Can I tell you a secret? Up until recently, I’ve always dreaded showing my face on social media.

Showing our faces on social media is probably one of the hardest parts of marketing, and yet we all know it’s so important to show up for our audience. Showing the person behind the brand gets people to like you, trust you, and ultimately convinces people to buy from you.

But why can’t we just do it ourselves? We’ve all heard the advice to take selfies or get a friend to take photos for you, and they do work up to an extent — but nothing beats having a brand photographer take professionally composed and edited portraits of you at your best.

Here are three reasons you should invest in a brand photographer:

1. It’s the fastest way to accelerate your personal brand-building.

Cultivating your personal brand is being mindful of the way you come across to others. This could be the way you talk, what you talk about, how you dress, and where you’re seen. Whether you’re a businesswoman looking to build her network, or an influencer growing her Instagram following, personal brand matters a LOT. It can get you referrals, position you as a leader in your industry, and get you tons of respect. Simply put, it opens doors.

Here’s me in my one of my favourite blazers!

Having a professional portrait taken is the easiest and fastest way to accelerate that process of building your personal brand. And we’re not just talking about you in a suit and pearls, smiling at the camera in a studio space — we’re talking about images of you in a naturally-lit setting, in various standing and sitting poses, looking both professional and approachable at the same time.

A good brand photographer will capture you in a variety of poses and compositions, so that you’ll have plenty of shots to pick from to suit your purpose, whether it’s a LinkedIn profile pic or a Facebook introduction. With years of experience, your photographer’s eye will also be trained enough to tell what kind of lighting is best, which colours complement your skin tone, and whether you’re jutting your chin out just a bit too much — things that the selfie stick or Insta-husband won’t be able to do.

2. You build credibility, especially if you’re serving other businesses.

When I look at hiring someone or working with another business, the first thing I look for is a photo of the person behind the brand on their website or social media. If I can’t find one within the first ten seconds, or if it’s a poorly-taken shot in bad lighting, my immediate thought is: “Who IS this person and can I really trust them?”

You only get one shot to make a first impression. If your business serves other businesses, or if you primarily network with other entrepreneurs, showing your face is absolutely vital.

My current Planoly feed is now full of my photos. Before this, I had to ration out the few self-taken photos I had because there weren’t enough.

A key question to ask yourself when having photos taken is: how do I want to come across to my potential client? Do I want to look relaxed and approachable? Professional yet friendly? This will help you determine what to wear, the expressions and body language, and the kind of angles you need.

For example, having a few shots of you looking directly at the camera, taken at eye level, helps to establish to the viewer that you’re on their level and that you’re a trustworthy person. A great photographer will communicate with you to check how you want to be portrayed, then make sure the angle and level convey what you want.

3. It elevates your confidence to no end.

Having my photos professionally taken was probably the biggest game-changer for me, especially as someone who doesn’t like to see photos of herself. I’ve never considered myself photogenic, and yet when I opened the gallery link, I was almost in tears seeing the confident woman in the photos.

The thing is — no one is really non-photogenic. We’re just probably awkward at posing and forcing a smile. But part of a good brand photographer’s skill set is being able to elicit and capture your natural expressions, in a comfortable setting, so that you look relaxed and are portrayed as you usually are in real life. When I looked at my photos, I felt like someone finally saw me and was able to capture me for who I was, in photos. And these photos are now out there so that other people can see me the same way too. It not only elevated my personal branding, it made me feel a lot more confident as a person.

So how do you prepare for your brand shoot?

1. Research your photographer.

This may sound like a no-brainer, but I can’t stress this enough. Look at their Instagram page or portfolio and check their aesthetic. Does their style work with your own brand’s? Are the subjects in their photos smiling genuinely or awkwardly? Looking at the subjects’ expressions can tell you a lot about how your own will probably turn out.

2. Ask your photographer if they have done branding shots.

Branding photography is different from regular or even wedding photography. Brand photography has certain needs that other types don’t, because it’s very deliberate: what you’re wearing, what props you have, how you’re looking at the camera, etc will all have to be carefully considered.

That said, if your photographer has only done wedding photography for instance, it’s not a dealbreaker. The most important thing is that they need to know how to capture people’s natural expressions and movements.

3. Curate a mood board together.

A good photographer will follow your direction and needs, but also lead the experience. Create a Pinterest board together and start pinning other people’s branding shots that you like, and ask yourself what you like about each one — is it the laughter? Is it the casual look? Is it the background? Point these out to your photographer.

4. Ask yourself what your branding needs are.

You need to know what you want going in. Are you looking for direct eye-contact photos to use as a professional picture for an upcoming conference? Are you looking for thoughtful, gazing-into-the-distance photos that you can put on social media for serious posts? Are you going to have them mostly on your website, and therefore need more landscape-oriented images? Communicate all of this to your photographer.

5. Check the weather forecast for your upcoming shoot date.

You don’t want to have prepared everything for the shoot, only to be met with a grey day and pouring rain. Ask your photographer if this will be an issue, especially if you’re shooting at an outdoor location. If you’re given a few options for shoot dates, use the weather forecast as a deciding factor.

6. Prepare your props and outfits.

Most brand shoots allow a change of outfit, so it’s best to take along a casual and a professional one (properly ironed, of course). A trick I’ve found helps a lot is to take 2-3 jackets — that way, you can shrug them on or off in a matter of seconds, and have a variety of looks! Try to make sure your outfits are in your brand colours, if possible. Accessories also make you look so much more pulled together, so consider adding some in, even if it’s just a pair of earrings or a watch.

My leather bracelet has always been my favourite accessory, so I made sure I wore it in the shoot.

Next, consider your props. Having a mug in your hand, or your laptop on a table, can add so much more to a photo. And never underestimate the power of botanicals, whether fresh, artificial, or preserved.

7. Have fun!

Next, sit back and let your photographer do their thing! You’re in the hands of a professional, so trust the process and just have fun.

About my photographer

If you’re looking for a photographer with a bright and airy aesthetic, I’d recommend my photographer Silke from Zebra&Jojo Photography. She’s based in Singapore, and has a completely gorgeous indoor studio where you can have your shoot in comfort and style.

Silke was also amazing from start to finish, from sending me a posing guide at the beginning, to making me feel relaxed during the shoot (it felt like I was at a friend’s house and she happened to be taking photos of me!) all the way to the incredibly fast turnaround time for the photos. She’s done plenty of brand photography for female entrepreneurs, and she’s made every single one of them look beautiful. You can find her over at her website or her Instagram.

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Why You Should Hire a Branding Photographer