How to Plan a Branding Photoshoot (Even If You Don’t Feel Ready Yet)

If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll book branding photos once everything else is sorted, you’re definitely not alone.

I hear it all the time.
“I just need to finish my website first.”
“I want to feel more confident.”
“I just need to lose 5kg.”

What people often don’t realise is that branding photos are usually part of the process, not the final step. You don’t need to feel perfectly ready to start planning, or to get photos done.

So let’s talk about what planning a branding photoshoot actually looks like when you’re a real person running a real business, not someone who’s got everything perfectly lined up.

You Don’t Need to Feel Ready to Start Planning

One of the biggest misconceptions about branding photos is that they have to come right at the end, once everything else in your business is finished.

In reality, planning your branding photos is often one of the earlier steps that helps bring everything together. It helps you slow down and think about how you actually want your business to show up, visually and emotionally.

If you’re already thinking about photos, that’s usually a sign you’re ready enough.

What “Planning a Branding Photoshoot” Actually Means

When people hear planning a branding photoshoot, they often imagine colour-coded spreadsheets, rigid shot lists, and hours of decision-making.

That’s not what this looks like.

Planning your branding photos is really about getting clear on a few simple things:

• How you’ll actually use the images
• What kind of feeling you want them to give off
• What matters most for your business
  

It’s not about scripting every pose or forcing your business into a box. It’s about setting things up so the shoot feels relaxed and purposeful, rather than rushed or random.It’s not something you’re expected to have sorted before you book. This is the kind of thing we talk through together when we’re planning your branding photos.

Start With How You’ll Use the Photos (Not What You’ll Wear)

Before we talk outfits or locations, the most helpful place to start is how you actually use photos in your business.

One really simple thing I often suggest to clients is to notice the moments where photos feel like the missing piece. Maybe you’re writing a social post and realise you don’t have an image that fits. Or you’re updating your website and end up hunting for stock images because nothing you have feels quite right.

When that happens, make a note of it.

You don’t need to solve it straight away or turn it into a perfect plan. Just jot down the kind of photo you wish you had. Over time, those little notes become really useful shot ideas and give us a clear picture of what’s actually missing.

It also helps to step back and ask a simple question: where are these photos actually going to be used?

For most small business owners, branding photos usually end up in places like:

• Website pages
• Social media posts
• Email newsletters
• Profile images across different platforms
• Canva graphics and other marketing material

When you start with usage, everything else becomes much clearer. You suddenly know whether you need a few strong, approachable portraits, wider images with space for text, more behind-the-scenes style shots, or photos that feel relaxed rather than overly polished.

This way of thinking takes the pressure off getting “the perfect photo” and shifts the focus to building a useful library of images you’ll actually come back to. Instead of guessing what might be helpful, you’re planning photos that support how you already run your business.

It’s Okay If Things Are Still in Progress

Your branding photos don’t exist in isolation. They’re part of the overall look and feel of your business, which is why they often sit alongside other work you might already have going on.

Most people come to a branding shoot with some parts already taking shape and others still in progress. You might have your logo and colours sorted, but your website is halfway there. Or you could be working with a web designer and have a good sense of how you want things to look, even if it’s not all finished yet.

That’s a really normal place to be.

Planning your photos can happen alongside the rest of that work, rather than waiting until everything feels “done”. Photos often help support the decisions you’re already making, instead of being something you add on at the very end.

If you’re working with a web designer, brand designer, or marketing support, I’m always happy to work in with them so everything feels cohesive, not disconnected.

You don’t need everything locked in. You just need a general sense of where you’re heading.

What to Bring to a Branding Shoot (Without Buying a New Wardrobe)

When people think about what to bring to a branding shoot, they often jump straight to outfits. And while what you wear does matter, it’s only part of the picture.

Just as important are the things that support how you actually work.

That might be your laptop, notebook, tools of your trade, products you sell, packaging, or even the everyday bits you naturally reach for during your workday. These sorts of props help tell a more complete story and make your photos feel like you, rather than something staged or generic.

Outfit-wise, you don’t need a brand-new wardrobe. A good starting point is to dress the way you would if you were meeting your best clients. Clothes you feel comfortable and confident in tend to photograph far better than anything you’ve bought just for the shoot. Bringing a few options gives us flexibility on the day without overthinking it.

This is all something we talk through ahead of time. During our planning chats and in the prep guides I send out, we cover both what to wear and what to bring, so you’re not left guessing or trying to figure it out on your own. The goal is always to make sure what you bring actually supports the photos you need, rather than just ticking boxes.

A Simple Branding Photoshoot Checklist (NZ-Friendly and Realistic)

If lists help your brain settle, here’s a very loose branding photoshoot checklist to guide you. This isn’t a rulebook, just a helpful nudge.

Before your shoot, think about:

• Where you’ll mostly use the photos
• A few outfit options that feel like you
• Any props you already use day-to-day (laptop, notebook, tools of your trade)
• The general feeling you want your photos to give off for your business

That’s it.

You don’t need to memorise poses. You don’t need to practise smiling in the mirror. You don’t need to have everything mapped out in advance.

How a Branding Shoot Is Planned When You Work With Me

When you book one of my Auckland branding photography sessions, you’re not expected to turn up knowing exactly what you want or how it should all work.

We plan things together.

That starts with talking through how you’ll actually use the images, where they’ll show up in your business, and what feels like it’s missing right now. From there, the shoot is shaped around your business, not a set template or a one-size-fits-all approach.

On the shoot day itself, you’re guided the whole way. There’s conversation, laughter, movement, and plenty of reassurance. It’s relaxed and flexible, even if being in front of the camera doesn’t come naturally to you.

But the support doesn’t stop once the photos are delivered.

After your session, you also get access to my Content Club, which is there to help you actually use your photos, not just store them away. This is where I walk you through things like:

• Getting your images loaded into your Canva brand kit
  
• Using your photos confidently in Canva designs
  
• Thinking through where and how to use your images across your website, socials, and marketing
  

For a lot of people, this is the missing piece. The photos are done, but the tech side or the “now what?” part feels overwhelming. That’s exactly where this support comes in.

The goal is always to make sure your photos slot into your business easily and make life simpler going forward, rather than becoming another thing you feel stuck on or unsure about.

If You’re Waiting to Feel Ready, This Is Your Gentle Nudge

Most people don’t wake up one day feeling suddenly confident, clear, and completely prepared for branding photos.

They book anyway.

They start the process. They take the next small step. And confidence usually follows after that, not before.

If you’ve been hovering in the “almost ready” space for a while, planning your branding photos might be exactly the thing that helps you move forward.

You don’t need to have it all sorted. You just need to start.

And if you’d like support along the way, I’m always happy to help you figure out what makes sense for your business and where you’re at right now.