Branding Reframed | Your branding should look like YOU
There is something about getting to the final quarter of the year that always makes me stop for a minute.
Summer is behind us, the year is moving quickly, and I start thinking about what worked, what didn’t, what I want to keep, and what I want to change for next year.
I think we do the same thing with our businesses.
We grow. We change our minds. We try things. We figure out what feels right and, sometimes, what definitely does not.
So why do we expect our brand to stay the same?
Start in your closet.
I know that sounds weird.
But trust me.
When someone tells me they are completely overwhelmed by their brand, I often tell them to start with what they already have.
Look at your closet.
What colors are you always reaching for? Are you drawn to warm colors or cool colors? Do you love soft, comfortable pieces or crisp lines and buttons? Are you always in neutrals? Do you have a color that makes you feel really good when you wear it?
Those things tell me something. For me, it was pretty obvious.
My style is neutral. Minimalist. Classic, with a few trendy touches. I love jewel tones, but you'll mostly find me in whites, creams, browns, and blacks.
I also love an editorial look.
So, of course, that shows up in my brand.
My logo, my studio, the way I photograph people, even the way I pose my clients. All of it comes from the things I naturally like.
I don't think your brand needs to look like mine.
Actually, I hope it doesn't.
Your brand should be an extension of YOU.
What else makes you, you?
This is the part people sometimes overlook. Your brand doesn't have to be all business.
Do you have a dog you're completely obsessed with? I do. Everyone knows Bruno.
Do you love Matcha? Yoga? A certain chair in your house? A particular type of flower? Maybe you have a collection of something that makes absolutely no sense to anyone else.
Those little things matter. They might not become the main focus of your brand, but they can become little details that make people remember you.
Think of them as accessories to your brand. They don't have to be the whole outfit. They just make the outfit more you.
And those details can show up in simple ways in your photos, your website, your newsletter, your social media.
People start to see the person behind the business.
And I think that's important.
Because people connect with people before they connect with a brand.
Think about how you want people to feel.
When I work with someone on their brand, I don't just want to know what they do. I want to know how they want their clients to feel when they see them.
Maybe it's confident.
Maybe it's approachable.
Maybe it's sophisticated, creative, warm, bold, playful.
Those words can become a really useful starting point for your visuals.
Because your brand photos aren't just supposed to show your face.
They should give someone a feeling. The way you look at the camera. The way you move. Your workspace.
The things sitting on your desk. The clothes you feel amazing in. The little moments between poses.
All of those things can tell a story. And honestly, some of my favorite images aren't the perfectly posed ones.
They are the ones where someone relaxes for a second, and I get to see them.
Your photos should change as your business changes.
I see this all the time.
Someone has a beautiful branding session, gets a gallery of images, and uses them everywhere.
Then a year goes by.
Maybe their business looks different now. Maybe their offer has changed. Maybe they're working with a different kind of client. Maybe they've grown into a version of their business that they couldn't have imagined when those photos were taken.
But they're still using the same images. Your photos should be allowed to change too.
This is one of the reasons I created TheBrand Edit.
I didn't want it to be another “come in and get a bunch of branding photos” situation. I wanted it to be something that actually made sense for a business owner.
Three shoots throughout the year. Three opportunities to look at where you are, what you're working on, what you need, and what we can create to support that.
Because you probably don't need 300 new photos sitting on your hard drive.
You need the right images for what you're doing now.
How I approach a branding session
I don't believe in putting someone in front of a camera and saying, “okay, smile.”
There is a lot that happens before we ever get to that part.
We talk about your brand.
We talk about what you want people to see.
We talk about your clothes, your colors, your environment, your energy, and the kind of clients you want to attract.
I want to know what you want the result to feel like. Then we build from there.
We'll talk through wardrobe and styling. We'll plan your hair and makeup. We'll look at locations and backgrounds. We'll figure out the different looks and images you'll actually need.
And when we're shooting, I'm directing you.
You don't have to know what to do with your hands.
You don't have to be a professional model.
That's my job.
I want you to be able to relax and have fun with it.
Make your brand personal.
Your business will grow.
Your brand will grow with it.
And I don't think you need to constantly reinvent yourself just because everyone else seems to be doing something new.
Sometimes the answer is much simpler.
Look at what you already love.
Look at how you naturally show up.
Pay attention to the colors, textures, places, objects, clothes, expressions, and little details that make you feel like yourself.
Then bring those things into your brand.
That's where the good stuff is.
Not in trying to look like everyone else in your industry.
Not in following every new trend.
In figuring out what makes your brand feel like you.
And then making sure your photos actually show it.
Three branding sessions a year, planned around you and your business.
We'll create a collection of images that gives you something to work with throughout the year. Not just one new headshot, but a visual library that feels current, intentional, and like you.
