Wanna have high-quality, on-brand photos but haven’t found your dream house yet? I’m going to let you in on a secret…

Most of my clients prefer not to have their photos taken in their home!

But even if your home doesn’t match your #brandphotogoals, finding on brand locations is probably easier than you might think.

As a personal branding photographer, I help my clients find the BEST locations to match their brand and provide a great branding session experience. There are so many options when it comes to choosing your personal branding photoshoot location, but here are 10 of my go-to locations!

1. Hotels

Sure, there are plenty of dingy motels to choose from, but there are also a lot of beautiful, well-lit hotel lobbies that you can use for free. Always ask the front desk before you use their space, but I’ve never had a hotel say no, even during COVID.

2. In-Home

I’ve also done group branding sessions and product photoshoots in-home. Even if this isn’t in your own home, you could consider asking close friends or family members if you could borrow their space for an afternoon. If you know of any home builders or realtors with access to empty homes, they’re often very open to getting more eyes on those spaces.

3. AirBnBs

I’m not going to lie, this is the hardest one to get right in my area, but you can also turn it into a mini vacation or girls night afterwards! Depending on your location, there may be very stylish, low-cost AirBnBs that you can rent for a night or two depending on the length of your personal branding session. The major pro to this one is access to a kitchen, especially if you’re in the health and fitness industry.

4. Wedding Venues

These are my absolute favorite spaces to work in because they’re often built with photography in mind! There are so many stylish, well-lit, and well furnished bridal suites to choose from, and wedding venues typically have wide open schedules Monday through Thursday.

5. CoWorking Spaces

Well-lit and well furnished co-working spaces are great options for modern headshots and behind the scenes photos. This is also a great opportunity to make new professional connections with the people who own or work in the space.

Shooting over the lunch hour or on weekends will probably give you the best shot at getting the images you need with limited distractions or accidental photo bombing.

6. Coffee Shops or Restaurants

This is another one of my favorite places to shoot branding sessions. Not only is there freshly brewed coffee, but I love how the coffee shop aesthetic can breathe life into ‘behind the scenes’ photos and make them more interesting and unique.

Most coffee shops are open to having photographers in their space but may ask that you keep their customers out of your photos. Be respectful and make sure. you’re not invading others’ personal space.

7. Outside

Is there anything better than natural lighting? From exploring your downtown area to visiting local parks, there are so many interesting locations to pick from.

Try to choose locations with minimal distractions and traffic to make the most of your time.

8. Natural Light Studio

Natural light studios can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you when it comes to backgrounds, furniture, and props. You can get an enormous variety of branding photos in a short amount of time if you create your sets strategically.

A lot of natural light studios have rolling walls and regularly switch out the color palette. Make sure to reach out and ask what color will be in the studio before you book.

9. Retail Store

From local flower boutiques and vintage shops to Target and Trader Joe’s, there’s a store for every brand! Sharing your favorite places to shop can also create instant connection and engagement with your ideal clients.

Retail locations often have less than ideal lighting, but can add a few unique images to your personal branding portfolio.

10. Parking Garage Rooftops

Last but not least, I love shooting on parking garage rooftops in any season! These locations give an urban and adventurous feel to any branding shoot, even if you live in small-town Iowa. 🙂

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Have I convinced you that there’s an on-brand location with your name on it? Choosing locations is one of my favorite things about planning personal branding photoshoots, and I would love to help you find a location that speaks to you too.

Whether you’re due for a personal branding session or are ready to book your very first one, I’d love to chat. Fill out my contact form today, and I’ll get in touch with my best recommendations to match your brand!