A personal branding shoot is an investment in your business. It’s your chance to show up online with confidence, clarity and consistency. But if you’re not prepared, it’s easy to walk away feeling like you didn’t quite nail it.
Whether it’s your first shoot or your fifth, here are the top 5 mistakes to avoid for your next brand photoshoot.
1. Not Thinking About a Location
Where you shoot matters just as much as what you wear or how you pose. Your location sets the tone, communicates your brand personality and helps your audience connect with you visually.
What to do instead:
Choose a location that aligns with your brand vibe. Want your photos to feel high-end and editorial? A studio might be the perfect option. Want something more relaxed and relatable? Let’s shoot at your home or hire a location house. Keen to shoot outside? Let’s find an area of London that suits your brand aesthetic. I always help my clients choose locations that work with their vision and values.
2. Not Planning Your Outfits
Your outfits should feel like you, but polished. Throwing something on last minute or bringing only one option can limit your variety and confidence on the day.
What to do instead:
Plan 2-3 looks in advance that help you show up as the best version of you. Pick items that feel good to wear and even feature your brand colours to keep everything looking cohesive. Think about layers, accessories, and props.
✨ Bonus tip: try them on a few days before and snap a few shots of you standing and sitting in your outfits to make sure you still love them on camera.
3. Being Unprepared Overall
Turning up to your shoot without a plan means we’ll spend more time figuring things out and less time creating. What’s even worse is that you may leave without the shots you actually need.
What to do instead:
Preparation = power. In my process, we have a discovery call to chat through any thoughts, ideas and locations before we’ve even got a date in. Then, throughout the journey of us working together, we’ll iron out the finer details like outfits and props so that everything comes together on the day. The more we prep, the more relaxed and productive your shoot will be.
4. Not Thinking About the Types of Shots you Need (or communicating it!)
This is a big one. If you don’t know where and how you’ll be using your brand photos – on your website, social media, print materials – it’s hard to get what you need. And if your photographer and web designer aren’t aligned, you might miss opportunities (like leaving room for text, or shooting in specific formats).
What to do instead:
Think ahead: what will you need these images for? Homepage banners? Instagram carousels? Press features? Talk to your web designer, social media manager or anyone involved in your brand and share that info with your photographer to ensure you’ve got the content that you actually need.
5. Copying Someone Else’s Photos from Pinterest
Pinterest is great for inspiration, but copying someone else’s shoot won’t help you stand out. It’ll just make you blend in. What worked for a marketing expert in LA may not work for your coaching business in London.
What to do instead:
Get inspired by mood, lighting, or poses, but build a shoot that feels like you. Together, we’ll translate your brand’s story and personality into something completely custom, so your audience sees you right from the first click.
Final Thoughts
And those are my top 5 mistakes to avoid for your brand photoshoot. Your brand shoot feel like an extension of your business, your personality and your purpose, not a carbon copy of someone else’s. With a bit of prep, a clear vision, and the right photographer, you’ll walk away with photos that elevate your brand and speak directly to your dream clients.
Ready to book your branding shoot? Let’s create something that feels totally, unapologetically you.