How to Build Your Dream Branding Photoshoot

shay15willis
Apr 22
2 min read

Learn how to build your dream branding photoshoot with outfits, locations, and direction that match your vision and elevate your brand. For Creative women in Utah who are influencers, business owners, or building a personal brand.

Girl - YOU NEED A VISION.

But I know I know...

Where do I start?

This is a moment a lot of us creatives hit.

You’ve been scrolling on Instagram for hours.

You have the Pinterest boards.

The outfits, the lighting… and ugh—the way these girls just know how to pose their bodies like it’s EASY.

But when it’s your turn…

It’s. SO. OVERWHELMING.

Being in front of the camera is not easy.

Planning a shoot is not easy.

Building a brand is not. easy.

No one really teaches you how to take a vision and make it reality.

But I'm here to tell you, you don't have to do it alone.

Hair stylist branding photos. Studio natural light photography branding for BBA Beauty - Bryn Chandler. By Shay K Photography

Here is the reality....

You are building a brand whether you know it or not.

You have a brand.

Everything you do, say, and the people you associate with either adds to it… or detracts from it.

And that brand needs visuals. Like… actual photo visuals.

So let’s build it together.

How do you want your brand to feel?
Girly and light? Luxurious and elevated? Moody and bold? Soft and creamy?
This choice builds everything else.
Location matters. Lighting matters.
Where you shoot will affect both.
If you want something girly and light, I’d go earlier in the day—think a field of flowers, a garden, a cottage-style home.
If you want bold and edgy, I’d choose artificial lighting, a studio, or downtown SLC at dusk.
It doesn’t need to be the most insane location in the world.
Because the focus is YOU.
Outfits.
Wear your color palette.
Don’t wear something that feels like a costume—wear something you’d actually be seen in again.
Something that will feel familiar to your clients when they meet you.
If ballgowns are your thing, go for it.
But if you’re usually in a blazer and jeans? That’s your brand, girl.
Dress it up for the photos—but make it feel like you.
Eeeeek… posing.
It’s not as scary when you have someone guiding you every step of the way—but it can still feel daunting.
The best photos don’t come from stiff poses.
They come from movement.From doing things naturally.
You’re holding your coffee while answering emails. You’re sewing a quilt for your business. You’re doodling on your iPad.
Which brings me to my next point—
Bring your tools.
Make your shoot feel like your actual life.
Props help so much with branding—and with knowing what to do with your hands.
In the end, you don't need to have it all figured out.