The Ultimate Branding Guide | Portrait by Chrissy | Houston Branding Photographer
INTRODUCTION TO PERSONAL BRANDING
Thinking about booking a boudoir session? Are you on the fence? Have questions? Just curious? I got you! I am creating this Ultimate Personal Branding Guide to help you understand more about personal branding, how it can help your brand, why you need it, what to expect, and answer some common questions.
First, what is personal branding?
Personal branding is using portraiture to connect to your ideal and target audience or client. You are the face of your brand. Showcase you and your service or profession in portraits – not stock image photography!
How does personal branding differ from business branding?
Your business brand is what connects the product or service to your brand and your business identity such as, your logo, theme, color scheme, catch phrase. Your personal brand is what connects your ideal audience to you in a personal way. Example, if you are a personal trainer, not only would you want portraits of your headshot, you also want portraits of you in action, being relatable, connecting with your audience.
What can you do with your personal branding portraits?
You can do so much more than just putting your headshot on a business card or flyer. Personal branding is deeper than that! You can use your images on your website banners, create posters and hero images for your website, you can use it to drive a message on social media, for ads and ad funnels, you can use your branding for marketing material such as banners, signs, print, brochures, magazines, etc… and did you know, when you book a personal branding session with Portrait by Chrissy, I don’t just take your photograph, I can also design and produce your marketing materials! I will go over this more later in the guide. When you do a personal branding session, you will have images to produce at a moments notice to showcase the face of your business and brand.
Who needs personal branding?
Anyone who provides a service or good. Here is a short list of some professionals and business owners who need personal branding.
Doctors
Dentists
Chiropractors
Accountants
Consultants
Business Development Specialists
Coaches
Lawyers
Educators
Fitness Trainers
Photographers
Designers
Artists
Stylists
Journalists
Creatives
Realtors
Brokers
Lenders
Speakers
Agents
Bloggers
Influencers
Hair and Makeup Artists
Ambassadors
Retailers
Corporations
Handmakers
Crafters
Developers
THE PORTRAIT BY CHRISSY PERSONAL BRAND EXPERIENCE
The Portrait by Chrissy Personal Brand Experience includes complimentary dry hair styling and makeup application for those who want it, some of my clients like a natural look and that is fine too. If you are doing an on location shoot, complimentary hair and make will not be available. On the day of your session clients arrive to the studio at 10 am and go into hair and makeup. Hair and makeup lasts anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half depending on how much hair you have.
Once hairstyling and makeup is complete, or if you have opted for a natural look, we go through your wardrobe and start planning the oder of wardrobe, additional accessories, and backdrop/scene. Each personal brand session comes with 3-4 outfits/looks. This process generally takes about 10-20 minutes. For on location shoots, I have a portable changing tent.
Once we have the game plan the shoot begins. I begin to guide you through a series of poses keeping in mind any concerns you will address in the booking process and keeping poses strategic and flattering to your body shape, and minimize insecurities, and show of your personal essence for your brand. The shoot generally lasts about an hour and a half.
After your shoot clients come back to the studio in 2-3 weeks to review their images and make selections.
Kim Walker
WARDROBE & STYLING
When it comes to wardrobe and styling, you want to stay true to your brand and what you want to convey. Since you do get 3-4 looks with your session, I recommend maximizing each look to be different so it can meet more of your needs with versatility. Let me give you some examples:
If you are a fitness trainer, you may want to consider a few looks such as:
A suit for a polished business look
A casual outfit for a softer and connecting look
Two different workout outfits to show connection to your craft and yourself in action
If you are a realtor, you may want to consider a few looks such as:
A skirt suit
A pant suit
A dress
A casual outfit
As a general rule, anyone doing a branding session should consider a mix between a statement or power suit, a business casual look, a dressy look, and a profession look if you are in a profession that is identified by clothing or uniform.
Need Inspiration? Follow my Personal Branding Pin Board
PRODUCT & SERVICES
Building this section….stay tuned
Q&A
I love your black and white look, can I have black and white portraits?
Absolutely!
Where is your studio located and is it an actual studio?
Good question! My studio is a home based studio. I converted a large room in my home to a home studio to work out of, while it is in my home, it is an actual studio. My studio is located in the CyFair Area of Houston in the Copperfield Area. In late 2020 I will be looking to open another studio location to inside the inner-loop.
Do you offer wardrobe?
I do not offer wardrobe for branding sessions although you are welcome to my studio wardrobe closet, personal branding is more of a personal touch when it comes to your wardrobe and styling.
Do you give digitals?
Yes, yes I do. Every image selected for your folio comes with a digital web image.
When do I see my images?
2-3 weeks after your shoot, you’ll come back to Portrait by Chrissy’s studio to select the images you want in your album, select any album upgrades, and order addition wall art if you want wall art.
How long does product take to come in?
Prints and wall art take 7-14 days
Marketing material takes 7-14 days after design work is approved and finalized.
I don’t want prints, I just want digitals do you do that?
You can do digitals only, it does not change the price of the session or images to a lower price point. We will over digital options in your reveal session.
What does retouching go over?
When you book, you’ll receive a questionnaire that will go over all your retouching concerns. We can leave you natural in your beauty but we understand that some women want things out of their images, basic retouching includes removal of acne, blemishes, red spots, dark circles.
We can remove or soften scars, tattoos, stretch marks, eczema, psoriasis, cysts, at clients request.
I don’t want my images on social media, your website, or I want to control what is shown.
Not a soul outside you, me, and my professional print lab will see your images or know you had a shoot with me unless you give sharing permissions. At your reveal I have a form you will fill out with sharing permissions if you want your images shared at all. You can even set the control website and blog only, studio samples only, no one, etc… your privacy is our top concern.
Will you blog my images?
Only if you give permission.
What forms of payment do you accept?
As of February 2020 all payments are done through Square, our card processing merchant. we are no longer accepting PayPal or PayPal Me payments. Square accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover. Checks are not accepted.
Can you shoot outside, at a cafe, or my office/business location?
Yes! We are equipped to go mobile. We will not shoot in an AirBNB without express written consent from the owner. Any location that is a business or privately owned, you must have permission from the owner that can be verified. . Please contact me at info@portraitbychrissy.com with the location, desired date, and any fees or permits required for full pricing plus a travel estimate for Portrait by Chrissy Boudoir.
Will you travel out of town or State to conduct a shoot for me?
Yes, all travel costs will be factored into the shoot. Please email me at info@portraitbychrissy.com with the location, desired date for a quote.
How can I can I get your pricing?
Fill out the form below and I’ll send you over a pricing guide ASAP!
How can I book my session?
To book your session you can call or text me at 832-598-1172, or you can email me at info@portraitvychrissy.com as soon as you are ready to book. If you need my Pricing Guide or want to know “How much” you need to go to the bottom of the page fill out the form and I will send you price list ASAP. Once you get to the Pricing Guide there will be a link to book.
Chrissy Guthrie is a professional personal brand and headshot portrait photographer in Houston, TX with a studio located in the CyFair area of Houston near Cypress, TX and Katy, TX between 290 and I10 off Barker Cypress near Highway 6. All full personal branding sessions include the Portrait by Chrissy Experience which includes: Hair styling and Makeup on the day of your session in our portrait studio, 3-4 outfits or looks, guided posing with Chrissy’s own strategic posing system that works to flatter your figure, and fully retouched images. Chrissy walks clients through every step of their personal branding experience. For more information about scheduling your own personal branding session, or if you want more information on personal branding sessions, you can visit our Modern Professional section of our website, or you can fill out the form below and Chrissy will send you information on how you can have the personal branding session of your dreams.