You’ve booked a branding photography package. Good. Now comes the part that most people underinvest in: actually making the most of it.
The difference between a shoot that produces a library of images you use constantly for the next two years and one that produces a folder you dip into occasionally isn’t usually the photographer. It’s how well the client has prepared, how clearly they’ve briefed, and how deliberately they deploy the images afterwards. This guide covers all three.
Before the Shoot: Preparation Is Most of the Work
Get clear on what you need the images to do
This sounds obvious. It isn’t. Most people go into a branding photography package with a vague sense that they need better images without being specific about what those images need to communicate or where they’ll be used.
Before your consultation with your photographer, spend some time on these questions: Who is the audience for these images? What do you want them to feel when they see them? What’s currently missing from your visual content? Where will the images be used, and in what contexts? What does your existing visual content say about you, and is that accurate?
The more specific your answers, the more specific and useful your brief will be, and the more specific your brief, the better the images you’ll end up with.
Create a proper brief
A brief doesn’t need to be a formal document. It can be a conversation, a mood board, a set of references, or a combination of all three. What it needs to do is communicate your brand’s personality, your target audience, the tone you’re going for, the contexts you’ll be using the images in, and any specific shots you know you need.
Bring references. Not necessarily from other photographers’ branding work, though that’s useful, but from any visual material that captures the feeling you’re going for. A brand you admire, a piece of design that resonates, a colour palette that feels right. Photographers are visual thinkers. References communicate things that words often can’t.
Think about what a complete library looks like
A branding photography package should produce a body of work, not just a set of portraits. Think about the range of images you’ll need: wide environmental shots that establish context, medium shots that show you in relation to your workspace or surroundings, close portraits that create connection, and detail shots that add texture and specificity.
Map these against your planned uses. Website homepage? You probably need a strong wide or medium shot with space for text overlay. About page? You need a portrait that communicates personality. Social media? You need variety across formats and crops. LinkedIn? You need something that looks professional without being stiff.
Knowing what you need before the shoot means you can plan for it rather than hoping it emerges.
Plan your wardrobe with intention
Wardrobe is one of the most common areas where people either underprepare or overthink. A few principles that tend to work well.
Bring more options than you think you need, and make the final call on the day with your photographer’s input. What looks good in a mirror doesn’t always look good on camera, and your photographer will have a view on what works with the location and lighting you’re shooting in.
Choose clothes that represent your brand and that you feel confident in. Confidence in your wardrobe translates directly to confidence in front of the camera. Avoid anything that’s going to date quickly, anything that competes with your face for attention, and anything that doesn’t fit properly. A well-fitting outfit in a neutral colour will almost always outperform a striking outfit that you’re not entirely comfortable in.
Think about colour in relation to your brand palette. If you have brand colours, incorporating them subtly into your wardrobe creates visual coherence across your content. If you don’t have a strong colour palette, neutral tones with one intentional accent tend to work well.
Discuss locations with your photographer
Location is one of the most powerful variables in branding photography, and it’s worth putting real thought into rather than defaulting to whatever’s convenient. The right location adds context, depth, and meaning to images without requiring explanation.
Your own workspace, if it’s visually interesting and relevant to your work, is often the strongest option. It tells a story about how you operate in a way that a neutral studio can’t. Beyond that, think about locations that reflect your brand’s character, that resonate with your target audience, or that place you in the kind of environment your clients will recognise as relevant.
Discuss the shortlist with your photographer before committing. They’ll have a view on what shoots well, what the light is like at different times of day, and how to get the most out of each option within the time available in your package.
On the Day: How to Get the Best Out of the Shoot
Trust the process
The most common problem on a branding shoot isn’t the photography. It’s the subject being tense, self-conscious, or trying to perform for the camera rather than just being themselves. The images that work are almost always the ones where something genuine is happening, where the subject is relaxed, engaged, and present rather than thinking about how they look.
A good photographer will build in time at the start of the session to help you find your feet. Use it. Ask questions, have a conversation, move around, get used to the camera being there. The best images rarely come from the first five minutes.
Communicate throughout
Don’t wait until you see the final images to mention that something isn’t working. If a location doesn’t feel right, say so. If you want to try a different angle or approach, say so. If you’re not comfortable with something, say so. Your photographer can’t read your mind, and a brief conversation mid-shoot is infinitely more useful than feedback after the fact.
Maximise variety within the time you have
Within your package, think about how to get the maximum range of useful content. Different locations, different looks, different energy levels. A mix of more formal and more candid. Some shots with props or context, some without. Wide, medium, and close. This variety is what makes a library useful over time rather than one that feels repetitive after the first few uses.
After the Shoot: Making the Images Work
Be selective about your final edit
When your gallery arrives, resist the temptation to select every image you like individually. Instead, think about the library as a whole. Does it have the range you need? Do the images work together visually? Are there any obvious gaps?
Select images that serve specific, identified purposes rather than images you just happen to like. An image of you laughing that doesn’t fit anywhere specific is less useful than a slightly less perfect image that works perfectly on your about page.
Use the images consistently and widely
The most common waste of a branding photography package is underuse. People update their website, add a new LinkedIn photo, and then largely forget the rest of the library exists. The images should be working constantly: in email signatures, in proposals and pitch documents, in social media content, in press releases, in blog posts, in marketing materials.
The cumulative effect of consistent, high-quality imagery across every touchpoint is significantly greater than the sum of its parts. Every time someone encounters your brand visually and sees coherent, professional imagery, their sense of you as a credible and trustworthy business is reinforced. That effect compounds over time.
Maintain visual consistency
The images from your branding photography package establish a visual standard for your brand. Everything else you produce visually should aim to match that standard. Mixed quality imagery, where professional branding photography sits alongside grainy smartphone snapshots or generic stock photos, undermines the effect of the good stuff. Be consistent, or the investment is working harder against itself than it needs to.
Plan your next shoot before you need it
A branding photography package is not a one-time exercise. Brands evolve, services change, faces age, and imagery that was current two years ago starts to feel dated. The best time to plan your next shoot is before the current library runs out of steam, not after it already has.
FAQ
What should I include in a brief for a branding photography package?
Your brief should cover your brand’s personality and values, your target audience, the tone you’re going for, where the images will be used, and any specific shots you know you need. References and mood boards are extremely useful for communicating the visual direction. The more specific, the better.
How many outfits should I bring to a branding photography shoot?
As a rule of thumb, bring more than you think you need and make the final call with your photographer on the day. Two to three distinct looks is a reasonable starting point for a half-day package. Each change of outfit effectively gives you a different visual story, which increases the variety and longevity of your image library.
How do I get the most images out of my package?
Think about variety from the start: different locations, different looks, different shot types, different energy. Work with your photographer to plan the structure of the day so you’re moving efficiently between setups rather than spending too long in any one place. Communicate throughout, and don’t be afraid to suggest trying something different if something isn’t working.
How should I use my branding images after the shoot?
Everywhere. Website, social media, LinkedIn, email signature, proposals, marketing materials, press releases, blog posts. The images should be working consistently across every touchpoint, not just updated on your website and forgotten about.
When should I book another branding photography package?
When your current library starts to feel dated, when your services or positioning have changed significantly, or when you’re running low on fresh content. As a guideline, most businesses benefit from a refresh every one to two years. The best time to plan it is before you actually need it.
What’s included in a Swivel branding photography package?
Full details and pricing are here. If you have questions about what’s right for your business, get in touch and we can talk it through.
Jonny Barratt is a commercial photographer based in Gloucestershire, working with businesses across the UK on branding photography packages and visual content. Say hello.