Erica's Personal Branding Session in Rochester NY | Wholeheartedly Certified Nurse Coaching
Erica told us before her personal branding portrait session that she is an introvert and that she was a little nervous. We hear that a lot, and it almost never holds up past the first twenty minutes.
She is an RN who has launched Wholeheartedly, a nurse coaching practice for women who want to feel better in their own lives. She works one on one, over video and phone, with women who are carrying a lot. Work stress, family stress, the running list of things everyone else needs. It’s compassionate, holistic support for women who feel stretched too thin.
What she came in with
Erica had a clear look in mind for her brand photography in Rochester. Minimalist, neutral, calm. Her brand colors run through ocean, pine, sand, and mint, so we kept the styling soft and let the greens and blues do the work. The words she used to describe her tone were calm, natural, joyful, uplifting, and genuine, and those became the filter for every setup.
That kind of clarity makes our job easier, and it makes her branding photos more useful. When you know what your brand looks and sounds like, you stop collecting random pretty pictures and start building something that holds together.
What we made
Friendly, approachable headshots. A few polished ones for her website, and a few where she is mid laugh, because those are the ones that get people to book a discovery call.
Scrubs. Her RN background is her real difference maker. She is not just another lifestyle coach who found wellness last year, she is a certified nurse. We made sure the photos say that so she does not have to explain it in every caption.
Meditation and breathwork. Seated, eyes closed, plenty of open space around her in the frame. These are the ones she will use for quote graphics and social posts for the next two years.
Movement. A yoga mat, a set of dumbbells, and a few frames that connect to the fitness side of how she lives.
Why a library, not just a headshot
Erica said something in her questionnaire that we wish more people understood. She is building a library of images.
A new business needs more than one good photo of your face. It needs the horizontal one for the top of the website, the vertical one for Instagram, detail shots for blog posts, the working shot for the about page, and ones with room in the frame for text. When you have thirty of those sitting in a folder, showing up online stops being something you have to worry about.. That is the goal of a branding session, and it is why we shoot a wide range of setups in a couple of hours instead of one headshot.
If you’re nervous about your portrait session
You do not have to be an extrovert to have great photos of yourself. You mostly just have to show up.
And if your version of this looks nothing like Erica's, if you want bold color or a studio setup or your storefront in every frame, that works too. Come tell us what you’re building and we’ll figure out how to show it.
Erica, congratulations on Wholeheartedly! Your future clients are lucky!
Erica is an RN, a new nurse coach, and a self-described introvert. Here's how her branding session turned into a two-year library of calm, genuine photos for Wholeheartedly.