Welcome Friend

Branding is about telling your story. It’s what you want people to know when you’re not in the room.

My approach to branding photography is extremely detailed and I’ll be doing a LOT of research and brainstorming prior to your session date. The photographs we make together should represent your brand the way YOU want to be seen.

It also helps the entire experience when you know what to expect and how to prepare.

I hope you’re just as excited to start planning as I am.

Let’s get started!

A woman wearing a teal top laughs to a person off-camera
Woman in jean jacket, navy blue dress, and black leather boots sits confidently on steps

Communication & Collaboration

You’re going to have lots of questions throughout the next few weeks as we plan your brand photos.
That’s entirely normal and expected.

As any questions come up, email is usually best. Keeping your messages in one spot helps me stay organized for you. However, I’m always happy to jump on the phone with you during weekday business hours as needed!

EMAIL ME HERE

I’m here for you.

3 Key Deadlines

Please keep in mind that I limit the number of branding sessions I take on so that I can deliver a quality experience. Delays might compromise the work that I need to do prior to your session and could possibly result in needing to delay your photos.

1

Questionnaire

I’ve likely already sent this to you. The more information you give me here, the better I can plan. I recommend doing a talk-to-text stream of conscious response. No one sees your answers but me…and I will never pretend to be an English teacher.

2

Location Reservation

Public locations often require permits applied for with at least 2-3 week lead time. More info below.

3

1:1 Strategy Call

Schedule a time to connect prior to your session date to finalize our plan, address questions/concerns, etc.

Schedule here

checklists

to help you plan

Right now – Complete your Questionnaire

It’s probably in your inbox right now. If not, it’ll arrive there within the next day or two.

The questionnaire can feel long, but it’s a list of questions to help me plan this session for you. Set your microphone on talk-to-text and pretend you’re talking to a very inquisitive friend.

Once you’ve completed your conversation…err questionnaire…I’ll get a notification. This is when I’ll start planning your session strategy including the shot list, a personalized what to wear guide, and the overall session flow.

Strategic Spark Guide - Method created by Maija Martin Photography of Chicago

Self Care, Hair/Makeup, & Wardrobe

Photos are an opportunity for extra self-care. Get your ZZZs. Drink lots of water. Exercise. Take the time to relax. Use hand lotion. All of this will help you look and feel your best.

Booking a hair/makeup artist? This is the time to schedule these appointments. Be sure to add in some buffer time before our start time. They often run longer than expected.

This is also the time to plan your wardrobe. A good rule of thumb is to have 3 outfits per hour of session time, unless you wear a uniform. You can also plan to swap out accessories and/or change up your hair to alter your look quickly. Changing your look will create greater longevity and variety in the photos we make.

Woman does yoga pose at North Avenue Beach in Chicago at sunrise

Finalizing details

  • Purchase any on-brand decor that you think could add to the background and/or be a good prop. (And keep the receipts, just in case.)
  • Drink lots of water – and minimize alcohol. (Trust me, it helps.)
  • Double check the location reservation. If it’s a public location, double check that there aren’t any surprise events happening during our session time.
  • Schedule your pre-session call – This allows us to go over the session plan and finalize the details.
Schedule your pre-session call
Receptionist hands client a bottle of Hinckley Springs water

Now is the time to:

  • Relax at those hair and nail appointments. (Your hands will likely be visible!)
  • Gather your outfits and accessories together – make sure everything is clean, ironed, and lint-free.
  • Clean your glasses so your beautiful eyes will shine through. (And be mindful if you have transitional lenses. My flash will make them transition.)
  • Purchase fresh flowers in your brand colors – these are great to have in the background decor.
  • Gather your go-to beverages and snacks for on set – These are great for true-to-life desk accessories and for props!
  • Gather any props or tools that you use to do your work so they are in one spot.
  • Double check traffic/parking situations at our session location so you can plan ahead.
Three fresh tulips with water droplets on a white marble backdrop

Location

Most people will want to have their session in their primary workspace. However, sometimes we need to go somewhere different. I’ve created a Crystal Ball to help you brainstorm location ideas. I’m also happy to help you find a location that meshes with our brand strategy and vision.

Maija’s Location Crystal Ball

Questions to keep in mind:

  • Is there ample natural light (big windows) throughout the space? (I always bring supplemental lighting, just in case though!)
  • Is there more than just one room or corner that feels brand-cohesive? I want your photos to serve you over the long term. The more variety we can get within a space creates greater longevity for your delivered visual gallery.
  • Does the space feel like a photo set or does it seem more organic/true to life?
  • If choosing a public location (ie hotel bar, landmark, public park) will we be dealing with passersby/tourists/etc?
  • What kinds of permits are required for the location? Many require an application submitted at least a 3 week lead time.
Woman with suitcase on moving walkway at O'Hare in Chicago

What to Wear?

Wear what you’d wear to meet with a client you want to impress.

Styling is not one-size-fits-all. For your branding photos to feel authentic, you’ve got to be YOU. If you’re not a fancy at work, then this is not the time to be fancy either. However, it can be fun to break out the party wear for a brand session sometimes too.

Create Variety

Bring multiple clothing options. Change up your hair during your photos. We’ll start the session with more polished and professional looks. The end of your session wil be the ore casual looks.

Infuse the colors of your brand

Dress in colors that compliment and/or infuse your brand colors.

Mind the details

Details are everything – hair, makeup, nails – They will all be noticeable in your delivered gallery.

use our session plan as a guide

Outfit choices should be inspired by the set of storylines we come up with for your shoot. (ie…you as a leader, you solving a problem for your clients, you as the yogi behind-the-scenes, you as a parent while running a business, etc.) Dress for your part in your story – BE YOU! I’ll be adding personalized suggestions into your guide on your strategy call too. (Did you schedule that yet?)

book your 1:1 Strategy Call
Woman in teal with a tan jacket leans into the camera and laughs
More Tips ~ Look Book

enhance your brand story with

Props & Accessories

Camera, laptop, ear buds, mic for podcasts, paintbrushes, tile samples, blueprints, meeting notes…whatever it is to do the work that you do.

Pro-Tip – Take screenshots of websites, branding materials, etc so that we’re not stumbling with internet issues, etc during your session.

If your business produces any sort of physical product, bring some of your favorite samples with you.

Do you have a client welcome magazine, brochures, or any templated tools you consistently use with clients? Bring them along!

Pro-tip – Make your images more flexible with your marketing over time. Bring a blank poster or other item that you can super-impose text on later. You’ll be able to use it again and again. We’ll use this for just 1 or 2 portraits to create greater variety.

Don’t feel the need to straighten up your desk/office too much! Remember the goal is authenticity. If we’re not at your workspace, we’ll want it to still feel like an actual space that could be used by you and not a photo set.

Gather items such as pencil cups, candles, pens/pencils/highlighters, Post-It notes, paperclips, tape, inspiration boards, small storage baskets, etc.

Any items you have throughout your space that are in line with the overall vibe of your brand. For example, if you surround yourself with greenery, let’s situate a potted plant for the background.

If your session is offsite in a rented space, such as through Peerspace, feel free to bring one or two framed pieces you love to help make the space feel more you. I’ll have 3M Command Hooks with me to temporarily hang art, as needed.

Be sure the flowers (and color) is on-brand. Flowers and plans make a great detail for in the background. Depending on our vision for your session, I may also use them to frame a photo and/or inject some of your brand color into an image.

Think balloons, confetti (remember we have to clean up after), bubbles, champagne, streamers, and more.

Woman with teal hair plays violin during a personal branding photography session

links

these have already been shared throughout this guide and/or In emails. Just keeping them together so you have them in one spot.
to do first:
Complete your questionnaire then
book 1:1 Strategy Call
start thinking:
Look Book Location Crystal Ball
Barefoot woman sitting in grass stretches legs in front of her with ankles crossed and looks over shoulder toward camera and laughs
Lisa Jindu of Streets of London Salon kicks her foot up behind her in her salon in Chicago

Let’s do this!

I’ll arrive to your session early. This allows everyone time to get into the brain space and ease the initial anxiety that so many people feel.

However, I have a few requests to make this a truly collaborative, constructive, and enjoyable experience:

  • Trust me. I probably will give you some surprising directions or ask you off-the-wall questions. It is all in my quest to help you drop your guard and find that inner spark that makes you beautiful.
  • Voice your ideas throughout this process! Creating your brand assets is always a collaboration. You know yourself and your visual needs the best. I want to hear from you!!

Once our session is over, you can give yourself a pat on the back! You are on the way to elevating your brand. I’ll be sending you a link to my after-session guide at that point. However, if you’re a planner or just excited, you can see it here:

After session guide