I'm excited to share with you today about how business branding using photography and video can be simple, necessary, and life-changing.

As a business owner, you know that building a strong brand is crucial for attracting and retaining customers.

But, did you know that incorporating photography and video into your branding strategy can take your business to new heights?

First things first, let's talk about why branding is so important.

Your brand is your company's personality.

It's how you communicate who you are and what you stand for to the world.

A strong brand can help you attract the right customers, build trust and loyalty, and differentiate yourself from your competitors.

Now, let's talk about how photography and video can enhance your branding efforts.

First, let's talk about photography. High-quality, professional images can convey a lot about your brand.

For example, if you're a luxury brand, you'll want to use images that are sleek, polished, and high-end.

On the other hand, if you're a more casual, laid-back brand, you'll want to use images that are more relaxed and casual.

Professional photography can also be used in a variety of ways, such as on your website, social media, and marketing materials.

Having high-quality images on your website can help you make a great first impression on potential customers, and having consistent images across all of your platforms can help build brand recognition.

Next, let's talk about video.

Video is a powerful tool for building your brand because it allows you to tell your brand's story in a way that images alone can't.

With video, you can showcase your products or services, give a behind-the-scenes look at your company, and even feature customer testimonials.

Video is also a great way to connect with your audience on a more personal level. People are more likely to remember information they've seen in a video than information they've read in text.

And, because video is more engaging, it can help increase the time that people spend on your website, which can help improve your search engine rankings.

But, don't worry, you don't need to be a professional photographer or videographer to create great content for your brand.

There are plenty of affordable options for high-quality photography and video, such as hiring a professional photographer or videographer for a single photoshoot or video shoot, or even using your own smartphone to create content.

In conclusion, incorporating photography and video into your branding strategy can be simple, necessary, and life-changing.

High-quality images and videos can help you build a strong brand, attract the right customers, and differentiate yourself from your competitors.

So, don't be afraid to invest in professional photography and video for your business.

It's an investment that will pay off in the long run.

Thanks for reading!

If you have any questions or want to share your own branding experiences, I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Artificial intelligence (AI) has already transformed various industries and will continue to do so in the future.

One such industry that can greatly benefit from AI is photography, particularly business branding photography and personal branding photography.

In this blog post, we will discuss how AI can be used in these areas and how it can help photographers and businesses create better content, save time, and improve the overall user experience.

First, let's define what business branding photography and personal branding photography are.

Business branding photography refers to the use of photographs to visually communicate the values and identity of a business to its target audience.

This type of photography is often used in marketing materials such as website banners, social media posts, and brochures.

Personal branding photography, on the other hand, is the use of photographs to promote an individual's personal brand.

This can include headshots for a LinkedIn profile, images for a personal website, or photographs for a personal social media presence.

Now, let's delve into how AI can be used in these areas.

One way AI can be beneficial to business branding photography is through the use of image recognition technology.

This technology allows businesses to automatically categorize and tag their images according to certain features or characteristics.

For example, a business could use image recognition to tag all of its images that contain their product, the company logo, or a particular location.

This can be extremely useful for businesses with large image libraries as it saves them time and makes it easier to find and use specific images.

Another way AI can help with business branding photography is through the use of generative models.

Generative models are AI algorithms that can generate new images based on a set of input images. This can be used by businesses to create new product images or to quickly generate variations of an existing image.

For example, a business could use a generative model to create multiple versions of an image with different backgrounds, lighting, or compositions.

This can save businesses time and resources as they do not have to hire a photographer to take new photographs for every variation they want.

AI can also be beneficial to personal branding photography through the use of virtual assistants.

Virtual assistants are AI algorithms that can help individuals create and curate their personal brand online.

For example, a virtual assistant could help an individual create a personal website by suggesting design templates, color schemes, and layout options.

It could also help an individual curate their social media presence by suggesting content to post and analyzing the performance of past posts.

This can save individuals time and effort as they do not have to spend as much time creating and managing their personal brand online.

In addition to the above, AI can also be used in both business branding photography and personal branding photography to improve the user experience.

For example, businesses can use AI to analyze user behavior on their website and suggest images that are more likely to engage their target audience.

Similarly, individuals can use AI to analyze the performance of their personal brand online and make recommendations for improving it.

This can help businesses and individuals create more effective and engaging content, leading to better results.

Overall, AI has the potential to greatly benefit business branding photography and personal branding photography.

From image recognition and generative models to virtual assistants and user experience optimization, AI can help photographers and businesses create better content, save time, and improve the overall user experience.

As AI continues to advance, it is likely that we will see even more innovative uses of this technology in the field of photography.

Let me know what you think about this in the comments below. I would love to hear what you have to say!

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Don't want your pictures to look exactly like everyone else's?

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Here is our top 3 tips for adding personality to your branding photoshoot.

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Everyone is weird

but how awesome is it when you find someone else that has the same weird thing as you!?! Showing your weirdness to the world not only shows personality but can also build an immediate connection with your fellow weirdos.

For example: I love peanut butter on my pancakes. If I meet someone else that puts peanut butter on their pancakes, THEY ARE MY PEOPLE!

Make a playlist

and bring it to your photoshoot. This is a tip I give all of my clients. I once had a client that was super super nervous. we put on some 90's hop hop and the entire vibe of the photoshoot changed! She went from nervous to confident badass immediately. When making your playlist think about the type of personality you what to show your audience and what kind of music that would inspire that in you.

Negativity be gone

Try to get your mind away from your anxiety over the shoot and into a more positive space. I know being confident is easier said than done. Find a photographer you can trust. Think about how far you have come and how proud of you your younger self would be. Letting the negativity go will give way to let you shine.

one extra tip. Wear clothing you look and FEEL comfortable and confident in. If you are physically uncomfortable you will look uncomfortable. Plan your outfits ahead of time. If you need extra help have a consultation with a personal stylsit. 

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One extra tip

Wear clothing you look and FEEL comfortable and confident in. If you are physically uncomfortable you will look uncomfortable. Plan your outfits ahead of time. If you need extra help have a consultation with a personal stylsit.

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If you are in the Pacific Northwest you know that unless it's the dead of summer, there is a big chance it is going to rain.

So what do we do if it rains on branding picture day?

Here are our go-to plans if we get bad weather.

All of our branding photoshoots come with at least 2 locations.

If it's the rainy season (so basically everything but August), one of those locations is most likely indoors.

1. Plan an indoor location that has great outdoor spots within walking distance.

   Our studio in Oregon City Oregon is right on Main street in a historic building.

   While it's raining we do all our indoor shots but as soon as we get a break in the rain we pop outside and shoot as much as we can.

2. Have a plan B.

   Know you don't want in-studio pictures?

   Once you choose a location find an indoor plan B option nearby.

   Cafes, restaurants, or bars are perfect for this.

   You can also use the lobby of office buildings and even shopping malls to create some great pictures.

   Just keep in mind, if you are in a private location you need to get permission to shoot there.

3. Take pictures in your home or office.

   This is a great way to show your personality and what your day-to-day life is like.

   Don't have a home that is Insta-worthy?

   Check out places you can rent by the hour on Peerspace, Avvay, Homestudio list, and even Airbnb.

   You can find some amazing locations on these sites

   Bonus, these would be a business expense.

Are you ready to show up for your brand and connect with your future clients? Book your branding shoot with us here.

Its a sexy idea that makes business fun.

Branding is an ancient concept.

When you think about stories of business and politics in ancient times, you will inevitably come across stories of people who care about what other people think about them.

Its human nature to have an emotional response to what someone says about you.

You'd be lying if you said, "I don't care what people think".

And don't bring that Gary Vee ra-rah stuff around here.

He cares too. (It's just one of the many oxymoronic things he says)

But don't get it twisted. I'm a huge fan and follower. He just has his moments.

I digress...

Branding helps our mind simplify our emotions.

At our core, we make spit decisions to survive.

And we do this using confirmation bias.

Branding leverages this confirmation bias at a subconscious level.

Gucci.

Victoria's Secret.

Bed Bath and Beyond.

Target.

McDonald's.

Ruth Chris Steakhouse.

Without prompting you with pictures or statements you had an image pop into your head didn't you.

Now based on what you put in your mind via the internet, news, movies, television, church and conversations with friends and family, you developed how you feel about each of these things.

Your brain is incredible.

It takes millions and millions of data points and arrives at a decision.

A decision to live or to die.

(well that escalated quickly LOL)

That's as simple as things really are for humans.

Branding is literally everything.

But that's an overwhelming thought though.

Let's talk just about photography and you can help people do more living shall we? LOL!

Branding photography is how YOU can control confirmation bias of your business.

And CONTROL the subconscious feeling people have when they hear your name, the name of your business.

And of course, how they feel when they SEE YOU, or YOUR BUSINESS.

Notice I've been talking a lot about feelings....

Here's why....

The buyer in us is no more than 10 years old....

We're impulsive.

We want things just because.

We HAVE TO HAVE IT.

We don't need to understand it. We just want it and we don't know why!

When you have intention in your branding you get to tell everyone's 10 year old self that, "hey! this is cool! And you're not cool if you don't get this!"

You may not feel this way on the surface, but I can guarantee you that your subconscious self is feeling it.

If you want people to feel happy about your brand, show them happy pictures.

If you want people to feel empowered about your brand, show them empowerment.

That's a simple as it needs to be.

That's why with our photography, we always get to know what you do, what your business does and what message you want to communicate.

Because after you communicate that to us, we can effectively use our time together to create photography that creates a loyal, consistent, predictable customer base.

Wouldn't it be nice to continue moving forward with your business with people like us who use a marketing first approach to branding photography?

We know we'd love to work with you too!

Check out our pricing guide to learn more (CLICK HERE)

Things have been weird. Life looks totally different now than it did a few months ago.

All at once, so many things that were normal and we’d always taken for granted were taken away – from spending time with loved ones to dining in at restaurants to even working with clients face to face (we miss you).

When it comes to your branding during current circumstances, there are a lot of things to consider.

It’s important to acknowledge so your whats going on so your messaging isn’t tone-deaf – but at the same time, you want to make sure you’re not focusing too much on the negative.

Let these do's and don’ts guide your your branding during this time.

DO: Be Genuine We may have to be distant but were not alone.

Be real and transparent about your efforts and your struggles during this difficult time.

DON’T: Pretend everything’s normal It’s not “business as usual.”

Acknowledge the current situation and seek to share content that’s relevant and sensitive.

DO: Try to make people’s lives better in current conditions.

With these new circumstances comes a whole new set of needs.

Ask yourself: what skills or resources do I have that could help meet people’s needs right now?

Whatever your business is, IT'S STILL NEEDED (even you you can't operate it the way you did before)

They to find ways to fill your audiences need until they can use your service again.

DON’T: Exploit the crisis.

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with meeting current needs brought on by the crisis, you never want to come across as though you’re trying to profit off of other people’s suffering or discomfort.

Be sensitive and be kind.

DO: Stay positive.

There’s enough gloom, fear, and heaviness in the world already. Stay hopeful and optimistic about your brand’s future – and do your best to share that light with others.

DON’T: Get complacent

While it’s perfectly okay to dial things back a bit during these trying times, make sure you don’t check out entirely.

Try to use this downtime to your advantage, whether by refreshing your personal brand, creating more content, or even learning new skills.

It’s important to maintain consistency as much as possible so that when things get up and running again, you’ll be on top of it.

During times like these, people are longing for more human connection.

Be transparent, positive, and thoughtful as you navigate how to best manage your brand through all of this.

Oh I almost forgot….

We realized that right away people were going to have a hard time in this new world. Home schooling, Zoom calls with kids on your laps, the extra cooking, the cleaning and the uncertainty.

So we created FREE Content Calendar with ideas for a WHOLE MONTH so you don’t even have to think. Just look. Create. Upload. Done.

Interested? Click Here to Get it Sent to Your Email.

The idea of personal branding has been around for a long time in on form or another.

The problem that you face is that your... well... face... is everywhere now.

And first impressions happen in less than a second.

Unfortunately... or fortunately (if you follow the advice below)... you can make the right impression.

View fullsize

REASON #7 | Outdated Photos Make You Untrustworthy

Think about it. If you were going to meet someone in person for the first time and they didn't match their picture, would you trust them more?

Or would you trust them less?

REASON #6 | Standard Headshots are Mostly Boring

Sure, there's a time and a place for the professional headshot.

But do you really want that to be the story you tell about your brand?

We recommend that you have candid photography done where you're part of the story that you want your market to learn about.

REASON #5 | Pictures Tell Stories, So Why Don't You?

When you take professional photographs, you can use them to tell a story about your brand.

You can create an origin story through visual images that tell people who you are.

REASON #4 | Don't Just Tell The Story, Connect Emotionally Too!

Yeah. Pictures do tell stories, but they also pull people in emotionally.

When you do this through your branding, it changes the conversation in people's heads from "yeah this person is credible" to "I feel like they know me".

REASON #3 | Create a Consistent Brand Message

One of the biggest reasons for having professional branding photography done is to create a congruent marketing message.

A congruent marketing message creates trust with your market.

That trust is created by familiarity.

REASON #2 | Fresh and Professional Translates to Caring

It's true. When you have a stale branding look, it makes it seem like you don't care when your customers take a look at what you're up to.

When they research you, they're going to see everything you have online and then immediately dismiss you or validate you.

REASON #1 | Instantly Create a Trusting and Likable Brand Image

When it comes to creating a marketing message that communicates who you are and what you stand for, professional branding photography does this instantly.

How?

By having a first impression that looks clean, professional and matches all of your other images.

It also is a current and fresh photo of you so that when they meet you in person, you're not mistaken for someone else.

It's very key.

What do you think?

Do you think that professional branding photography is required?

Let me know in the comments below.

Talk to You Soon,

Mark Gubuan

Owner/Director of Funk

P.S. Have you seen our 2019 Fall/Winter Style Guide? Get it here.

The Bridgetown Insider's Club is an exclusive club that takes your brand and places it in a category above all of your competition.

That's right...

Your business needs this... yesterday.

I'm not writing this blog post because I want practice writing.

I'm writing this because there are too many businesses EXACTLY like yours that are starving for higher quality business....

And if you're thinking that you can't afford this, then keep reading because we have a package that's interesting for you.

As you've probably realized, photography is expensive.

But let's not focus on the cost of photography.

And rather, let's focus on the value that photography brings to your business....

#3 - Familiarity

The thing about today's business environment is that there are so many different ways to steal attention from one another.

Videos.

Pop up ads.

Etc.

But the thing that levels the playing field for everyone is social media marketing.

Images.

And controversy.

Now we don't sell controversy.

But what we do sell are images... and there's a secret sauce...

(Which I'll share with you down at the bottom)

The familiarity is created when you have a consistent flow of daily content across all social media platforms that are relevant to your business (a topic for another day).

But seeing your beautiful face, day in and day out, puts you in the driver's seat in an otherwise distracting world.

#2 - Likability

The Bridgetown Insider's Club is important to you because when you have professional photography done, it can enhance your marketing to a point where people subconsciously decide that they like you.

Why?

Because your image is pleasing to the senses when they're scrolling through their news feed.

Makes sense right?

Even if they don't stop and look, they'll still have more respect for you because they see that you actually took the time to improve your perception.

Which brings us to #1.

#1 - Trust

The Bridgetown Insider's Club creates a scenario for you where you go from just meh.... to oh....

I really think that this business has great messaging...

They took the time to create advertising and a brand image that speaks to me...

I feel like they know me.

And now I trust them more...

Are you pickin' up what I'm puttin' down??

Awesome!!

Now here's the deal. The Bridgetown Insider's Club is an exclusive offer that we have for businesses that are looking to solve the following specific problems.

1. Your brand needs an update.

2. Your marketing messaging is stale and needs a boost.

3. The perception of your brand could use some repairs.

4. You are updating your website and other marketing assets.

5. You need fresh, attention grabbing content for social media.

6. You have more money than time and would rather pay someone to do this for you.

Oh I almost forgot, remember that secret sauce?

In one word.

Genuine.

When you are a member of the Bridgetown Insider's Club, you'll get genuine, authentic images that your market already craves.

In our modern world, everyone is living a life of fake.

They want to see you in your purest form.

So why not put your best foot forward?

Now if you're a business that is ready to invest, but your cashflow is tight, then check this out...

When you're part of the Bridgetown Insider's Club, you get a 10% discount AND you get the monthly installment option.

Cool right?

You get the professional photography without the stress of coming up with the investment all upfront.

Ok.... so enough sales for the day...

Let me know what you think about this post!

If you have questions let me know too.

Sincerely,

Mark Gubuan

Director of Funk

P.S. Check out the Personal Branding Photography Here

Here are some reviews for you... I know "photographers near me" is a very common search term.

And frankly, I want our website to be found on the search engines for people that want our services LOL...

This blog post will be updated with reviews for your area. Just let me know in the comments below and I'll add some for you.

Review for Photographers Near Me - Wilsonville Area

All of these reviews are pulled from Google. I figured, hey, why make things difficult for you?

Click the image to see a live result on Google now.

Have you seen my article about choosing the right photographer? Here's an article that will save you some money and keep your search quick and easy.

We really champion authenticity here...

So in that thought, the reason why I share reviews of my local competitors on my website is because I believe in abundance.

More importantly, I know that no two people are the same.

And photography is art.

Not all people like the same art.

There are so many different styles and artistic elements to a photographer's work.

You deserve to choose the one you'll be the most happy with.

It's yours afterall....

What we offer here at Bridgetown Pictures is something called Bridgetown Story Sessions.

It's perfect for personal brands, however we have adapted this style for corporate brands.

If you want to learn more, you can follow this link to our Personal Branding Photography page.

Ok, so don't forget that reviews for photographers near me will be updated, so come back if you're still undecided.

Take Care,

Mark Gubuan

Studio Manager/Director of Funk

P.S. Are you struggling with your marketing message? Use this FREE Customer Avatar - Customer Success Profile PDF. Learn how to use it with this video tutorial.

So after you've gone through our Bridgetown Story Session photoshoot, you'll have 90 days of content to organize.

Wow! When it comes down to it... that's a lot of files to manage.

Especially if they're not named properly.

So let's start with the basics.

File Naming Convention

So the one thing that I focus on is having a strategy that allows for the file names to be sorted in such a way that makes things easy to find.

The last thing I want to do is fumble around when people need something.

I want to be Johnny on the spot with files if people are asking about them.

Here's a generic example of how I like to name our files.

BP - Personal Branding Photography - Mark - 2019.09.15

The first section is [BP]. This stands for Bridgetown Pictures.

I name things this way so that any of our client work or other business ventures don't get mixed up.

The second section is [Personal Branding Photography]. This is the keyword that we'd like to optimize for.

In layman's terms, we want the search engine to find us when people type in Personal Branding Photography.

You should do the same for your business.

The third section is [Mark]. This is the subject, place, activity or whatever the picture is.

This makes it so that the search engine sees the difference between one image and the next.

And the fourth section is [2019.09.05]. It's obviously the date, but I wrote it in this sequence so that if you have files named the same way it will sort sequentially.

File Naming for Social Media Content

When you're organizing your files, I would always keep the originals in a place where you won't accidentally corrupt the files.

Here's how I would name social media content.

[DATE] - [KEYWORD] - [TITLE/DESCRIPTION]

It would look something like this.

2019.09.16 - Personal Branding Photography - 3 Photography Tips - Image 1

The benefit of doing it this way, is so that you can simply sort the folder and find the image you're going to use for that day and upload it.

Speaking of folders....

I would recommend organizing your content by marketing channel.

So the tree would look like this...

Marketing > Social Media Marketing > Facebook > Images

And then you'd have a different folder for Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.

What do you think?

Is this helpful? Let me know in the comments below!!

Modern photography is unlike anything else in history.

The competition for the attention of ONE personal seems to have no end in sight.

Human beings are constantly over stimulated...

Take driving a car, for example, it’s so overwhelming on the senses.

You're late for school...

...the kids are screaming in the back.

People are honking at each other... and not you.

All while you're mentally preparing for that big presentation you have later in the day!

Sound a little too familiar?

It's crazy to be alive right now because technology is growing exponentially and many of us were alive to see the beginning.

So what's next?

How do you take old, but high converting, advertising principles and make them new for a modern, authentic visual marketing message?

The answer... is a Bridgetown Story Session.

Simply, this is our personal branding photography package and one of the reasons why you should be following us here, on Instagram and YouTube...

We want to help you out so much that we're creating and releasing content daily for you...

Please subscribe!!!

Now onto the content...

High Converting Ad Principle #1

Congruency.

There must be congruency from message to offer.

If you’re offering a high value package, the marketing message should convey the same message.

Photography today can mimic this principle by taking content from the same shoot and use it across many different marketing channels and social platforms.

High Converting Ad Principle #2

Clearly defined value.

Since we’re on the topic of value, let’s chat about having a solid value proposition.

A value proposition can also be known as an irresistible offer.

Professionally planned images can easily convey the right message.

This is done by showing the quality of the manufacturing process or by capturing a memorable customer service experience.

High Converting Ad Principle #3

Emotion driven messaging.

We’ve known since the beginning of time that a human's emotion drives them to action.

Do you have a song that reminds you of something that happened in your life? Like a wedding song? Or a first kiss?

That's what happens when you create imagery that's relevant and familiar to your audience in today's modern world.

BUT...

There is ONE problem...

Never before have humans been able to create video and digital photography with ease.

You have full multi-media studios in your pocket now.

Everyone can create high converting images now...

Or can they?

Because when a true artist picks up a camera... you notice the difference.

Why?

It's because a professional can create a emotion driven image that's congruent and has a clearly defined value proposition in an artistic way.

What is a Bridgetown Story Session?

Just imagine having 90 days of professional, authentic, photography with targeted messaging to use in your social media campaigns.

Imagine never having to worry about images for advertising because you have branding and unique pictures at your disposal.

Increase your customer's confidence in you because your messaging is congruent across your website, social media presence and advertising.

If this makes sense to you then let's make sure to have a conversation about it.

Have you gotten your FREE CUSTOMER SUCCESS PROFILE PDF? Subscribe to our newsletter and get it sent to your best email.

CLICK HERE TO GET FREE PDF

Schedule a time to chat (503) 383-9159 or email Jess@BridgetownPictures.com.

Thanks,

Mark Gubuan

Studio Manager and Director of Funk

P.S. When you subscribe to our newsletter, you get notified FIRST of discounts and booking slots.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE

Cheap headshots might seem like the ONLY option you have when you're just getting started with marketing or branding yourself or your business.

I get it though... the whole point of getting headshots done are to help create trust, to imply professionalism and to show the people that you're looking to attract that you take things seriously...

But the reality is that you're just making yourself look like everyone else.

If headshots aren't the way to go, what should you do instead?

Well if you're looking for one single headshot to put on a passport photo or something like that, by all means go to the mall or have a friend take your picture.

But if you're really looking for the wow factor, there's a really obvious and frustratingly overlooked "tactic".

Be you.

The authentic, genuine version of yourself.

In a headshot, we simply don't pose you.

No that's boring (sure we do these but they're not the only thing we do).

What we do is capture you in your natural element.

…in a genuine setting with an authentic emotion.

Trust me... if you love what you do, then you’re not going to feel awkward or self conscious...

And you’re going to look amazing!

And that’s because candid photography is done in a way that you just “do you” and the photographer does the rest...

So you get to be an authentic and genuine person by being you...

You just act natural...

And you rise above the noise and stand out!

How does that sound?

If this makes sense to you and you’re looking for an amazing headshot solution, then check out our Bridgetown Story Sessions right here.

Take Care,

Mark Gubuan

Studio Manager/Director of Funk

P.S. Are you interested in professional photography for high converting marketing and advertising? Check this training series on how to do it yourself.

Personal branding photography is an investment that can help your business improve its marketing and advertising.

If you’re wondering if you should spend the money, then read the 3 criteria that we’ve identified that will help you make this decision an easy one.

The 3 Criteria You Need to Know When Deciding if Personal Branding Photography is Right for You

Criteria 1 | Your Face is the Face of the Business

Think Oprah Winfrey or Tony Robbins. When you think of their names, you immediately have a perception of what their values are, how they’ve inspired you, how they’ve influenced you and most importantly, you have some kind of emotional response to hearing name or SEEING their face.

CREDIT: OPRAH.com

CREDIT: TONYROBBINS.COM

If you’re in an industry where your face is what’s primarily seen in advertising or your marketing, then absolutely you need personal branding photography.

Criteria 2 | You Are in A Trust Based Industry

Personal branding photography taken by a professional photographer helps you INSTANTLY create trust with potential clients.

Have you ever just come across a business or a person that just seem a little “off”? Well that’s what happens when you don’t have a clean, professional, UPDATED group of marketing materials.

Just a few off the top of my head are insurance, real estate, accounting, financial planners, life coaches and personal trainers to name a few.

Criteria 3 | You’ve Never Had it Done or Need a Refresh

As I was alluding to in the last second, there’s a trust issue when someone doesn’t “look like” the person in the pictures when they meet them in real life.

You might be accidentally “catfishing” and that’s not a good look for you.

Or if you’re new or just haven’t taken the plunge yet, then do it. You’ll find that people immediately see that you’re taking your business to the next stage.

This bodes well for you because people want to work with people who do well in life and in business.

Bonus Criteria | You Have a Website or Social Media Account

It’s a given these days that its a requirement to have a website and social media account and when it comes to personal branding photography this is where the rubber meets the road.

Content is king.

Personal branding photography is the key to the kingdom.

However there is one problem….

How do you stand out from the crowd if everyone is doing professional photography?

The solution is simple.

You invest in story branding photography.

Story branding photography, even if everyone does it, still allows you to be different.

Why?

Because no one can be you. Period.

You can be the best and most authentic and genuine version of yourself and that’s powerful.

Want to learn more about this?

Check out Bridgetown Story Sessions right here

Take Care,

Mark Gubuan

Studio Manager and Director of Funk

P.S. Do you want to create a high converting marketing message? Check out our FREE Customer Success Profile PDF here.

When we first started with business branding photography, we knew that we could create high quality photography, but we wanted to nail down our process first.

That's where The Move Makers come in...

The Move Makers are an enthusiastic group of people that make organization and moving a totally stress free experience.

I remember back in the day that I hated moving so much.

I probably moved once a year for 6 years straight. It was so brutal for me that made sure that I was able to fit all of my belongings into a small red pickup truck.

When moving day came… poof… I was gone… LOL.

Now.... I stay put much longer...

But if you want to cut down on the stresses and hassles of organization and moving, The Move Makers are definitely the one's you want to talk to.

A Bridgetown Story Sessions Success Story

The Move Makers are a wonderful example of a business that wanted to update their visual branding to match their level of customer service, experience and enthusiasm.

And to see how beautifully the photography, website and social media marketing came together is amazing because we know that their business is taking steps forward.

We're proud to be able to help businesses with photography.

Branding Photography is A Marketing First Approach to Photography

…and when we approach a business branding session, we do it with a marketing first approach.

Traditional photographers focus on “getting the shot” and there’s absolutely NOTHING WRONG with that because ultimately that’s what a great photographer does.

But a branding photographer has to think ahead to HOW the pictures are going to be used.

Today, you have more than just printed materials…

You have social media now and that is quite intensive.

What’s great about working with The Move Makers was that since we approached their requirements this way, there was no second guessing what they needed.

From the planning, to the execution and delivery of the branding shoot, we left no detail undone.

For them, we understood that it was an investment for them and creating high converting photography was a priority.

Since The Move Makers have been taking advantage of our subscription service, they had the opportunity to create a cohesive marketing message for the entire year.

We worked with their staff closely each session and brought their vision to life.

Since they had dedicated marketing staff, it was a breeze to setup the shoots so that they received exactly what they wanted.

But not to worry, if you don’t have dedicated marketing staff, we have a process we use to ensure there are no grey areas when it comes to what you’re expectations are and what we deliver for you.

It is absolutely our priority to align your photography with your marketing message so that over time your digital and print assets convert leads and sales for you.

The Move Makers Results with Branding Photography

Branding Photography is an investment that has unlimited potential.

Now, I can’t guarantee that your branding images will ever go viral or convert sales and leads at specific rate…

There’s just so many factors at play…and it’s just irresponsible to guarantee something like that…

But what I can say is that professional photography that aligns with your marketing message, affects the perception that your clients have of you.

Instantly, they’ll feel more comfortable and will trust you more since all of your marketing channels will be congruent.

From Facebook, to Instagram, to your website, they will see your images and not just generic stock photography.

Now there’s a time and place for stock images (we offer a unique stock image gallery with our Bridgetown Insider’s Club).

But nothing is better than genuine, story telling, imagery showcasing you, your employees, products or services.

Here at Bridgetown Pictures, we’re always excited to speak with you, so if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (503) 383-9159.

Want to learn more about Bridgetown Story Sessions? Check out our Branding Photography page.

Have you seen our Owner Education Series? Check Out The 7 Personal Branding Photography Pillars Your Competition Doesn’t Want You to Know

I'm glad you're here. Obviously marketing works. You're here reading this.

You probably saw an image or an article and clicked a link and….

Voila. You're here.

This article is part of a series teaching you How to Create Story Branding Photography.

My name is Mark and I'm the Studio Manager (and part owner) here.

If you missed the intro to why we're doing this and seemingly training our competition…

Get caught up here:

https://www.bridgetownpictures.com/blog/7-pillars-your-competition-doesnt-want-you-to-know-about-taking-branding-photography

Ready to start? Let's get into it!

Build Your Primary Customer Avatar

If you're not marketing, why do you need photography?

But if you're marketing, then it's clear. You need genuine, high quality, story telling photography to create high converting advertising.

10 second intro about me...

I've been studying marketing since the late 90's. And internet marketing since not shortly after that.

Advertising and copyrwriting are something that naturally comes with the territory.

So when I approach photography, I tend to be biased towards marketing...

And that's a good thing...

Because a customer avatar defines everything you do.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE CUSTOMER AVATAR WORKSHEET

A customer avatar creates the clarity you need to begin the process.

We need to define these things:

• Personal Information

• Geography

• Psychology

• Finances

• Leisure

• Fears & Challenges

1. Personal Information

This is basically their driver's license. If you picked up their driver's license, what would is say? We define this because psychologically for US, we have to be able to metaphorically walk in their shoes to really get an understanding for their problems.

When we can do this, we allow ourselves to come up with better solutions.

2. Geography

Geography matters because there can be language differences (like pop and soda) that might be the difference between making a sale and not making a sale.

If we're going to be spending time and money on marketing, we have to get it right.

3. Psychology

The psychology of your avatar will give you exactly what you need to say or do everyday to not only get the attention of your perfect client, but to also earn their trust.

Speaking to them in the way that they relate to the best will enhance your advertising and marketing so that it converts.

Let me go a little bit deeper here...

If you follow pop culture trends, you can leverage those ideas to create customer attracting ads.

This is where all viral ideas come from.... (like memes).

4. Finances

Until you really build the full profile of your perfect customer, you're just leaving things to chance.

Knowing their buying habits and wealth categories, gives you the upper hand when it comes to placing your ads in the right place.

Even creating buying methods or payment plans that you know your market not only uses, but DESIRES.

(Accepting Bitcoin Payments for example).

And finally, you can create pricing that lines up with what they're willing to spend.

5. Leisure

This is another link to pop culture trends, but it gives you another perspective on your perfect person.

Knowing their activities will allow you to not only leverage pop culture, but allow you to advertise and create marketing around the things that interest them.

6. Fears & Challenges

This is a big section that touches on the person as a whole.

Their health, wealth, spirituality, psychology, fears and frustrations.

This section on there surface seems like a negative and depressing thing to do, however, it is your responsibility to use this section honestly and ethically.

This is a secret weapon.

You can not only use this FEAR as a tool to create action, but you can also use this as a way to develop solutions that aren't easily discovered unless you do this type of analysis.

Think about this, you can pull someone towards you by placing their fear in front of them.

And then when they get to you, you can provide the solution and be that savior.

What Does a Customer Success Profile Have to Do with Photography?

Well, I get it...

This is A LOT of thinking work. Writing. But not photography.

There's a reason why I consider this one of THE MOST IMPORTANT documents in a business.

...it's because you're defining a voice...

It is this VOICE that every perfect client hears in their head when you talk to them.

It is ALSO unspoken communication....

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.

Right?

The next thing we will do is DEFINE our STORY. Get ready for tomorrow's post and the supplementary video I'm shooting tomorrow.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF SHORTCUT GUIDE

Branding Photography Owner Education Series

As Studio Manager and Owner of Bridgetown Pictures, I wanted to design a tool for you that met three criteria.

1. It helped you sell more of your stuff.

2. It was easy to execute.

and 3. You didn't have to worry about procrastination.

Check out the first training link below to get your FREE Customer Success Profile PDF.

Get the FREE Download Here

Marketing works. That's what got you here right?

You probably saw an article and an image and clicked a link.

Nod if you agree... :)

Ready to learn Story Branding Photography? Keep going...

Who is this for?

• This is for the business that needs an increase in sales and understands that photography is the weak link.

• And it's for the business that knows their social media and online advertising is suffering and understand that high quality, relevant pictures that convert sales is the answer to the problem.

Who is this NOT for?

• This is NOT for businesses that already have marketing mastered.

• This is NOT for businesses that don't want to dig in and commit a few hours for a couple short weeks to learn.

• This is NOT for businesses that aren't ready to scale up or AT LEAST preparing to scale up.

What is it?

This is a short educational series that helps your advertising convert more by creating story branded photography.

If you want to succeed, learn the following:

1. How to Create Customer Avatar for a Targeted Marketing Message

2. Define Your Brand Story to Communicate your Message Clearly

3. Choose the Highest Converting Photography Style for The First Three Different Story Branding Photography Sessions

4. How to Prep For a Productive Shoot

5. How to Execute the Plan for the Shoot

6. Complete Post Shoot Activities to Systematically Begin Testing Each Photograph to Identify the Highest Converting Image

Why spend time learning this?

Our businesses have an ecosystem that has to have balance.

Marketing and advertising is a critical part of that system.

Modern marketing and advertising requires high converting photography.

This part cannot be overlooked in a winning marketing plan.

The beauty about this process is once you’ve learned it, you’re all set to repeat it over and over again.

Sweet?

Ya! Let’s get started!

P.S. Have you discovered how to create a Customer Avatar to Craft a Targeted Message

STEP 1: DEFINE YOUR WINNING MARKETING MESSAGE

Winning at marketing means you’re selling more stuff.

Who doesn’t want more of that?!

A winning marketing message is one that has these 5 things:

1. Emotional Connection

2. Clear Call to Action

3. Talks About ONLY ONE Thing

4. Creates Trust

5. Talks About the Benefit (directly/indirectly)

...next...

STEP 2: MAP OUT THE STORY IN WORDS

The right planning eliminates the day of the shoot frustrations that come with poor planning.

The first thing you should do is map out the context of the story.

Set the stage for where our characters are going to be set.

Write out any defining emotions you want to achieve from certain plot points.

Lastly, create an open hook pulling your perfect client in... (HINT: This makes the whole process easier when you get this right)

STEP 3: TAKE PICTURES

One of the reasons for prepping so thoroughly is so that you can plan to have everything you need to create that high converting story.

FINALLY! You can feel like you’re doing something right.

Now that you’re at the day of the shoot, you have your message at the top of your mind and you’ve written out exactly what you want to capture.

Time to execute.

Here are some recommended supplies:

1. DSLR Camera

2. Continuous Lighting

3. Props

4. Reflectors

With these foundational items, you should be able to complete your photo shoot.

Now I know that everyone has varying degrees of experience shooting pictures...

And you are probably more than capable of pulling something like this off. 

But if you’re like me, you know that your time is spent best doing the things you know you’re great at....

...and get amazing results doing it...

Taking high converting photos might not be the best use of your time....

Because you’re going to have to deal with the learning curve, the frustration of lighting, framing the right shot...

And so many other nuances...

Luckily, we have a solution for you...

It’s called Bridgetown Story Sessions!

To be the first to learn about this Call (503) 383-9159 to talk to Jess and get the details.

Personal branding photography marries together the idea that you are unique and special, with an expectation of what people will experience when they do business with you.

Let's just get the cliche's out of the way...

It tells a story about who you are...

Now that that's outta the way, let's talk about how personal branding photography can help you.

The #1 Reason Why You Should Have Personal Branding Photography Done

We live a skeptical world with too much information.

Everything is fake.

People don't know who to trust.

And to top it off, we're constantly fighting for attention...

When people "google" you, do they see someone that they know, like and trust?

If the answer is no...

Then you already understand why you ABSOLUTELY have to have a personal branding photography session done.

This is the reason why you need personal branding photography.

We instruct our clients to use personal branding very specifically.

Want to learn how? Keep reading...

How to Use Personal Branding Photography in Your Business

1| Update Your Website

This is usually where your head probably went when you first started your search, so let's address this.

A hero image is the image that you choose as the most widely distributed and "known" image that represents you or your brand.

This hero image should be strategically placed where a customer is going to see it so that it instantly creates the perception of you that you want to create.

Think about it being where they are looking for trust like a checkout page, testimonial or review, banner or header and the about me section.

2| Social Media Profiles

Out with the old and in with the new. This one is a bit more involved, so let's just start with the basics.

Depending on how you market yourself, you'll want to create consistency when someone is researching you.

For example, if they jump from your social media to your website and back again, they want to see the same pictures as it links their thoughts together.

Put it this way...

A person looking for a solution for a problem is going to immediately run away if your social media doesn't line up with the expectations that you created on your website.

Maybe you come off high end on your website, but your social media says budget…

So by having the same profile image as the hero image on your website and more importantly, you contain the same messaging, then you've created consistency and trust by simply having the same picture.

3| Marketing and Advertising Campaigns

Ok, so you've spent all of that money on a professional personal branding photography session.

Time to put it to work...

Since you've taken the time to create a marketing campaign and sync'd the photography to meet that requirement, then you're ready to launch that campaign.

The obvious place to you use this photography is in your social media advertising, print ads and brochures.

As the new marketing campaigns roll out with this new image…

…you can expect a shift in customer base as you’re going to start attracting more clients that line up with your vision.

So when you have a professional shoot done, it is far more effective to then be able to create consistent messaging in your business.

The bottom line is that if you improve your marketing and advertising, you are improving your sales numbers.

When you improve your sales numbers, problems get solved and you serve more people.

Is Personal Branding Photography Right for You?

So how do you know if you need this or not?

Here are 10 Signs You Need Personal Branding Photography

1. You Haven't Updated Your Website in The Last 365 Days

2. You Haven't Updated Your Social Media in The Last 90 Days

3. You Have New Employees

4. Your Business is Brand New

5. You Want to Improve Your Marketing and Advertising

6. People Are Confused By What You Do

7. Your Business Isn't as Successful as It Should Be

8. You Want to Stand Out from The Crowd

9. You Don't Want to Do It Yourself

10. Cell Phone Images Don't Cut It Anymore

And finally, the last thing that I want to say is that you need this if people don't know, like and trust you.

Need more sales? Then let's get started...

Reach out to Jessica at Jess@BridgetownPictures.com or Call (503) 383-9159 and book your session today.

Personal branding photography is soon to be a dreaded buzzword, but it’s the simplest way to describe story telling through photography for businesses.

If you’re reading this, I can assume that you want to learn what personal branding photography is, whether or not its right for you and if so, how quickly can you get a return on investment….

…let’s get to it shall we?

What is personal branding photography?

As I stated above, it’s story telling through photography. But let’s simplify this further…

For me a personal brand is where YOU have your face up front and center (I’ll be writing another post about business branding, so stay posted for that), rather than the business.

A real estate agent, personal trainer, life coach, business coach, chiropractor, dentist, pediatrician, contractor, landscaper, handyman, mechanic, insurance, mortgage or accountant and many more industries and professions call all use personal branding photography of some kind.

Wow! That’s a lot…

It’s kinda funny to me that some businesses can still get away with not branding themselves at all… but a lot of the time I discover that’s because they’re well established and have a solid reputation and referral base.

…while its great to work with folks like that, it’s the people, like you, who have more money than time that need to start thinking about leveling up all aspects of your business (especially marketing) that are the best to work with…

Why? Read on my friend.

7 | Personal Branding Photography: Builds Rapport Automatically

You know who does personal branding really well? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

If you follow him on social media, you feel like you know him.

His photographs tell a story about who he is and you relate to the images (like him holding his newborn baby in the hospital).

With branding photography, you build this rapport without even saying single word.

6 | Personal Branding Photography: Highlights Your Best Self

Because personal branding photography sessions are designed to tell your story, you have the opportunity to showcase how awesome you are.

It’s amazing how much of your story you think is boring, when in reality, for other people it’s the most inspiring thing they’ve ever heard.

Never doubt yourself.

You’re awesome.

5 | Personal Branding Photography: Displays Your Status or Authority

You are experienced, skilled and good at what you do.

With professional photography, this tells your clients that you can be trusted and you know what you’re doing.

If you have awards or other skills you want to highlight, this branding can show that to your audience.

4 | Personal Branding Photography: Revolutionizes Your Marketing Message

Marketing and sales is really the name of the game here.

When you have professional photography wrapped into your marketing and sales not only where it’s supposed to be (websites, brochures, etc) and then inside of your social media marketing strategy, what happens is that your stories are being told throughout the customer journey (want to learn more about this? there’s an upcoming blog on this).

Your marketing message is the communicated in such a way that people connect emotionally with you and this is important because it creates likability.

3 | Personal Branding Photography: Instantly Builds Trust

Professional photography that replaces standard cell phone or amateur photography inside of your marketing and advertising converts fence sitters and skeptics into your most valued customers.

This is because professional images with YOU in them create a sense of “got it together”.

And that is important when they’re trying to choose between you and the next person.

2 | Personal Branding Photography: Makes You Stand Out

It may seem like “everyone’s doing it”, but that can’t be further from the truth.

The only people that are getting personal branding photography are those people that are committed to moving their business forward or that are already in a position of success, but they haven’t highlighted that success yet.

A professional photography session can be that bridge to success for you.

1 | Personal Branding Photography: Measurable Results

You can take your business revenue today, then have a professional photography session tomorrow.

IMPLEMENT your photographs into your marketing and advertising and see exactly how much more revenue you generate.

This is very measurable.

Now, I can’t guarantee a positive ROI, but what I can guarantee is that your story is being told, you’re gaining trust, you’re gaining a positive reputation and you’re highlighting what you do best.

In my most humble opinion, if you do those things, you can only expect to see some positive results.

How to Get the Best Personal Branding Photography

First of all, communication is very important.

When you work with Bridgetown Pictures, we ensure that in our pre-session consultation no one leaves feeling like we missed something.

We will go through a systematic questionnaire that helps us leave no stone un-turned.

So at the end of the pre-session consultation, Bridgetown Pictures understands what your marketing message is, how your photography will be used and what stories we’ll be telling about you.

Next, you’ll want to contact us at Jess@BridgetownPictures.com or call us at (503) 383-9159 and pay your first installment to get us on your calendar.

You’ll want to act fast because our 12 month schedule is booking up fast and once it’s booked, you’ll have to wait for a spot to open back up. Which is about 12 months at the longest right now.

When I typed "photographers near me" into Google, I wasn't too pleased with the results because I noticed that the results shown were somewhat confusing. If you didn't tell Google specifically that you were looking for a wedding photographer, portrait photographer, boudoir photographer, family photographer or even a personal branding photograher, you got a very generic set of results.

So by writing this blog post, I'm hoping that I can help you discover the three most important criteria for finding a local photographer near you that fits your exact needs.

Criteria #1: Find a Photographer Near Me That Matches My Style

No matter what type of photography you're looking for, the most obvious thing to do is to search their portfolio to see if they already take the style of photography that you had in mind.

If they don't, I wouldn't write them off right away because photographers are skilled and often times, will only put portfolio items of things that they like on their website and not necessisarily what you like. A professional will be able to adapt and deliver, you just have to ask.

Criteria #2: Find a Photogapher Near Me Whose Personality I Like

Photogaphs tell the truth. If you feel uncomfortable, most likely this will shine through in your photograph. Choose a photographer that you mesh well with.

If your photographer offers a consultation of some kind, this is likely that they're getting a vibe for who you are too. If they care about their workproduct, they'll make sure that you're the right fit and you should too.

The last thing you want is to have an uncomfortable look and then ultimately to feel like you've wasted money.

Criteria #3: Find a Photographer Near Me Who I Can Afford

Photography shouldn't be cheap. But it should be affordable and full of value. If you want cheap, you can go to a big box retailer and get shots done there.

But if you're reading this, then you understand that finding the best photographer that money can be is a priority.

With the advent of the digital camera, professional photography is less of a priority for people today. This is a shame because most people are really bad at photography.

There are some people that have done basic tutorials and can wield a good phone shot but generally if you have something important that needs to get done, you should have an expert do it.

I say all of this to say, have a budget for what you want to spend. Budgeting for the right price all comes down to your immediate needs. Always check to see if there's a payment plan option. It's a great way to keep the costs down.

I hope that when you type in photographer near me into Google it gets a little bit easier for you.

Choose Bridgetown Pictures as your local professional photographer in the Portland Metro Area. We are now offering payment plans for qualifying serivces. We've been listening and want to help you. Call Us Today (503) 383-9159 and book your session.