Over the years I’ve had several photoshoots to create content for Lucky Bee. ???? I recently read a study where small business owners stated they’d be much more prone to hiring you if you used professional photos (NOT stock photos) in your marketing and on your website. It just looks so much more professional. It’s also important to put a face behind your company—why would anyone trust you if they don’t know what you look like?

For these reasons, I take branding photoshoots pretty seriously so that:

1. We get a lot of photos taken in a short amount of time
2. The photos & props exude my brand values: creativity, trustworthiness, and genuinety.
3. Outfits, props, etc. all match our overall “aesthetic”

I actually plan them out for weeks before they even happen!

I’ve worked with both Chelsea Photography and Studio KH in Minneapolis for branding photoshoots, and they were both incredible at executing my vision. For both of them, I made a powerpoint with inspiration photos + a list of my props and outfits so we were really ready to go when it came time for the photoshoot.

Whether you’re ready to invest in props or on a budget, here are some branding photo props for you!

On a Budget: Get Crafty

Time to get crafty! Throughout the years I’ve made many a trip to Michael’s and Joann Fabrics for some budget-friendly prop supplies.

Here are a few examples:

1. Cross-Stitched Bee

To subtly show off Lucky “Bee” & that we’re creative

2. Pom Poms (in our Brand Colors)

For texture & to show off our “fun” side. Here is a tutorial if you need one, they are so easy to make!

3. Bulletin Board/Collage

To represent the old fashioned way of “pinning” since we do Pinterest management for clients.

Here are some other crafts to consider:

• sewing
• painting
• collaging
• posters
• the limit is endless!

Use Things You Already Own or Use for Your Job

We can bet there are several props that you already use regularly that can show off what you do! Here a few ideas to get you thinking…

1. Laptop/iPad/Phone

These are easy active working shots! They may be not the most creative, but they’re super effective. Feel free to dress them up with a fun outfit or background! Also, we loved Studio KH’s idea of photoshopping our work into our phone.

2. Notebooks

Use a cute notebook that is “on-brand” for your style! You probably already own it!

3. Props You Use for Work

We often use our Pantone color book for branding projects. This was such a cute/fun prop!

4. Drinks

Are you feeling nervous or awkward to be in front of camera? Sometimes it helps to hold something. Many business owners use a cute coffee cup or a glass of wine to make it fun!

5. Magazines, Books, or Other Decor

We’ve designed magazines and books before, so adding in a magazine as a prop felt very natural. We also keep the disco ball in our office as decor.

Wear Your Brand Colors

Clothing & accessories like earrings and hats can easily be used as branding photo props. You also get to keep and wear them afterwards!

For this photo you’ll notice that my legs are actually the props, lol. I found the pants online and I actually wore these boots when I eloped.

Ready to Invest? Buy Props with Your Logo

Here are some companies that will make custom clothing, stickers and other props:

Sticker Mule (cheapest prop)

I got these stickers with our logo during a sale. It’s such a fun photo!

Neon Sign (More Expensive Prop)

This was definitely more spendy, but now I use it as decor in my home office. I think it makes us look super professional, too! If you want one made, we highly recommend working with this Etsy shop.

Clothing

We love ordering from Printful & Printify for custom sweatshirts, t-shirts and more.

One More Piece of Advice for Branding Photoshoots

Obviously you can see that bringing props can add a lot of variety to your photos, but that leads to the problem of transporting all these things to your photoshoot location. There’s so much to carry! We highly recommending putting all of your outfits, accessories and props into a laundry basket—it’ll be so much easier to bring everything inside and dig it out when you’re in between poses!