your look more bright and colorful? While any good photographer will be able to listen to your vision and try to capture it, it’s best to choose a photographer whose previous work resonates with you.
2. Specialization
A fantastic wedding photographer or family portrait photographer isn’t necessarily a fantastic personal branding photographer. Look for an experienced photographer who specializes in personal brand photography.
3. What’s included?
To have a successful personal brand photoshoot, there’s usually a lot more elements that go into it than just you, your photographer, and the camera. Find out whether your photographer offers a brand story consult, styling or wardrobe advice, professional hair and makeup, or studio space as part of their personal brand photoshoot package. If not, consider those potential extra costs when working out your budget.
4. Connection
During your consultation, focus on how your photographer makes you feel. Do you feel confident in yourself and his or her ability to make you look your best? Do you feel comfortable and relaxed? Do you feel like he or she understands you and your vision? If so, it’ll definitely show in your photos!
5. Think about the future As you and your business evolve, you’ll want to update your personal brand photos to best reflect your new look. To keep your brand looking fresh, ask whether your potential photographer offers a monthly or quarterly photoshoot package to regularly update your photos.
When it comes to choosing a personal branding photographer, look for a photographer who knows how to tell a story with the camera, one that will make any future potential clients of yours want to know more. For something as important as your personal brand, you can’t just look for someone who will get the job done for the lowest price -- you need an experienced professional who can assist you in representing your unique persona and vision.