We are delighted to share with you a guest post from Annie Johnston Photography. Annie is an established professional photographer specialising in lifestyle, editorial, beauty, fashion, portraiture and corporate branding photography.

Her passion for photography shines through from very first meeting and Annie’s character is instantly welcome, warm and friendly. She’s been a freelance photographer since she was twenty two (that’s some passion right there for what she does!). During her London career Annie was commissioned to do fashion and beauty editorial trips all over the world. Now based in Warwickshire, with her two children, husband and three cats. Annie, continues to work with London based Magazines and companies. Fortunately for all of us business owners, she also does a wide variety of promotional corporate branding photography too.

“I don’t like having my photograph taken” is something I hear on a regular basis in my line of work, it’s a sentiment I can completely relate to as well!

The thought of having the spotlight on ourselves, is something so many of us shy away from. Perhaps it’s the British reserve, even in this age of the selfie? However, when you’re a small business owner it can be really impactful to show your human side. Sharing the face behind your business helps to tell your story and also engage on a more personal level with your clients and customers.

What can you expect from a Personal Branding photo shoot?

In my opinion, when it comes to personal branding photo shoots, communication is key!

It is always beneficial to have an extensive conversation with your photographer. Discuss how you would like to portray yourself and your business. Be sure to discuss how best to tell your story to the world: what style of images you would like? Where and how do you plan to use your images? Who is the audience you’re aiming to connect with?

A good place to start is by doing your research. By this, I mean, look at other like-minded business owners’ imagery. Collect any examples of what inspires you in those images and include any that you simply ‘like’.  Why not create a mood board of all these images together? Then, with your photographer, you can bring together the elements that will reflect your individual ethos and style. You can also use this mood board to choose the best location, pick your outfits (which may have the same colour palette as your logo), and aid the setting up of particular shots, such as workshops and one to one consultation meetings.

On the day of your photo shoot, your photographer will direct you on how to move and respond to the camera. As the actual process of being photographed should be an enjoyable, collaborative and creative event, I always aim to create a relaxed atmosphere. If someone is at ease and feels confident, it always reflects in the final images.

The opportunity to tell your story

Authentic images are always an advantage over anonymous stock images. So many people and businesses rely on stock images they can become invisible. A photo shoot is your opportunity to share your story – It’s human nature to want to see the face of the person you are speaking to on the other end of the phone! Or the person you are about to embark on a working relationship with.

Having a bank of fresh up to date images on hand, for press releases, social media posts and websites, gives your business such a boost and will give new content opportunities for many months. Especially now that as the world has changed so much over the past eighteen months and so many business owners have had to adapt their working situation, new personal branding images can convey your own personal business journey, how you have adapted, what you do and the way you do it.

A strong, consistent online presence with professional branding photos, combined with excellent insightful written copy, is such a winning combination. It’s such an valuable way to engage with clients and draw in potential clients – people buy from people! Remember, you are the face of your business, so be sure to invest in showing you your business off in the best possible light. There is no one better to tell your business story, than you.

Thank you Annie

Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us Annie. As the founder of Elite PA Solutions, I have really seen the benefits of branding photography in my business. You will see photos of myself throughout the website and social media, take a look for an idea of how personal branding photo shoots could work for you and business.

To learn more and connect with Annie:

Website  http://www.anniejohnstonphoto.com

LinkedIn  URL : https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniejohnston

Facebook www.facebook.com/anniejohnstonphotography

Instagram www.instagram.com/anniejohnstonphotography