You've decided to invest in professional photos to elevate your brand perception—excellent move! Brand photoshoots can be both exciting and overwhelming. This article will help you make the most of your shoot and ensure your visuals align with your brand.

1. Establish Your Mood Board

If you’ve had a professional brand or visual identity created, now is the time to lean on your brand guidelines. Sharing these with your photographer will give them a clearer understanding of your brand's mission, look, and feel.

If you don’t have brand guidelines yet, don’t worry! Here’s how to create a mood board that will help you communicate your ideas visually.

How to Create a Mood Board:

Step 1: Use Canva whiteboards to create a mood board

Canva is an easy-to-use (free) tool for making a shareable document. This is much clearer than trying to describe your ideas verbally.

Google Presentations or similar tools work too.
Setup a whiteboard document

Step 2: Start Collecting Visuals

Explore Unsplash, Pexels, or Dupe for images that represent the vibe you want.
Think beyond specific subjects—focus on vibes. Draw from landscapes, art, architecture, outfits, and color schemes, anything that feels aligned with your brand.

Step 3: Compile Your Board

Pull all your chosen images into Canva and annotate each with notes about what appeals to you. This will help your photographer capture the aesthetic you want.
Once your mood board is complete, save it to your computer or share the link.

2. Plan Your Shot List

The shot list is crucial. It’s a bummer when you don’t get all the photos you wanted because of poor planning or a rushed process. Think about what you want from your photoshoot—consider locations, props, outfits, and more. Here are some prompts to help you plan:

Settings: Where should the shoot take place? Indoors, outdoors, at your workspace?
Objects/Props: Any important props or tools that represent your brand? Do you need to purchase or prep anything in advance?
Outfits: What do you want to wear? How many outfit changes do you need?
Focus/Style: Do you want lifestyle shots in action, close-ups, or product-focused images? Determine what suits your brand best.
Purpose/Application: Where will you use these photos? Website, social media, email marketing? Thinking ahead ensures the photos are versatile.

3. The Day Of

On the day of your shoot, have fun! Set yourself up to feel your best. Have a copy of your mood board and shot list with you to ensure you’ve gotten everything you needed and wanted.

4. Think Strategically

Whether you’re collaborating with a professional photographer or a friend, thoughtful preparation is key to maximizing your photoshoot. Having a clear plan will ensure your visuals not only look great but also align with your brand and work across the platforms where you intend to use them.

Good luck, and remember—professional photos are a great way to bring your brand vision to life!