How to Plan a Branding Photoshoot: Outfits, Props & Mood Boards FOR STANDout BRANDING PHOTOGRAPHY
You've booked your branding photoshoot. Congratulations — that's the easy part.
The part that actually determines whether you walk away with images that work as hard as you do?
What happens before the shutter clicks.
We recently worked with Bree McDonald, designer and brand developer at Secret Weapon, on her branding session for her business — and she did the prep so well we're using it as the blueprint for this guide. Here's exactly how to plan a branding photoshoot that gets you real, usable, on-brand content, not just "nice photos."
Start With Your Outfits — Plan 3 to 4 Looks
Don't overthink this into paralysis, but don't wing it either. For the 1 hour branding photoshoot, the sweet spot is 3–4 outfit looks that cover a mix of:
Polished professional — the look that says "you can trust me with your money/your project/your business"
Relaxed lifestyle — softer, more approachable, shows the human behind the brand
Something that represents your personality — texture, colour or a piece that's unmistakably you
Bree actually used AI to visualise her outfit combinations before the shoot, then sent them through for a second opinion — a genuinely smart way to sense-check whether a look will photograph well before you're standing in front of a camera. The simple, sleek pieces she landed on (soft whites, structured blacks) worked beautifully against the space we photographed in — Errey Haus - proof that "simple" almost always outperforms "busy" on camera. You don’t need to OVERTHINK your outfits, jeans, white shirts, blousers, dress pants, simple and YOU.
Bring Props That Are Actually You
Generic props read as generic. The props that make a branding shoot feel authentically yours are the ones tied to something real about how you work or what you love.
Case in point: Bree's signature drink is an iced latte — so she brought her own glass and a glass straw, and had her coffee ready to go on the day. It sounds like a small thing. On camera, it's the detail that makes an image feel like her life, not a stock photo. Your version of this might be a favourite notebook, the tool of your trade, a plant, your laptop with your actual work open — anything that's true to how you spend your working hours.
Our general prop checklist:
your laptop or phone
any physical marketing materials or product you sell
one or two personal items that feel unmistakably on-brand
Build a Mood Board — But Don't Chase Perfect
Bree came in with a Pinterest board and a screenshot of poses she liked, and prefaced the whole thing with "hope they're not too cliché." They weren't — and even if they had been, that's exactly what a good branding photographer is for. Send us your inspiration ahead of time. We'll use it as a starting point, then adapt it to suit the photoshoot space, your body language and your brand, so the end result feels tailored rather than copied.
A mood board doesn't need to be a polished Canva creation. A folder of screenshots, a Pinterest board, or a few images you've saved for two years and never told anyone about — all of it is useful. The goal isn't to recreate someone else's photo. It's to give us a shared visual language for the session.
Let Go of the Script Once You're On Set
Here's the part almost everyone underestimates: you don't need to have this figured out on the day. Bree told us afterwards, only half-joking, that we'd "done a brilliant job with a very difficult subject" — self-conscious about false lashes, squinting, "strange" hands, the works. From behind the camera, none of that was true. She was an absolute dream to work with, and the images prove it.
Direction on the day is often as simple as it is strange. Feeling too in your own head to smile naturally? Say "spaghetti." It sounds ridiculous — Bree said as much herself afterwards — but it reliably knocks people out of the stiff, camera-aware version of their smile and into the real one. Small, weird cues like that do more work than any pose instruction.
That's the pattern with almost every branding session: the nerves walking in have nothing to do with how the photos turn out. Bring your outfits, bring your props, bring your mood board — and then let the guidance of Life Portraits take over. Getting out of your comfort zone in front of a camera is, without exception, the part clients are proudest of afterwards.
The Result: A Gallery That Actually Works for Your Brand
When the prep is right, the gallery reflects it — genuine variety, a mix of posed and candid, images that work for a website hero, a LinkedIn banner, an Instagram grid and everything in between. That's the real measure of a successful branding photoshoot:not one perfect photo, but a library of usable, on-brand content that sounds and looks like you. That’s the Life Portraits difference.
★★★★★
"I honestly can't recommend Em from Life Portraits highly enough! From the moment we met, it felt like we'd known each other for years. She has such a warm, genuine personality that instantly puts you at ease and somehow makes standing in front of a camera feel far less daunting. As someone who isn't comfortable being photographed, that was absolutely invaluable.
Em is incredibly patient, encouraging and so much fun to work with. She has an amazing ability to see the best in you and gently guides you throughout the shoot – even encouraging you to say random words like 'spaghetti' when you start getting too much in your own head! It sounds crazy, but it genuinely works ;) Nothing ever felt rushed and she took the time to make sure every detail was just right.
My brand shoot exceeded every expectation and I walked away not only with photographs I love, but with a genuinely wonderful experience. If you're looking for someone to capture your business, your brand or simply the best version of you... Em is the photographer you want behind the camera."
— Bree McDonald, Secret Weapon
Ready to plan your own branding photoshoot?Head to our Commercial & Branding page to see our full range of photography services, or ENQUIRE HERE to chat about bringing your branding photoshoot to life. As Brisbane’s premier commercial and branding photography business, we cater to your needs, your brand, your vision.
Photographed at Brisbane’s beautiful Errey Haus - See their Instagram Profile for bookings.