If you know me…you probably know how I would answer the question “Should I use my own space or rent a space for brand photos?”

Lighting is everything.

Lighting above all else. If a space doesn’t have access to a good amount of natural light, it will dramatically change the look of your photos.

Now, this isn’t to say that I don’t have equipment to bring in to fill in the gaps if there is a spot that we absolutely must have or if you want to use a backdrop. BUT with my style of photography and for the sake of your skin, I really believe natural lighting in a space is king.

When you are evaluating your locations, how do they work with your brand storylines?

I don’t normally decide on locations until after we’ve done our initial onboarding questionnaire, research, and storyline development. Why?

Because the locations will entirely be dependent on what types of images we need based on the messages we are trying to convey.

I love a beautiful home office…but honestly, if you mainly work with clients in their own homes or in a venue, it doesn’t make much sense to spend a ton of time in a space they’ll never truly see. 

Sure, it may be beneficial to show where you spend your days if that’s a key part of the process, but we also only have so much time on a brand shoot day so it’s important to prioritize.

Oftentimes the first inspiration for brand photos are people working on their laptops. It makes sense. That’s what a lot of us look like when we’re working.

But there’s no story there…you could be a photographer, a copywriter, a planner, a strategist, a course creator, a video editor, a blogger, or just simply checking your emails.

It’s very similar when it comes to locations – you want to choose a spot that is an aid to the STORY.

If you plan events or host conferences, it doesn’t make sense to have your shoot in your home or your office because you’re likely going to want to show what you look like “in the wild.” 

Can your own space be used for different storylines if it’s photographed from different perspectives?

On the flipside of the previous point, if you do spend the majority of your time in your workshop or office in your home and we can be more efficient by making an area outside of the house “look” like a venue you work in, then that’s a great option.

For example, I’ve worked with a wedding photographer that needed more photos of them “working on a wedding day.” We also wanted to prioritize content that highlighted her personality and homelife because that is a huge brand booster for her. After developing her storylines, we determined that it made the most sense to shoot at her home because the majority of the photos needed that type of location.

For the photos of her “on a wedding day,” we transformed the front of her office into what looked like a bridal suite inside a house that a bride would get ready in. I photographed her doing different things from different angles so it didn’t all look like one room if they’re spread out amongst her feed. 

It’s really about finding a balance between efficiency and also making sure things look REAL. 

I’m a stickler on a brand shoot day for constantly talking through “does this make sense?” as we’re setting up a scene. Nothing will destroy trust and distract faster than someone looking at a photo and realizing it was totally set up (ie. why does it look like she’s taking photos of a wedding dress in a kitchen?)

If the space can be used for multiple purposes naturally, then I say we figure out how to make it work!

(PS. If you really want to complete your home decor projects nothing kicks your butt in gear like knowing you have to take photos in the space, hehe) 

Whether you have the perfect space in mind or need a little help finding just the right fit, I’m here and ready with suggestions for your brand photos!

You can get the process started here 🙂