With more time to recently reflect upon your business you may well be thinking about preparing for a photo shoot and elevating your business to improve your personal brand and imagery.   Your image is your window on the world and provides your audience with an insight into your personal and business values.

Perhaps you are already preparing for a Photo Shoot?

Clearly you need to carefully choose a photographer that you can work with, but there is still a lot to consider before capturing those all-important images.   Hopefully this guidance with personal presentation in mind will help you prepare.  Choose elements that suit your lifestyle, budget and current beauty regime and importantly, make time to plan these sessions into your schedule in preparing for a photo shoot.

Your Skin

Preparing for a Photo Shoot

A home-spa evening is another way to indulge your skin.  Pictured here Clockface Beauty products from Soul Organic, York.

Giving your skin some TLC is always a treat and gets it into great condition.  Consider a professional treatment a good few days in advance to let your skin calm down and those toxins escape.

A home-spa evening is another way to indulge your skin – exfoliate your skin and enjoy a good nourishing mask in the bath.  Add candles for some extra special atmosphere.

Plan for any waxing or shaving well in advance as you will need to allow that area to ‘heal’ particularly on your face.

Your Face

Our eyebrows really help to frame our face so give your brows some attention so they are looking good and defined.  Again, avoid redness by grooming a few days before.

A makeup artist is no longer the preserve of the wealthy.  Think wedding, special event, this is after all an investment.

Your Hair

preparing for a Photo Shoot

Isnt it great we can get back to the hairdressers?

Isn’t it great we can get back to the hairdressers?   A professional cut and colour is another way to look good and feel great and perhaps give some thought to a new professional, edgy look that says something about both you and your business.

You could also indulge in a nourishing home hair treatment and why not work this into a bit of personal TLC and relax  by slipping into a bathrobe and reading a book.

 

 

 

Preparing for a photo shoot

Ensure your nails are well-groomed.

Your Hands

Regardless of your profession, it’s always a good idea to ensure your nails are well groomed.  Even though your hands may not be a major feature of the shoot, people notice the small details and so a chipped nail could stand out, no pun intended, like a sore thumb.

Enjoy a simple manicure or self-pampering at home.  I enjoy a simple and natural treatment using caster sugar (to exfoliate) and olive oil (to soften and nourish).

If you wear rings and a watch, ensure that they are sparkly clean.  It’s another small detail that will help your images to shine.  I would advise a professional clean by a jeweller or at home, carefully using a soft toothbrush.

Your Clothing

Preparing for a Photo Shoot

Think about the outfits you love

It is essential that your clothes represent you and your brand.  Think about the outfits you love and in which you feel perfectly comfortable.   Wearing flattering colours and feeling good in your clothes provide you with some extra confidence.  Of course you may well seek to invest in a professional image consultant to guide you further and help you stand out from the crowd.

I would recommend a choice of five or six outfit options (and appropriate accessories) offering a range of colours and elements of your own personal style.  Remember that your brand images will be used across a variety of platforms and in my experience; a diverse range of outfits and environments can be helpful, depending upon your profession.

 

Powerful or statement patterns and prints can sometimes be distracting but that is the beauty of preparing for a Photo Shoot with a number of outfits.

Think about how much skin you wish to show and consider any poses that may draw attention to a particular area (I’m thinking cleavage here).  A variety of necklines will add great variety to your images and will allow you to wear differing jewellery too.

Always give your shoes a polish or a brush prior to the shoot.  It’s all part of our personal grooming regime that enhances our personal impression.

Of course don't forget your Lingerie.  Whatever you wear, your lingerie forms the foundation of your clothes.  It’s empowering, shape defining and also a massive confidence booster.

Practise your Poses

Preparing for a photo shoot?

Practice your poses to feel more at ease on the shoot day.  Photo credit for all professional shots here by Lindsley Weddings, Yorkshire.

Whether you are comfortable in front of a camera lens or not you may wish to practice your poses so that when the shoot day arrives, you will feel more at ease.  Embrace the way you look and this confidence will help you shine.

 

Get a good night’s sleep before the shoot and remember to take with you a positive mind-set and some refreshments to keep you hydrated.  Enjoy and good luck!

I do hope this article has helped you to prepare and you feel more confident.  Feel free to leave a comment below or if you require further guidance, you can always get touch by email here.

Jackie Crawford

07494 644788

July 2020