How to bring greater authenticity to your personal brand photography
When we feel good about our photography it can reduce our resistance around being seen, and make it easier for us to show up and share our message (and our face)!
Powerful images help us illustrate what we have to say and give our audience a glimpse into our world and our energy, creating connection.
These images can also act as a powerful anchor when we look back at them; they can be a visual portal to reconnecting with who we are in all our magic (especially helpful on those wobbly days we all have!).
I believe that when we let go of trying to show up in an overly crafted way and allow our authentic expression to come through (even if a lot of thought and creativity has gone into how we do that!) - that is when we open up a channel for real connection, and speak to the humans that our work is for.
What it means to show up authentically is a living, shifting thing. How we appear when ‘we’re showing up authentically’ one day, will look different to the next, because we’re not just one thing, or one way.
When I say showing up ‘authentically’ in our brand photos, I don’t mean we should show up in our jammies in our brand photography, or do our whole shoot with no makeup on, or reveal things about ourselves that we’re not really okay with sharing in the name of being honest (… even if I have done all of these things!).
What I’m wanting to bring our attention to is a curiosity around…
What are our intentions are for our new images?
What is the story we want to tell through these photos, and why?
How aligned with our truth is the image that we are trying to project?
How can we show up in a way that feels in integrity?
I’m passionate about creating photography that feels true to you… images that capture your personality, energy, and have you feeling like ‘OMG, that’s me!’. Together we’ll plan a session to help bring this into reality for you (if you’d like to explore working with me, you can book in a call with me here).
If you’d love for your new images to feel deeply authentic, a true expression of you at your best that speaks to the hearts of the humans your work is for, I hope you find my tips below spark inspiration and give you guidance.
Let me know how you get on! Email or pop me a DM to share how these land for you.
P.S. If you’d like to explore collaborating on your new images with me this year, book in a call with me here.
“I literally can’t stop looking at my photo shoot photos! Like, I actually can’t stop. They’re beyond incredible. We fucking smashed it! Every single picture is epic. Every single picture is beautiful. Every single picture tells a story. I’m obsessed! Working with you is the best.”
Rachel Smithbone
“Even though I was feeling out of my comfort zone, Becky's calm and grounding nature helped me so much when I was in front of the camera. I felt completely at ease and really enjoyed the shoot day.
The photographs from our time together are beyond what I had hoped for. They capture and story-tell beautifully and bring my business to life.”
Layna Winckworth
“The most powerful question you asked me during the shoot is 'How do you want your client to feel when they land on your site?'.
I am so pleased with the result Becky, this is exactly what I wanted. These are stunning.”
Nancy Florence
“At the end of the day I just had such a huge sense of achievement and gratitude - towards everyone who'd helped make the shoot happen and to myself for finally taking the leap. When I got the photographs back I was just in awe of what Becky had done, these images feel like me, tell my story and have already made a huge difference to my business.”
Eadaoin curtin
Reflect on what you want to say with your new images
Having clarity about the meaning for your new photos will give you strong foundations and inner guidance from which to plan your shoot. Consider and take note of what comes up for you: ‘What do I want to say with my new photos? What do I want people to know about me and my work?’
Choose locations for your shoot that you truly love and hang out in
…or the kinds of spaces you use (our would suggest) when meeting a favourite client in person. This will help you to keep it real. Reflect on where you’re spending time, inviting clients, or doing your personal and professional work from. Which of these might feel appropriate or suitable for your shoot? If you’re thinking about hiring a lifestyle location or studio, or using someone else’s space, consider again: what do you want to say with your photos? And what do you want to say with the location? Notice what kinds of locations feel in integrity for you to use.
You can explore my deep dive into deciding on the best location for your session here.
Wear outfits that have you feeling like the best version of you
…that you feel confident and comfortable wearing. Avoid clothes that have you feeling like you’re kinda imitating someone else, or trying to match an idea of what ‘someone in your industry’ would wear. Open up and tune into your personal, truest expression. Try to allow choosing clothes that ‘feel like you’ to be a fun and explorative process. Remember there are actually no rules around this. (I know for some that will be so much easier said than done, but holding this intention and reminder may be supportive!)
Check out my full guide & insightful journal prompts on this topic, here.
Connect with the energy you want to greet your ideal clients with
In the moment of having our photo taken, a lot of us have been conditioned to “smile and say cheese!!!!”, or maybe pull a silly face. (Both of these are WELCOME on a shoot with me!) but, your brand photography is not solely about grinning wildly into the camera. These photos are a tool for connection, for communicating who you are, and engaging with the people you serve. They’re a way for you to share your message and deepen your relationships.
So, on the day of your shoot, try to energetically connect with who your work is for (perhaps close your eyes and actually imagine some of your favourite clients are right there!), and the way you’d like to welcome them in to your world as if they were actually on the other side of the camera… Because they kinda are! I will support you in tuning into this energy on the day, so we can create images that have you welcoming in the people who are a great match for what you offer.
Be intentional about the props you bring in.
…if you’re incorporating props into your shoot. If you are using physical items to tell your story, give a glimpse into your life, or show what it’s like to work with you, choose items that you genuinely enjoy, work with, love to share, and are happy to promote in real life. If you're unsure about how relevant props would be for your images, it’s absolutely okay not to use any, but they can be a great way to tell stories in your photos and give you something to interact with in the shots, and of course, we’ll explore props together to decide what’ll work well for your shoot.
Notice your feelings, ACKNOWLEDGE them, and be kind to yourself in the process.
For some, having a photoshoot will feel exciting, fun and something to look forward to! But honestly, the majority of the people I get the privilege of working with do not totally feel that way. This is completely normal and understandable!
If we’re keen to create authentic images, but feel our nerves getting in the way of our clear thinking, let’s support ourselves by doing what we can to acknowledge what’s going on for us. While the fear we might be feeling makes sense, we don’t want to let it stay ‘in the driving seat’ making all the decisions for our photo-shoot as we prepare for it!
It can be easier said than done, but if you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed about the shoot, you might find it helpful to write down, meditate-on, dance-out, of make a list of - while suspending judgement or critique: what’s going on for me? What am I feeling stressed about right now?
Personally, I find that getting my thoughts down on paper when I am stressed helps me to acknowledge what’s happening, rationalise what is rationalise-able, better understand myself, and see what I need to do, postpone, or ask for help with, in order to feel calmer or more prepared. I hope you also find this exploration soothing. You can also ask your photographer for help if you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed about the shoot as they may be able to help.