Professional, approachable and fully herself: Marie’s personal branding shoot
Marie came to Unmuted looking for photographs for her new website.
As a trauma counsellor, she wanted her images to feel professional and approachable, giving potential clients a sense of the person they would be talking to.
She chose the Presence experience, and together we planned a shoot across the studio and lifestyle lounge to bring those qualities into her photographs.
A few nerves and a suitcase of clothes
When Marie arrived, she was feeling nervous. This was her first experience of a shoot like this, and she hadn’t been sure what to bring, so she brought a suitcase of clothes!
We went through her outfits together, choosing combinations and planning how each would work in the different settings.
You don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what to wear or how everything will come together. Choosing clothes, working out the settings and helping you feel comfortable are all things we can do together.
For Marie, that time gave us a starting point and a plan she felt happy with.
Settling into the shoot
As we began taking photographs, Marie became increasingly relaxed.
I guided her throughout, helping her with positioning, where to look and what to do with her hands. When you’re being photographed, those small instructions can make a big difference. You have something to follow, and you can start to enjoy yourself.
We also paused a few times to look at the images on screen together. I wanted Marie to see what we were creating and have the opportunity to tell me how she felt about them.
During the shoot, she said several times how much she was enjoying the experience, and how surprised she was by that. She hadn’t expected to enjoy being photographed. She told me the guidance and direction were really helpful and were making her feel confident.
That was lovely to hear, especially knowing how nervous she had felt when she first walked through the door.
Creating imagery for her new website
Throughout the session, we kept Marie’s work and her website in mind.
Her photographs needed to reflect her professionalism as a trauma counsellor while allowing her warmth to come through. We used the studio and lifestyle lounge to explore different settings, pairing these with the outfits we had chosen together.
This gave us variety while keeping a clear purpose behind the shoot: helping people get a sense of Marie before they make that first enquiry.
A personal boost, too
Towards the end of our time together, Marie was talking about buying shoots for her friends. She said every woman needed to experience this.
She had come for business photographs, but the experience itself had become something she wanted to share.
Her review afterwards captured that so beautifully.
In Marie’s words
“Yesterday I spent the most wonderful few hours with Michelle at OSS studio space having headshot photos.Its was a first for me and what a great fun time we had!Michelle made me feel comfortable, at ease and relaxed throughout the session and the quality of her work is outstanding!I would highly recommend this experience to anyone, not only for business reasons but also for a personal boost!If you have never had anything like this done I would urge you to embrace your inner model and give it a go. You will not only have a blast but also wonderful photos to treasure always.”Marie, Google review
If you’ve been putting off photographs for your business because you feel nervous or don’t know where to start, I hope Marie’s experience gives you a little encouragement.
You don’t need to know how to pose. Bring yourself, bring your outfit options, and we’ll work through it together. A suitcase is welcome, too.
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