Ep. 82 Behind The Scenes of My Brand Photoshoot

Jul 7

Brand photos are one of the best investments you can make in your business. They're also one of the easiest places to waste time and money if you don't approach them the right way.

I recently wrapped up my biggest and most intentional brand photo shoot ever, and I want to take you completely behind the scenes. What I invested in, what I'd do differently, what surprised me, and why new photos have done more for my business than any visual rebrand ever could.

If you're planning to invest in brand photography soon, this post will help you get every single ounce of value out of it.

Or listen on your favorite platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | YouTube

How I Knew It Was Time For A Brand Photoshoot

The last time I had brand photos taken was 2018. I had just left my full-time job a couple of months before, I hadn't been in business a full year yet, I didn't have kids, and I had a very different sense of who I was and who I wanted to serve.

Those photos worked for a long time. And then they stopped working.

This wasn't about needing updated profile pictures, though I did. It was about finally having photos that reflected the business I've spent eight years building. When someone lands on my website, I want them to think: that's the person I want to hire. My existing photos weren't doing that anymore.

I'd had WorkPlay Branding on my business vision board for a couple of years. For most of that time I was pregnant or freshly postpartum, so you can make your own guesses about why I didn't pull the trigger. But in November, they ran a killer Black Friday deal, and I finally felt ready to make the investment.

We shot in May. I'm recording this in June. I am so, so glad I did.

Everything I Invested In To Prepare For My Brand Photoshoot

This is the part that might surprise people, because a brand photo shoot is more than just showing up with your laptop and a coffee mug.

A holistic health coach. This one started way back in August 2025. I'd been working with Kinsey at Motherland Wellness to get my health back on track after having babies. By the time the shoot came around, I felt genuinely better. My skin looked better, I had more energy, I was less irritable. That foundation gave me the confidence to finally book the shoot in the first place, and it showed up in the photos.

A stylist. This was the single best decision I made in the entire process, and also the one I was most hesitant about. I had barely worn real pants in 18 months. The thought of going to a store, trying on clothes, figuring out what fit my body and my brand was genuinely overwhelming. I met my stylist Ashley Ayers in a networking group, sent her a message immediately, and hired her.

Here's what I was afraid of: that she'd put me in clothes that felt like a costume. That's not what happened at all. Working with a stylist helped me see a more polished version of myself, not a fake one. Everything she chose felt like me, just elevated. It gave me real confidence going into shoot day, and it meant I wasn't wasting mental energy on what to wear when I should have been focused on showing up.

I'll be hiring a stylist for every brand photo shoot I do from now on. I went in thinking I wasn't rich or famous enough to have a stylist. I came out never wanting to choose my own outfits again.

Professional hair and makeup. I almost skipped this one. I could have done my own and it probably would have been fine. But getting pampered right before a long, draining day was a great way to start. I got to sit down, feel good, and show up knowing everything looked right without having to worry about it.

Props, and a lot of them. My first shoot, I packed a coffee mug, two notebooks, and my laptop. This time I had boxes in the back of my car.

Coffee mugs, candles, notebooks, journals, sticky notes, pens, a new iPad case covered in stickers that my business friends sent me (which was a fun way to bring community into the photos), all my books, my laptop. I wanted it to feel real, like someone could see me on a Zoom call holding that mug and recognize it from my photos.

For my designer friends specifically: I took it a step further and printed out pieces of actual client work. Mood boards to hang on the wall, my Standout Brand Foundations workbook, about ten different client brand strategy guides. I wanted stock photos that featured my real work, not made-up props. Most people won't consciously notice, but you can always tell when something in a photo is staged versus real. I spent around $300 on printing and I'm keeping everything to use for future shoots. Worth every dollar.

Bringing a friend. Shout out Sam from Nomad Copy Agency. She came as my unofficial support person for the day and was genuinely invaluable. She fixed my hair when it was out of place, untangled a necklace when I was in a hurry, helped carry props, brought me snacks, reminded me to eat and drink water, made me laugh when my smile was starting to look forced, and stood in as a client so I could get some shots of us working together.

Photo shoots are long and draining no matter how prepared you are. Having someone there to take a little of the mental load off and make the day feel fun makes a bigger difference than you'd expect.

What I'd Do Differently For My Next Brand Photoshoot

Have a backup plan for every location. One of the spots we planned was a coffee shop in downtown San Francisco. Saturday afternoon, we got there and it was packed. We figured it out, but the pivoting took about 30 to 40 minutes we could have spent shooting. Always have a Plan B.

Be more specific about what you want. WorkPlay delivered me 944 photos. It was incredible. But now that I'm actually using them, there are small things I wish I'd asked for differently. More horizontal shots. More negative space so I could do cutouts. Certain angles that I now know don't work as well for me. None of this is a complaint about the photography, it's just the thing you learn after the fact when you're trying to use photos for specific design purposes.

Your photographer knows photography. You know your brand and how you're going to use the images. Don't be afraid to speak up, request specific shots, and give direction. Make a list of what you'll need the photos for before the shoot, and bring that list. You won't think of these things in the moment.

What Surprised Me About My Photoshoot

Here's the thing I didn't fully expect: I didn't change my logo, my fonts, my colors, or very much of my copy. And it somehow feels like I have an entirely new brand.

Photography is what makes a brand feel alive. It's what makes a website feel like a real person runs it. I've been telling clients this for years, and experiencing it myself really drove it home. Updating photos on my website, my social profiles, my email signature, my slide decks, everywhere, with photos that actually look like who I am now created a transformation that no visual rebrand could have done on its own.

The other thing that surprised me was how emotional it was to get my gallery back. I knew I'd be happy with the photos. What I didn't expect was what it would feel like to finally see a version of myself that matched the way I feel on the inside and the vision I have for this business. I've been building and refining and getting clearer about my positioning for eight years. I finally have photos that represent not just where I am, but where I'm going.

Every time I look at them, I want to show up as that person. I'm going to more networking events. I'm posting on Instagram stories more. I'm more excited to share my website. Brand photos that actually reflect who you are don't just look good. They change how you show up.

How You Should Think About Brand Photography For Your Business

Photography should not be an afterthought. It's not something you figure out six months after you've launched your new brand. It's one of the most important parts of your visual identity, and it works best when it's planned as part of the whole.

Your strategy tells us who you're trying to attract. Your messaging tells us what to say. Your design creates the visual system. Your photography is what brings the personality and the humanness to all of it.

Here's the honest truth: sometimes the biggest transformation in your brand isn't going to be a new logo. Sometimes it's finally seeing yourself the way your clients already see you, and putting yourself out into the world that way.

If you're thinking about a rebrand and you know your current photos don't reflect the business you've built, I'd love to chat. Right now, when you book an Ultimate Brand Experience, a professionally directed brand photo shoot with WorkPlay Branding is included in your package.

The best place to start is a brand chat where we can talk through your goals and whether the UBE is the right next step. Link is always in the show notes. And if you already know you're ready, you can book a Standout Brand Strategy Session to get started, and use code SFBpod to save $100.

🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned In The Episode:

➡️ Follow me on Instagram @spechtand.co
➡️ Book Your Stand Out Bra nd Strategy S ession (use code SFBPOD for $100 off)
➡️ Book A Brand Chat
➡️ Learn more about The Ultimate B rand Experience
➡️ Connect w/ my personal stylist Ashley Ayers