I want to share some secrets to getting beautiful personal branding portraits. You know that you need headshots. Did you know that you can have great branding portraits that show your personality, the spirit and style of your personal brand, and that make people want to hire you? You can and I'm going to tell you how!
Understand Your Brand
Understand Your Audience
It's important that you understand your brand but too that you understand your audience. My friend Gina Vensel is an event marketing guru whose recent photos I've used in this article. She manages several businesses that have different clientele.
When we discussed her branding portraits she explained how she needed portraits that were targeted to these very specific audiences. To do that she brought both serious and fun looks. We matched those outfits with the help of the always delicious Cioppino Restaurant in the Strip District. Read more about Gina and check out her work below.
Make It Don't Fake It
You are your brand and your authentic personality should show so I tell my clients: make it don't fake it. Be yourself and relax. Being in front of a camera with a bunch of lights can seem intimidating. Shake that off because you're there to tell your authentic story. Make sure your photographer understands who you are but then try to relax into your natural self. Those relaxed portraits that show off your true personality are going to be the one's that you absolutely love!
This Is Your Time
This is your time. Great looking branding portraits take time to come together especially if you're not feeling fully confident at the start. Don't rush it and don't let your photographer rush you. Take your time your portraits will be better if you're feeling relaxed and confident so make sure you're booking enough time with your photographer to get that accomplished.
This Is The Place
Feeling good is often about knowing that this is the place that you feel comfortable in. Have your branding photos done somewhere where you feel like yourself is important. You no longer need to travel to a photographer's studio to have your headshots done. Personal branding photos are often better when they have an editorial feel so find a photographer that can come to you and capture you in your world, in the environment where you feel more natural. That might mean in your office or even in your home. It could also mean finding a partner or client who you can show off as well. This is exactly what Gina suggest we do with her photos so we teamed up with the great folks at Cioppino's in the Strip District and the photos came out looking amazing.
About Gina
I want to tell you more about Gina because she's not only a friend but is also a truly amazing person. Like myself she is focused on community building. She's the owner of Easy Street Events Marketing where she helps businesses with advertising, marketing, events, social media, and so much more. She's a powerhouse of a marketer and I've seen her in action boosting attention and attendance like you wouldn't believe and her problem solving capabilities are legendary.
Gina was also just named Director of Marketing and Sales for Horizons PBC which is this innovative company that is looking at plant based medicines including psychedelics which have long been marginalized because of the war on drugs but show incredible promise for treating a variety of issues. Gina is a founding partner of the Plant Media Project, a woman-owned marketing and media company that specializing in plant medicine marketing, education, + advocacy.
If you want to know more about Gina you can find her all over social media by searching her name or the names of her businesses.
When you're ready to schedule some beautiful personal branding portraits hit that contact form or call me at 412-206-9364
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