Stages of a Branding Photography Session Stages of a Branding Photography Session Stages of a Branding Photography Session
During my initial chat with my clients, I wait for the line. It’s always there. It goes something like this:
“I am not photogenic and never look good in photos, EVERRRRR. So, good luck with that”
The thing is, you can’t scare me, I’ve heard & seen it all.
But have you ever wondered what actually goes on in the heads of my clients, before during and after the sessions? I have! And because it is really important to me that I understand this part of the process and because I am fascinated by Psychology & the human brain, I always ALWAYS ask for in-depth feedback, not just testimonials.
Usually, my clients will approach me with varying degrees of fear, dread & hang-ups from previous experiences. They will usually hold the belief that the session will NOT be fun, it will be something they will need to suffer through, something they will have to endure in order to get to the end goal.
Over the years of reading client feedback, I have started to notice that everyone’s experiences seem to follow the same path. And it goes something like this:
STAGE 1: “I really need to get this done”
At this point, you are resigned to the fact that you NEED photos for your business, but you are still convinced that you are un-photogenic/unattractive/out of shape/allergic to photos/awkward AF. We spend time talking about this and working on un-doing these beliefs. We talk about how you came to believe these stories about you, and we plan out the stories you would like to tell about yourself instead.
STAGE 2: “Why am I doing this?”
At this stage of the process, possibly while you are getting dressed for the shoot, you are feeling a certain amount of shock, doubt, and fear, all rolled into one. You still know that this is something that you need & even want somewhere deep down. But voices in your head are persistent, saying things like “what were you thinking?”, “Who are you to have a photoshoot?” or“this is going to be PAINFUL like last time”. I am there to gently hold your hand and remind you that this session will be a fun, relaxed, creative experience and that you will not be doing anything that makes you feel like a douche-bag.
STAGE 3: “Ok, I’m going to try & enjoy it”
There’s no turning back now. The photo session is about to begin & you start to realise that the anticipation is actually worse than the real thing. We have planned everything in advance – your clothes, props, which shots you need, your location & the stories you want to tell during our session.
STAGE 4: “Ooh this is actually fun”
As my client, I will encourage you to show up as YOU; to come as you are. And as the session goes on, you will start to forget that I’m lifting my camera to my eye to capture something I’ve seen in you. You actually realize that you have NOTHING to stress about here – your only real job is to make the decision to enjoy yourself. To trust me & engage with me. All the rest is up to me.
STAGE 5: “What do you mean it’s over?! WHEN CAN WE DO THIS AGAIN?!”
One of the best parts of my job. You have shocked yourself by feeling comfortable, happy & ::gasp:: actually enjoying the session. I show you some shots from the back of my camera and you yell “Oh my goodness you’re amazing, I love them!!”, at which point my heart leaps out of my chest and does a backflip.
This is shortly followed by one of my most favorite parts – sending you your gallery link. You receive the link to your photo gallery; you pause and open it. You sit for a while and really, truly look at yourself. And slowly you realize how this has really changed the way that you view yourself. You realize that what started out as a thing on your to-do list that needed to be checked off, has become a precious & unexpected gift to yourself.
Closely following on the heels of this, is the other fave part- The feedback:
“You totally SAW me…”“I really feel my true personality shines out from each individual photo”“Sarah has a gift for really “seeing” her clients”“Not only did she make me feel totally at ease but I actually enjoyed it, like really enjoyed it.”“Sarah has an amazing ability to get shots of you looking your best even when you may be feeling your worst”“She sent me the images she captured and for the first time, it didn’t feel like I was looking at someone else. She captured ME.”“I was in a totally crappy place and dreaded the shoot but you made it amazing and made me feel human”“What I get to see, in these still photos, is a snapshot of what YOU see, without the internal noise.”
Yes. That’s right. What you will see is what we see in you, minus all the internal noise & inner critics. Come join me for a relaxed & custom-tailored photography experience where you will finally change the way you see yourself and the world sees you.
I believe in honesty, empathy, kindness, patience, deep connections & attention to detail. I believe in photos you can feel, in a spirit of fun & spontaneity, a sense of humor, and plenty of gin & tonic with ice and lemon.
Booking now for June & July sessions at various locations in Israel, so if this all sounds up your alley, book a call with me and let’s get started! https://calendly.com/sarahraanan/20-minute-work-with-me-consultation