Having personal outdoor professional branding photos can be a great idea for several reasons:

For a start, choosing to have your personal branding photoshoot outside means that (almost) any background is possible. You can choose to be in nature, a gritty urban environment or an architecturally interesting setting. And these can provide visual clues to reflect your personality, your interests and values. Which in turn adds depth and authenticity to your personal branding.

Secondly, you will have greater standout than with office or plain background images. You will have visually impactful portraits that are more attention grabbing and memorable than an image of someone sitting at a desk, for example.

Outdoor branding photoshoots offer you the chance to tell your story visually. Perhaps your business inspired by your love of nature for example? So why would you want to show yourself working in an office when you could have a photoshoot in a fantastic natural setting? And a location can be used to show why your work is so important. I once had a client who worked in sustainability in fashion. And one of our ideas was to have her professional branding photos taken on a landfill site or dump. (For reasons of practicality and un-cooperative weather, we did not do this in the end).

Also, if your chosen branding photographer does not have a studio or you are not able to use your place of work, then finding an outdoor alternative can be a huge problem solver.

Next, outdoor personal branding shoots are more salient on social media platforms. They can grab attention and help you build engagement. And they also keep your feed fresh.

And finally, you can use outdoor portraits to visually challenge perceptions of you, your brand or your sector. Show people the playful side of a lawyer or create informal images of someone who works in a very staid or traditional role. Why not flaunt your uniqueness and display some character and wit while challenging stereotypes?

So when you are looking for a personal branding photographer, consider whether you might want to commission outdoor branding photos. In which case, make sure that you hire a photographer who is good with natural light and confident and experienced in shooting outdoors. Then you know that they will know how to handle tricky weather conditions, find the best natural light and offer great suggestions for locations.

If you are ready to commission some personal branding photography (indoors or outdoors), do not hesitate to get in touch. I would love to help! You can email me on info@serenabolton.com.

“Photography through the lens of a storyteller”

PERSONAL BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON