How I nailed my DIY brand shoot as a creative on a budget
You too can organise a DIY brand shoot and then use your outtakes in a blog post!
‘Who is she?’, I whisper to myself as I swipe through my shiny new brand assets
With my hair presently twisted atop my head and nothing on my face but SPF, I stare lovingly at the results of my DIY brand shoot.
Gang, it went so well. But, I went into it nervous as hell. When it comes to my work, I’m confident and vibrant. But the thought of having to pose in a visually pleasing way over and over again fills me with dread.
Why do you think I’m a writer? No one has to see me!
Alas, I needed a website. If I wanted to launch one, images would be key. As someone using my name and portfolio to land work, I am the brand. Clients want to know what I, the brand, look like. So much the better if I look relaxed, comfortable and confident in front of the camera.
Another dent in my optimism was the budget. I might be a brand, but I am simply one gal with a husband. Together we have a dog, a horse and a mortgage to pay for. Suffice to say, I did not have many 0s to throw at this problem.
My personal branding shoot weighed over my head for a while; the pressure felt significant. Once I accepted the limits and that DIY was the only option, the path became clear.
After a few weeks of planning, I had ready-to-use assets that complete my brand and look fab. Here is everything I did to make my DIY brand shoot a success.
I’m never beating the ‘she loves purple’ allegations
1. Hit Pinterest for brand shoot inspo
Research was the number one thing that made my DIY brand shoot successful. Why? It gave me confidence and direction!
Play around with search terms to find a shoot style that best aligns with your brand or business. It pays to critique others’ images, too. What impression does the model or space give you? Does the post look awkward or natural? What makes a photo look polished, and what does the opposite?
I hit my shoot with a Pinterest board of reference images to inspire the mise-en-scene. I could show the photographer (aka my husband) my vision, and it meant he could help pose me.
I invested my own money in this shoot. Going prepared meant I was efficient and polished. The whole vibe was calm and in control, and we squeezed every penny’s worth out of it.
2. Have visuals in mind pre-shoot
What do you want your images to say about you and your brand?
For me, the key elements were:
Colour I wanted lilac as a brand colour, so I chose outfits accordingly. I didn’t have a full brand palette, but it gave me a key colour to build on
A self-contained, bright furnished space with a creative feel Scandi elements – Green Place Studios, my shoot location, was the perfect fit
My dog As an equestrian writer, copywriter and creator, a horse would have been ideal. Alas, I don’t think Pip would have fitted on a Thameslink train, much less the overground and certainly not the studio. We have another equestrian shoot in the pipeline, though.
That said, I do write about dogs and am working on my miniature schnauzer Marco’s modelling career (watch this space!). He’s an essential part of who I am as a creative, so he came tooA showcase of my services and the publications my words feature in
Bring your dog to your shoot to vastly improve the vibe!
3. Know your DIY brand shoot budget
Having a ceiling helps inform your shoot priorities. Your Pinterest research will help you here – let me explain.
I knew I wanted to be all in at around £350, so I designed my dream shoot and then scaled back. Hiring a pro photographer would have wiped my cash clean out, so I enrolled my architect husband with his Fujifilm XT20 and decent eye for aesthetics.
I’d seen some photographers advertising brand shoots locally, but wasn’t keen on heading to a small studio, a café where I might feel overlooked or random locations in my town that didn’t mean much – if anything – to my brand.
The best images in my reference catalogue showed a chic, well-lit space. So, I hit up my friend Jay, who owns Green Place Studios in Hackney, east London. He and his partner Annika have a beautiful loft with retro furnishings that they hire out to creatives. I booked a session there alongside a professional lighting director – another thing I gleaned from my Pinterest research. Correct lighting elevates images, and having a professional to handle lighting design gave my images (and sanity) the best possible chance.
Finally, I’m an aesthetically self-conscious girlie who isn’t the best at make-up. So, I spent my leftover budget on a professional stylist, shopping around locally to find Maddie Curzon – here’s her Instagram. She was fabulous, did an incredible job and put me totally at ease.
As an iPhone creator, I can tell you the camera you have in your pocket produces polished images with the right settings and lighting. There is nothing to stop you from using your phone to shoot for your brand.
Or, if you want to launch your site but money and time management are barriers, find some royalty-free images online as a stopgap. Just double-check they are eligible for commercial use before you post them.
“Be demure!”
4. Investigate work swaps
This might feel cheeky to ask for. However, done right, you’ll save some DIY brand shoot budget and could tap into real mutual benefit.
A work swap is when you deliver a product or service to someone in return for a product or service you want. If the work swap is compatible, it might save both parties some dosh, build an inter-brand relationship and result in a good testimonial for each party.
Some tips I’d give for navigating a work swap include…
Do a little digging to gauge whether you could offer something of value to the brand you want to work swap with
Make sure it’s a service you really want and would follow through with paying for if the work swap isn’t a fit. The point is not that you’re trying to get something for free. You’re offering a product or service designed to be of value to the brand. If not, no harm, no foul.
Ask the brand if they’d be agreeable to a partial (i.e. some money also changes hands) or full exchange of services. Make it clear that if this wouldn’t suit them, you’d still like to hire/buy.
5. When you think you’re done planning, plan some more
You will likely be your own DIY brand shoot coordinator, so you also need to be an expert in it. This means knowing things like…
The schedule. Are there lots of moving parts? Do multiple people need the same (or different) information to make it all run smoothly?
How your reference images are staged. Which direction does the light come from? How should you be framed? What props do you need? Can you easily explain this to the photographer, or can you bring a printout or tablet to show them on?
The order you plan to shoot your images in. How can you be efficient? Which props need moving when? Do you plan to change your outfits? If so, when?
6. Time flies and, for the love of God, bring snacks
Think of your DIY brand shoot as being on set. You’re on your feet, you’re giving instructions, you’re holding poses for ages and your brain is on the whole time. It gets tiring. For everyone.
For my shoot, I had the studio for two hours, so I planned a 10-minute break after hour one. Let me tell you, that first hour evaporated. Two hours on a shoot is not the same as two normal hours. They just go!
The break was a great shout. It gave everyone time to scroll for a min, grab coffee and refresh before the last 45 minutes or so (yes, we ran ahead of schedule!).
Depending on your location, there may not be refreshments or toilets to hand. Make sure to bring water, snacks and treats, and do a cursory Google for the nearest public loo or café ahead of time.
You have free will, a camera and good lighting: you must hit them with the Willam Dafoe.
Overall, I’m just as proud of my DIY brand shoot process as I am of the results. I took the planning and prep seriously, which meant the whole thing ran smoothly enough to enjoy it. Of course, it helped having a six-month-old schnauzer puppy with us – he was amazing company.
My final piece of advice is to bring a bluetooth speaker. Nothing sets people at ease like music; it allows everyone to move and talk a little more freely. This also translates to your photos. If you want to come across happy, like someone who really enjoys being a part of your brand, then set yourself up for a good time. Your joy will be totally authentic – something every client will recognise!
