As a small business owner, your brand’s identity isn’t just about your products or services—it’s about how you connect with your audience and create connection from the very first impression. As a Richmond, Virginia brand photographer, with 10 years of experience, I’ve seen this effect work first hand. Professional brand images are one of the most powerful ways to communicate your message and build trust with your ideal clients. Whether you’re building your website, enhancing your social media, or working on marketing materials, the right brand photos can make a huge difference in how your business is perceived.

I’ll walk you through the 5 types of brand images that every business owner needs to authentically represent their brand and stand out in a competitive market. Some of these can be accomplished in a quick mini session or full day strategic photo session. Take an inside look at some of my favorites from Jaimee’s Luxury Realtor brand session.

1. Professional Headshots

Your face is often the first thing your potential clients or customers will see. A professional headshot gives your brand a human touch and establishes trust with your audience. It’s important that this photo is high-quality, approachable, and aligned with your brand’s personality.Wear clothing that reflects your brand’s style. Keep the background clean and simple, ensuring you’re the focal point of the image to easily be able to crop for different profile photo formates.

Pro Tip: A warm smile can go a long way in making you look both professional and approachable, but don’t’ be afraid to test out a more serious power pose if that matches your business persona!

2. Day-in-the-Life Action Photos

Showcasing the behind-the-scenes of your business with action shots adds an authentic, personal touch that allow your clients to feel of your process. These photos give people a glimpse into your day-to-day operations, whether you’re meeting with clients, preparing products, or working with your team. Day-in-the-life photos are powerful because they help humanize your business. This could be as simple as working from your computer, using your equipment, crafting with your hands or working with clients.

Pro Tip: Keep the lighting natural and authentic—think of a casual, “in-the-moment” vibe. These images should feel unposed and give your audience an insider’s look into your business.

3. Community or Group Photos

As business owners, even solo entrepreneurs, we are never truly in this alone. Showcasing interactions with other humans in your photos is one of the fastest ways to gain trust and create a familiarity feeling with potential customers. If you are part of a team, have friends who can join in as models or even pretending to FaceTime on your phone are great ways to show interaction. Get creative with angles to allow for these photos to be used in a variety of mediums. If you avoid faces and identifying features by showing off hands working together or over the shoulder shots. you can capture a ton of variety for your brand use.

Pro Tip: Posed photos with multiple team members, try to position people together with varying heights or seated in a staggered position to create deminsion. This always for a relaxed and candid portrait that appears friendly and approachable.

4. Personality Lifestyle Portraits

These are where the personality of YOU behind the business really shine! Lifestyle portraits are perfect for communicating the values, aesthetics, and overall vibe of your business. For example, if your business focuses on wellness or sustainability, you could showcase yourself in nature, practicing yoga, or engaging in activities that align with your brand. If you’re a coffee fan or avid reader you can have some of those props present in the background. They are a powerful way to emotionally connect with your audience and find common interest before every having to meet in person.

Pro Tip: When choosing a location for your brand shoot, think about this lifestyle aspect, if it would be better aligned for your brand to feature a cozy coffee shop work space, eclectic airbnb or a clean bright studio lobby.

5. Flatlays and Vignettes

These are often my clients favorite images, since it doesn’t require smiling at the camera. Flat lays and vignettes are styled images that focus on products, tools of the trade, or objects that define your business. These are perfect for photos overhead showing the chaos that goes into your work day, with papers, laptops and hands scattered. These are wonderful images to help fill in the gaps on your website or social media since the pair so well with text and help give your content variety and breathing room from only sharing people photos.

Pro Tip: When styling flatlays and vignettes, pay attention to color schemes, textures, and backgrounds to make the image visually appealing while reinforcing your brand’s aesthetic.

Brand photography is an essential investment for small business owners who want to create a visual identity that resonates with their audience. By including a mix of these 5 types of images, you can build a well-rounded, visual presence that instantly connects with your ideal clients to grow your business.

If you’re ready for a brand refresh, I would love to chat and start planning a strategic photo session that fills in the gaps for your business. Book your branding session HERE! 

Sometimes those image galleries can feel daunting. You know you need new photos for your business but have no idea how to implement them for success. Check out this freebie: 30 Content Ideas to Maximize your Brand Photos!

For inspiration on planning your next brand session check out: How to Include Your Business colors in your Next Branding Session!