From intimate portraits to personal branding
INTIMATE PORTRAITS – PERSONAL BRANDING
From intimate portraits to personal branding
Of all the things I love to photograph, the human face comes top of the list. The sheer variety of people, and then the variety of their expressions and ways of expressing themselves… there is a never-ending fascination in portraits.
Portraits do a variety of things for us. They remind someone of us – perhaps as a print in the wallet of a lover or spouse, or a picture on the wall, mantlepiece or fridge of our parents’ home. They present us – perhaps as a profile pic in social media, or, more professionally, as a headshot in an actor’s portfolio or politician’s manifesto. They may be for our own use – this is who I am, or was.
Asking a professional photographer to take your portrait is a big step for some people. If you need good, professional quality, photos for your work or social media, it is really worthwhile asking yourself exactly what you are looking for. What are you trying to convey, to say?
Professional headshots for actors have some fairly strict parameters and expectations, but for a more general portrait look, there is masses of room for variety and creativity. I can bring some of that with my eye, my lights and my cameras, but what the photo is really going to say is down to you.
Have a think about what you want, and look at the different ways you can be photographed. If I am coming to you, ask yourself…
How will I look? Hair? A change of clothes, or two? Mainly standing, mainly stitting? A mixture?
Where will I be? A homely indoor space with lots of “clutter” in the background may be a challenge photographically, but it may also be where you feel comfortable. A black wall to create the more studio-type look? Outdoors, communicating something of your love for the… outdoors?
If you are looking for a coherent set of portraits which work together to convey something about yourself in the professional space, then you are really looking at “personal branding.” A shoot like that needs some imagination, a variety of spaces and takes some time, but pays off by giving you a wealth of photos you can draw on for your own website or publicity material. Check out the recent case study of Aidan as just one example of this kind of approach.
What about cost? Costs of a portrait shoot will vary according to the time involved and the distance travelled, etc. From very short portrait sessions up to a full day for personal branding I charge from £200-£800. However, I know that many businesses at the start-up stage are unable to afford that kind of money for photography – let’s talk about your needs and whether I can help. I have been glad many times to take photos more economically to help a start-up and been rewarded by far more, better-paid work down the line. Contact me and let’s talk.
