Welcome to the Business Portrait Series - Episode 1
Headshots vs. Business Portraits
Let’s start the series by talking about the differences between “headshots” versus business portraits versus branding photography. I have done my best to remove potentially-harmful words such as “headshot” and “photoshoot” and replace them with non-firearm-related terms like business portraits, portrait session, etc. The last thing I want is for my children to think that “Mama’s job is to shoot babies” and think of the worst-case scenario; I photograph my clients.
Business Portraits vs. Branding Photography
Business portraits are the typical profile picture: this is who I am, this is what I look like. It is what you would have formerly referred to as a headshot, but BETTER because it allows for your personality to come through and it doesn’t have to be the stereotypical suit & arms crossed pose or only cropped from the shoulders-up. This type of image is usually what you find in the “About Me” or “Meet the Team” section of a business website, the profile photo on social media accounts, what is submitted alongside articles for the “About the Author” blurb, and on a business card or email signature “box”.
Branding photography is truly about showcasing what it is like to work with YOU: your personality, your business, your products and/or services. It is often a mix of business portraits, product photography, behind-the-scenes and lifestyle in-action working with clients, and personalized “stock” images to use in your marketing materials such as your website, social media accounts, printed collateral (promotional cards, flyers, etc.), and online shop.
I work with small service-based businesses to create a marketing strategy for their services and/or products and then create a personalized image-list to create during our branding sessions together so that every photograph has at least one purpose, can be reused in many formats and platforms, and will fit cohesively into the brand visuals. I also work directly with your social media manager, website developer, etc. so that you don’t have to be the middle-man (or woman!) when it comes to sharing strategies and images.
Ottawa, Ontario | 613 371 – 4594 | hello@purenaturalportraits.com