Selecting a photographer: If you like my style (and hopefully that’s why you’re on my web page!) then this step is done! Tick!  Otherwise the research phase can be quite the rabbit hole…  A couple of quick tips: pick a photographer whose photographs you like.  Whilst you can ask a photographer to replicate someone else’s style, why not go with someone who specialises in what you want?  And if you know you’ll need more images than the 10 photo package, be sure to get quotes that include the price of extra images and/or the whole album. 

Time taken: less than a minute

Planning the shoot: Contact the photographer and book a date for the photoshoot.  My brand shoots last 90 minutes, so you don’t have to block out a whole day. I’ve got a questionnaire that I’ll email through and you will need to dedicate a solid 20 minutes on it between making your booking and the day of the shoot. You can email me back or I’m happy to call/zoom and chat through it if that’s easier.  It allows me to get to know your audience and your messaging and how and where you’ll be using your photos.  We’ll determine the stories you want to tell with the photos, the expressions we need to include in headshots etc.  The props required, locations we’ll use and clothing choices will fall out of it… for example: needing a yoga mat, active wear and a garden location for a mindfulness/mediation/yoga sequence of images. We’ll also determine if anyone else is required, like asking a friend to be a ‘client’ model or if you’ll need to ask your cat to appear in any of the shots.

Time taken: 20-30 minutes

Choosing a location: I’m going to recommend your workspace and or your happy place.  Somewhere you can feel a little relaxed.  So this may be an office, or your study, or your dining table made up to look like a desk. And then perhaps the yard, or a local beach, park or cafe.  Don’t worry if its dark – photographers can pack light.  Don’t worry if its messy – that’s what cropping and hiding stuff under your desk or behind the photographer is for!  If you’re not sure what could work, hit reply and tell me about your hesitations and we’ll make a decision in under 5 minutes. 

Time taken: under 5 minutes

What to wear: Wear what makes you feel great!  Think about how you show up to work with clients and start from there because you want to be recognised from your profile picture.   If you don’t wear makeup go the mascara and lip gloss.  If you have your makeup artist on speed dial, book them in. You’ll need about 3-5 outfits that don’t clash with your brand colors.  (An entire new wardrobe is not necessary but if you want to use the shoot as an excuse to go shopping go right ahead!)

Time taken: However long it usually takes you to get ready for work (additional time required if you’re outsourcing hair & makeup or doing some strategic shopping)

Day of the shoot:There is no travel time because you’re getting photographed at your place.  You’ve got props and accessories at your fingertips.  We have a fast, fun photoshoot (no fake smiles allowed) that’s over in just 90 minutes.

Time taken: 90 minutes

About a week later: Read an email, login to an online gallery, do a happy dance as your photos download ready to use.

Time taken: depends on your internet speed!

Organising and completing a photoshoot may be less time consuming than you think – let’s get it off the todo list and into the calendar 😀

The post How long does it really take to organise a photoshoot? appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.

And you know you’ll have to get in front of the camera:
“Oh and some headshots maybe…”

So what’s the next step?

You’ll need to choose a photographer, book a photoshoot…
And here are a couple of things to think about to help determine how many and what type of photos you’ll need:

MESSAGE

Are you going for polished and professional, relaxed and approachable or somewhere in between (or both even)? The answer to this question filters through the entire photoshoot from location to wardrobe and posing and even the editing style. Share as much information about your brand values and message with your photographer as you can so they can capture it perfectly.

DESTINATION

Where will you be using the images? Do you just need one LinkedIn profile headshot? Plus the cover photo? Or a full set of “custom stock photos” to use on banners, blog headers and business cards plus 3 months of Facebook and Instagram too? The destination impacts image content – you can (and should) reuse your images across multiple platforms (brand consistency) but will you be telling the same story or a different one on each platform?  I like to use my Instagram feed as more of a look book and to prove to the online world I’m legit and exist, whilst my Facebook page is about providing value and building trust so the imagery is not identical.

COMPOSITION

Do you require a certain aspect ratio say, square for insta or long and narrow for a web banners? Do you need some plainish shots you can use as backgrounds with a nice quote over the top? Do you want some pictures that leave a big gap on the side for you to add your logo and text to? Do you need some where you interacting with that imaginary text? The same content with a different layout, a different crop or from a slightly different angle allows it to be used for multiple purposes.

HOW FRESH?

How fresh? How often do you want to post to Facebook and Instagram? Have you recently changed your look or hairstyle (and need to refresh those headshots)? How many months of content do you wish to create at a time? Are you products or services seasonal? These obviously impact how long and how often you schedule a photoshoot.

I hope these ideas help you plan your photoshoot and maximise your content creation!

(And if you want to update your website, grab some photos for Facebook and Instagram and some headshots maybe… contact me and we can chat about the above )

The post Planning your photoshoot – where to start? appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.