Branding Headshots in Fairport NY: Rochester NY Photography

A retired FBI agent and a yoga instructor walk into the same studio…

…and BOTH get updated branding headshots that reflect their business.

Listen, I know I need to work on my material, but I’m a branding photographer, not a comedian. The fact remains, that even in a 15 minute branding portrait mini session we could create two different looks for totally different businesses.

We are so thankful to Ali at Yoga 170 for sharing her amazing space with us, giving us the opportunity to bring these brand photographs to life.

Interested in leveling up your brand in 15 minutes? Check out the next round of branding minis, coming soon!

Look great in pictures without retouching: Fairport NY Photographers

PS: It's not what you think.

If you ask us about retouching, you may see us cringe. It’s not because we don’t know how, or that we’re not good at it. In fact, some have called us Photoshop wizards.

No, it’s not that. Rather, we prefer to see everyone the way they are, and celebrate that real, honest beauty.

What’s more beautiful than confidence?

So you want to look good in your photos. Who doesn't?
Here are our top tips to look good.

1. Confidence. Radical self love. Acceptance. Whatever you want to call it: if you feel good on the inside, it shows on the outside. So take care of yourself! If that means getting your nails done, do it. If it means going for a run, do it. If it means listening to your favorite music on the way to your session, DO IT! Find what makes you feel really you, and bring that beautiful you to your session.

2. Choose an outfit that makes you feel good. This doesn't mean you have to wear what's trending, high heels, or all black, it just means wear something that makes you smile. Flaunt the parts of you that you love and don’t stress the parts that you don't.

3. Trust your photographer. (that's us!) Through lens choices, angles and positioning, we emphasize your best features, naturally reducing the rest.

   Remember: The eyes say it all. If you are truly present, happy, and connected, no one is looking anywhere else.

In both of these photos, my eyes go straight to Erin’s face. With a twist of her body, thoughtfully placed hands, good light and a fun prop, we have a 3/4 length portrait with the emphasis on her smile.

Why do we hate retouching so much?

1. It assumes we think you need it. We think all people are beautiful, and our differences make us special.

2. It assumes we know what you want to look like. Appearance is a very personal thing. Our preferences may be the opposite of yours. If you want something retouched, we need you to be specific about what that is for you.

3. Where do you draw the line? How many pounds or years do you want to take off? 1, 5, 20? It is very subjective, and if you have found our work, I assume you like the natural feel of our images.

This is example of going to far (in my opinion). On the left, I softened the bags under my eyes (hey, I have a toddler.) On the right, I smoothed away all evidence of skin texture to create an unrealistic glow. I could have even gone farther and added makeup, but then no one would recognize me.

So what do we do?

We'll remove acne (we assume no one wants to remember that) and subtly brighten teeth. Other than that, not much unless you ask for it.

Braces are optional, but lately, more folks have opted to keep them in their pictures. If you’ve got concerns about shape, we discuss that in advance and choose clothes and poses that flatter. As for wrinkles, beauty marks and hair, we don’t touch them unless you ask.

So tell us... do you love yourself just the way you are, or do you want to look 20 years younger?

Because we think you are beautiful.

Love, Lori & Erin

I adore freckles like Mallory’s! (above) My niece, Grace, hates hers.

Rochester NY Artists Personal Branding: Amy Colburn

Amy is an artist in Geneva NY with creative eye and determined spirit. She came to us with a goal to rebrand her website, but also herself.

She wants her personal brand photography to show her as an authentic, positive person in both her lifestyle and her artistic style. Together, we worked on brainstorming a location and a plan to create brand images that felt like her.

Not only did we accomplish that goal, but we had fun along the way too. As her session progressed, I found myself losing track of time, as we were having fun capturing the right looks for her brand.

As you can clearly see, Amy rocked her personal brand session. I can’t wait to see how she uses these images!

Personal Branding Mini Sessions: Rochester NY Brand Photography

Some of our favorite entrepreneurs just gained a fantastic collection of branding images.

All it took was saying “yes” to a 15 minute personal brand mini session.

We had some great female entrepreneurs show up from various occupations - SEO specialist, marketing strategy, college administrators and even a fellow branding photographer!

What’s great about this space, is that we were able to create great branding portraits and headshots for every person that came, because there are a variety of backgrounds that range from fun and funky to board room business.

In just 15 minutes, you could revamp the images on your whole website. For example - shortly after we delivered Kristi Mitchell’s images, we saw them on her website, and we have to say, the pictures fit her brand perfectly! (See what we mean below.)

Or, you could create a library of images you can use on social media to talk about your brand. The options for using brand photography are endless.

Check out more of our favorites from the branding mini sessions at Do or Dye Beauty and Barber Shop below!

Fairport Personal Brand Photography

Personal Branding for Podcasters

Last time we saw her, Maryellen wanted branding photography for her therapy business. At the time, the goal was to update her business website, but also show a real side of Maryellen that made you feel at ease.

We knew even then, that Maryellen had bigger goals than running a successful therapists’s office.

Fast forward 3 years and one pandemic later.

Introducing, the “Okay-ish” Podcast. It’s a space where Maryellen gets real about mental health, and gives listeners the unfiltered truths that help people understand that “it’s ok, to be just ok.” There’s a new website to brand, and new stories to tell.

So who is she speaking to:

People who want a different take on therapy, feel overwhelmed, or are realizing that perfection isn’t the goal - OK is. She talks about toxic positivity, imposter syndrome, and also gives behind the scenes information about life as a therapist. She wants to be seen as relatable in her branding photography.

How did we do that?

• We showed her real life, by taking branding pictures of Maryellen next to the laundry she’s been too busy and overwhelmed to fold.

• We photographed emotion. Yes, new headshots are important, but we also knew we needed to show a variety of emotions in order to connect to her audience. So we captured overwhelm and even anger, along side her new headshots.

Brand photography is about more than pretty headshots and sitting at a perfect, clean desk. What makes your brand stand out? What emotions do you want to help your audience with? Let’s go there, and capture THAT in your personal brand photographs.

Branding Photography in Rochester NY: Kc Rossi

Kc Rossi loves to help women breakthrough and bring all of themselves to their lives, and the world. Her words. I can tell you that just from the few hours we spent together - she’s good at it.

She wanted her brand photography to portray a confident, powerful feeling - but also photography that shows peace and warmth. So we captured her professional nature at work, and her natural environment as well.

Doing this included both her polished style, and attention to detail but also the cozy feeling of her working from home, and even the deer in her amazing forest backyard.

This set of brand photographs will give her options for ideas to communicate on social media, her podcast headers and her website.

If you’re looking for a mindset coach to help you grow, we suggest you meet Kc!

Tips for Personal Brand Photo Shoots: Fairport NY Brand Photography

You know your brand visuals are super important to your small business. So you’ve got your brand photo shoot booked, but you’re a little nervous about what to do next.

Here’s four tips for your head shot or branding session:

1) Find some inspiration.

Use Pinterest, or collect images that you’re drawn to. It could be as simple as your brand colors, or a fun pattern, or even specific poses that portray what you want your audience to feel. Then show your photographer what you’re drawn to.

2) Pick the right location.

Ask yourself, does this location fit my brand? Or am I using it because it’s what everyone is doing? Find the right place for you.

3) Do what feels good.

If it helps you, get your hair and makeup done. Pick the right outfits, and get a second opinion if you need it. Meditate or do yoga, or have a dance party if it relaxes you. Because when you feel good, your confidence will show in your branding pictures.

4) Know your words and your why.

Why do you do what you do? What purpose does your business serve? What are the top 3-5 words you want the world to see in your brand? For example: A few of ours are “fun” and “real.” We try to show these kinds of images for our people to understand who we are and what we’re about.

You’re going to use these branding images to communicate your message and build trust with your audience. Hopefully these personal brand session tips help point you in the right direction.

If you’re truly lost, ask your photographer for help - that’s what we’re here for. We want you to have the right brand pictures for you.

Above all else, have fun!

Personal Brand Photography in Rochester NY: Compounding Joy

From our first phone call I knew that working with Jen from Compounding Joy on her brand photography would be fun. What I didn’t know, was how much!

She has goals of showing up more on social media, and updating her website with images that tell her audience that she’s not just a budget sheet and quickbooks kind of professional.

In her own words she wanted her “pictures to show that I AM different than other money coaches out there. I’m not buttoned up tight. I’m not living in a big fancy house. I’m not “dressed for success.”

So we incorporated sweaters which she knits herself, her love for camping and her dog Peanut. We gave her brand photographs a true to her, down to earth feeling, so that she can help other women feel the same way.

It’s not every day that a campfire and marshmallows are incorporated into a personal branding session - but when they are, you bet we’ll be there to help clean up those marshmallows.

Want to talk about your brand photography?

Studio Business Headshot Photography

Rochester NY Head Shots

In need of an updated LinkedIn or business headshot? Want it to have a studio feel? Here’s your chance.

We're converting the office into a studio for ONE day only.

While you can book us for an outdoor or on location session anytime, we rarely offer studio sittings.

Weather dependent, we can also hop outside for a natural background. Want some examples? Check out the images below.

Date: October 6, 2021

What You Get:

15 Minute Session and 1 High Resolution Digital File
Fast, easy, and just what you need!

Sign up for yours today!

Branding Photography in Rochester NY: Entrancing Inspirations

If you have a follower on your social media account, they didn’t find and consciously decide to hit “follow” by accident. Something about you, or your business caught their attention.

This is one reason why your personal brand needs to stand out from the crowd. How is your business unique?

Personal brand photography can help you with that, like we did for Kim here. She wanted people to see that there’s more to her skill set than meets the eye, and that there’s research and training involved with her services. She wants people to see that she goes above and beyond for her clients.

The branding photographs we took, combined with the right captions on social media can elevate her as an authority figure in her field.

I can’t wait to see what she does with them.

5 Reasons You Need Quarterly Personal Brand Photography

You already know that personal brand photography is about more than updating your headshot. (And if you don’t, you can find out the difference in this previous blog post).

So once you’ve completed a branding portrait session, why would you need to do it again? Well, we’ve got answers.

Here’s 5 reasons why we think annual, semi-annual or even quarterly personal branding sessions are not only important, but necessary.

1) Seasonal / Style changes

You know what changes in Rochester NY? The weather. Using a sunshine filled summer branding portrait in the dead of winter may not resonate to local clients. It’s hard to talk about pumpkins and apple pie on your Instagram feed if your attire shows you in beach wear and flip flops.

2) New Products

Branding photography isn’t just about new headshots for your LinkedIn page. Are you an artist or a maker? Do you own a physical storefront? Did you create a 5 step productivity program? What new offering have you come up with in the last 3 months that you need to put out in the world?

3) Fresh content

You’re going to need to show more than the same 10 pictures. Eventually people will start to notice if you’re always showing up in their Instagram feed in the same outfit.

4) Stay Relevant

Current events are always changing. What was important to talk about yesterday, might be totally different today. Besides that, your field of expertise might change too. Stay on top of the changes in your own brand with timely branding photographs.

5) Growth

Is your business the same as it was when it began? Are you the same person you were when it began? Hopefully not. Hopefully, you’ve grown and evolved over time. The brand you created when you started your business should evolve as well. Your branding photos should reflect your growth.

So why is it important to update your branding photographs on a regular basis? In a nutshell? Change happens.

What's the Difference Between a Headshot and Personal Branding Photography?

A common question we get when people inquire about photography for small business is: What’s the difference between personal branding and headshots?

We’re SO glad you asked. A personal branding photography session differs from a typical headshot session in a few different ways..

When you have a business headshot taken, it’s usually a portrait from the waist up, smiling at the camera. You’ll use it on your social media profiles, and maybe a business website. That’s it, all done. It takes 30 minute at most.

Personal branding sessions do include some headshots, but they are also so. much. more.

To start, there are planning meetings. We ask questions about you, your business, and brand that go beyond your appearance. We go deeper into what your story is. Why do you do what you do?

You typically get generic backgrounds from a standard headshot session. Which is fine, if that’s all you need. However, a personal branding session is a customized experience. We help you choose the location, props and even help with outfit suggestions to help you elevate your brand.

Then, we take the photographs that tell that story. We take detail shots, lifestyle shots, behind the scenes shots, product shots and more all to further the story you want to tell your audience. You don’t get that with a business headshot.

Check out Jessica’s recent session to give you a better idea of what personal brand photography is all about, and what she got out of it.

The goal of a personal branding session is to give you a library of image options that will help your business be more profitable. You can use them in so many places. For some ideas, check out this previous post: 8 Ways You Can Use Your Branding Photography

Personal brand photographs are an investment, versatile and customized to your unique brand.

Because “generic” isn’t a word your brand should use.