Headshots vs Branding Photography - Kitchener-Waterloo Photography for Business

You’ve heard of headshots and branding photography, but what are they, and how do you know which one you need? That’s what I’m here to help you with today!

What is a headshot?

A headshot is one head-and-shoulders(ish) image of you looking directly at the viewer. Think about the approach you’d take when you’re meeting someone for the first time: look them right in the eye, and make a good first impression, looking professional and friendly. That’s your headshot.

When you book a headshot session with me, you choose from one of my favourite locations, which I’ve pre-selected because I know they offer a great backdrop and perfect lighting. I direct you through a variety of poses, and deliver only the best images to you. You can use your favourite(s) on your website, as your profile picture, and anywhere else you need to make a great impression.

What is branding photography?

Branding photography describes a collection of images that showcase more of your personality, and give the viewers more of an understanding of who you are, how you work, and what it feels like to work with you. These images usually include headshots, and also more relaxed, unposed, and candid images.

When you book a branding session with me, I’ll come to your location if that’s something your potential clients need to see, or I’ll help you find the perfect location if your business doesn’t have a physical location (and that corner of your basement isn’t the aesthetic you’d like it to be!) We’ll spend time together, creating a collection of images that you can use across your website, social media, and marketing materials.

Because I spend time getting to know you and your business before your photo session, the images we create will target your ideal client perfectly! We want every photo to create the exact connection your dream customer wants to have with you, so they know there’s no choice but you out there for them!

Which do you need?

Here are a few questions that might help you decide! If you’re not sure, get in touch and I can help you figure it out!

Are you getting started on a budget?
Headshots could be a great start at getting your face out there! A couple of really impactful images of you on your website and social media will increase trust in you by a lot! It makes a big difference over a website that only uses stock images.
Do you need to create a personal connection with your clients?
The more trust and connection you need to establish for a client or customer to choose you over a competitor, the more personalized images you need across your marketing. Showing up personally on social media will increase your engagement. (Don’t believe me? Try it! Post a photo of you and say something related to how you’re feeling or doing, and watch what happens!) If your clients choose to work with you because of you, branding photography is the way to go.
Do you struggle for fresh social media content?
Branding photography is the answer for you! Imagine spending minutes instead of hours planning your content, because you’ve got images at the ready to use, and to inspire your captions! No more sweating over photo ideas, trying to figure out how to take the photo, getting everything out and putting it all away, and then doing it all again tomorrow, because you’ve got a full set of images at the ready! You can even book branding sessions a few times a year to keep your content fresh.