Photoshoot ready!
How to prepare yourself and your location for an awesome branded photoshoot with Hels.
Welcome to the Helix guide on striking the perfect pose and getting prepped for your personal brand photoshoot!
Whether you're an entrepreneur, influencer, or simply looking to create a strong personal brand, the right poses can significantly enhance your visual identity.
Here are some expert tips to help you shine in front of the camera:
Understand Your Brand Identity
Before the shoot, define your brand's personality, message, and target audience. This will guide your choice of clothing, location, and most importantly, your poses.
Practice Natural and Relaxed Poses
Avoid overly stiff or contrived positions. Instead, aim for relaxed and authentic expressions. Natural poses convey confidence and approachability.
Experiment with Angles
Explore different angles to find your most flattering perspectives. Play with high and low camera angles to add variety to your shots.
Utilise Body Language
Pay attention to your body language. Stand tall, relax your shoulders, and maintain open postures to exude confidence and approachability.
Highlight Your USP
Showcase what sets you apart. Whether it's a signature accessory or a characteristic expression, emphasise what makes you, you.
Engage with Your Surroundings
Incorporate elements from your environment to add depth and context to your brand. This can be as simple as leaning against a wall or interacting with props.
Incorporate Movement
Dynamic poses add energy and personality to your images. Walk, twirl, or engage in activities related to your brand to capture attention-grabbing shots.
Be Mindful of Your Hands
Your hands can communicate a lot about you. Avoid clenched fists or awkwardly positioned fingers. Instead, opt for natural hand placements that complement your overall pose. If it helps give them a good ol shake!
Eye Contact
Connect with your audience by looking directly into the camera. If shooting candid moments, focus on a point slightly off-camera to create an intimate, candid feel.
Embrace Different Expressions
Experiment with a range of expressions that align with your brand. From serious and focused to warm and approachable, each expression communicates a different facet of your personality.
Relax + Breathe
Take deep breaths and relax your facial muscles. A calm and composed demeanor translates beautifully in photographs.
Trust me
Ultimately I’m here to help you achieve an aligned Communicate openly with me and trust my guidance. They have the expertise to capture your brand's essence.
“Remember, personal brand photography is a powerful tool to convey your story, values, and aspirations. ”
— Hels x
On Location or at Home?
Speak with me in advance of us starting your shoot to work out which spaces might be used in the shoot and concentrate your energy in those areas. Pick two to three areas of your home that are naturally light and offer up the potential to be photographic. If you know you’ll only be using two or three rooms, that means you can eliminate tidying and decluttering everywhere else - WIN!
Clean + Declutter
(especially surfaces - desks, tables, worktops and counters)
Don’t be afraid to strip down 70% of what normally lives on a surface! Clear away knickknacks from the windowsills, coffee table, piano top, bookshelves and other surfaces. Stray items can be put in a box out of the way if only for the duration of the shoot! When it comes to desk setups, remove as many wires as possible (while still having enough for your tech to work!) and if possible, remove any additional tech like printers and scanners etc. to keep your desk space as clear as possible. Move the pet’s bed out of the corner of the room. In the kitchen, remove sponges, paper towels, cleaning products, shopping lists from the fridge door, and most small appliances to keep your worktops clear and minimise distractions. Then dust, wipe, vacuum, plump and spruce cushions as retouching images post shoot is an expensive service and can easily be side stepped.
Dead-head Plants
I love seeing flowers and greenery in a photo-shoot - they add colour, life and a sense of freshness to the images. Make sure to remove any dead flowers or leaves before the shoot, and if a plant is particularly sad it’s probably best to remove it altogether. These little touches make a big difference!
Open blinds / curtains, + switch off artificial lights
Light makes all the difference to any shoot, and natural, available light always looks best and is the most flattering (and often the most interesting too!). Open curtains and blinds, if you have Venetian style blinds, pull them up as opposed to just opening the slats in order to maximise the light that comes in. It’s always best to start off with too much light and shape it from there than not enough. Switch off ceiling lights and desk lamps as far as possible as they can cast shadows and strange colour casts unless they’re being used for a particular effect.
Curate your Space
Lastly, it’s time to curate your space. My top tip with this is to only have items on display you’re happy to be in shot. Be mindful about the spaces you wish to use and make sure you are happy for people to see them? When it comes to styling your space, instead of having lots of trinkets and knickknacks on a surface, have one bold vase, vessel or large plant, or a trio of smaller objects that read as one whole. Group items together to create a secondary focal point as opposed to having lots of scattered objects distracting your eye. This adds interest and personality and makes a place look lived in while still feeling calm and serene.