Photoshoot ready!

How to prepare yourself and your location for an awesome branded photoshoot with Hels.

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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:

A smiley face emoji with hearts for eyes.
A woman with red hair in a bun, wearing a pink shirt with a diamond pattern, smiling and holding a pink mug in a bright kitchen.

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.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and light skin, wearing a cream blazer and gold chain necklaces, sitting in a modern indoor setting with hanging lights and plants.

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.

A woman with long, wavy brown hair smiling and touching her hair while standing in a room with a potted plant and neutral-colored background.

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

A woman with glasses smiling and holding her hands together near a window in black and white.

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! 

A woman with curly blonde hair stands in an office, holding papers and looking at a large computer monitor.

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

Three people sitting at a conference table in a modern office with large windows, looking at a laptop and discussing.

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.

A woman with brown hair and a smile, wearing a navy blue button-up shirt and pink pants, sitting on a stool with a sheepskin cover, holding a mug, next to a large green plant.

Clothing

Avoid tight clothing that can be irritating to your skin, which can make you feel and look uncomfortable in the photos. Nothing worse than squeezing yourself into your fav jeans and then noticing a bit of cheeky muffin top. I’ve been there!

Colours / Patterns

Avoid colors that are similar to your skin tone, as they can make it hard to distinguish your face from your clothing. Solid colors are usually better than patterns, which can be distracting. You can also consider your brand color and choose clothing that complements it.

Clothing related to your profession

Have a good ol think about how you would like your audience to look at you! If you’re an edgy tattooist and want that gritty look to go with your lion-hearted brand then go for those DM’s with cut off denim jeans and band tee! Its all about your client and what they need to see from you that ties into your brand aesthetic.

Strike a Pose!

I know it can feel awkward A.F but Iʼve got you . . .

  • You’re not posing for Vogue — you’re just showing the real, brilliant you.

  • Play with your hair, adjust your jewellery, hold a prop — keep them moving and natural.

  • Think: coffee, laptop, sketchbook, favourite book, tools of your trade — they help tell your story.

  • Shift your weight to one hip, drop your shoulder, chin slightly forward and down — we’ll find your best side (spoiler: they’re all great).

  • I’ll be guiding you the whole way through — all you need to do is show up and be your brilliant self.

  • Bring 2–3 outfits that make you feel like a boss. Mix up textures and necklines. Think layers, statement earrings, power blazers — and ALWAYS something you’d wear on a good day, not just a comfy day.

    PSA: Avoid neon, logos, or fussy prints unless they’re part of your brand vibe.

  • If you wear makeup — fab. If not — fab. Just aim for ‘best version of your everyday’ rather than something you won’t recognise later. Matte skin and defined eyes = camera-friendly. Hair down, up, half-up — bring clips if you want options.

Woman sitting on a chair with a brown backrest, holding a professional camera close to her face, as if taking a photograph. She is wearing black high heels, cropped beige pants, and a black jacket.
A woman sitting cross-legged on a wooden stool, wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, light blue jeans, and a beige wide-brimmed hat, gently smiling and adjusting her hat.
Woman in a black shirt and jeans, wearing a wide-brimmed hat with a black band, taking a photo with a Canon camera. She is sitting with her knee up, against a plain light background.

  • Lean against a wall, a desk, or even a door frame. One foot up, one hand in your pocket — casual but confident.

  • Take a slow stroll towards the camera and pretend your best mate just said something hilarious. Works every time.

  • Sitting at your laptop, coffee in hand, mid-‘I’m plotting world domination’ glance. Add a notebook or phone for extra vibes.

  • Strong, sure, but approachable. This one says “I know my sh*t and I’m lovely.”

  • A candid side glance, looking up or out a window — gives off dreamy, visionary energy.

  • Turn away from the camera, then glance back. Adds a flirty, playful twist — great for adding personality.

  • Toss your jacket over your shoulder, fluff your hair, spin, walk — movement = magic.