Happy Friday, friends! We’ve officially made it to Weekend Eve, and today, I get to share something I’m super passionate about with you: curating personal content for your business through brand or headshot sessions! Telling the stories of other personal brands is such an honor, and today, I wanted to break down TWO commonly used terms in the industry and what they mean for my business.
So… the terms? We’re breaking down HEADSHOTS vs BRAND SESSIONS.
I often get asked about which style of session I would recommend for individuals, and honestly? I don’t have a one-size-fits-all answer for that! It truly depends on what your individual needs are. That said, if you are wondering what you may need, send me an email, and I can help you sort things out!
Now… back to the topic at hand! Please keep in mind that these are the key differences I have defined within my own brand— these may differ based on who you talk to. That said, let’s do this!
Headshots: Typically Showcase an Individual // Brand Sessions: tell the story of a brand
With headshots, my focus is typically on showcasing an individual… I personally believe that headshots are more than the classic school picture style. For the most part, I have three key framings, and we pepper in a little sparkle and spunk from there. Think: the classic one with a focus on your face, more of a full-body static shot, and a full-body or closer crop featuring movement and FUN! Again, I know a lot of folks simply think of headshots being focused on your face, and that MAY be true, but in my corner, know that this is how I currently define headshots in my business.
With brand sessions, our focus is on telling the story of a brand, YOUR brand! This may look like capturing headshots of individual members of a team, photographing fun photos of a business owner in their office, showing you on the go or on a coffee run at your favorite shop, photographing individual aspects of your life that appeal to your ideal client, photographing a staged setup of you in action, styling a flat lay of your favorite items for your about page… really, the sky is the limit! With brand sessions, our focus is more on photographing specific concepts and storylines for your business and are LESS about just photographing you as an individual! We’ll incorporate props and movement and intentional locations too. With brand sessions, you might also choose to incorporate other people (Think: team members or models!) to best tell your story.
Headshots: Great for profile and header images // Brand Sessions: Great for curating web banners, sales page images, and super specific brand messaging materials to tell your story
Headshots are really great if you are hoping to update a profile photo, header image/cover photo, bio photo, or need to share a few photos here and there on social media. Headshot sessions are geared more towards curating the content that would typically find a home in these places!
With brand sessions, our focus is a little broader in terms of image placement (while more specific when it comes to individual image styling!). Brand sessions are great for curating the specific content that you need for webpages, sales pages, specific images/storylines/campaigns for social media, and more! With brand sessions, we’ll sit down and brainstorm the storylines and concepts that help define your brand. If there are any content pieces on your “must-have” list, we’ll combine the two and then translate this into a session timeline and image list.
Headshots: Share your personality + individuality // Brand sessions: share how your personality and individuality impact your ideal client
This one is a little more abstract, so hang with me! With headshots, my goal is to share more of your personality and individuality! With brand sessions, my goal is to share more of how your personality and individuality impact your services!
Think of it like this: With headshots, I’ll photograph you looking at the camera, maybe giggling into your shoulder, and might even incorporate your work tool for a few shots too. I want to capture you at your best as an individual or business owner. With brand sessions, we’ll often focus more on showcasing you in your element and how your personality impacts your services! Think: organizing your work tools or planning resources if you are big on planning and organization, setting up the tablescape of your dreams if you are a creative wedding designer, working on showcasing the behind the scenes of a session with an ideal client, or even photographing you at home with who and what is most important to you. With brand sessions, the need is centered on how YOU anchor your business in your individuality and personality in your specific field.
Similarities:
Now that we’ve gone through just a few key differences, I wanted to touch on just a few key similarities between brand sessions!
Custom and true to you as an individual
We’ll select a location (or locations) that serve your business well, will plan wardrobe options that coordinate with your brand, and will also chat ahead of time to ensure we’re capturing the content that you need! Headshot sessions and brand sessions are custom curated and true to who you are as an individual or individual business owner.
Fun, upbeat, and designed to get you feeling relaxed and confident
No matter the session, we’re sure to have a lot of fun! I want you to think of your brand session as a way to celebrate all of your accomplishments as a business owner! It is always my goal to have you feeling your most confident and relaxed in front of the camera, so we can truly showcase YOU in your element. Confidence starts with planning, so know that I love walking you through this process, regardless of the type of experience you’ve opted for. From there, we’ll use our plan as a guide and will have SO much fun hanging out and capturing the images you need.
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