Episode 19: The Value of Investing in Professional Photos for Your Business with Kiley Brinson

Jun 14

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Alyssa Lang interviews Kiley Brinson, the Founder of Kiley Shai Photography who is a personal branding photographer and coach, on how to elevate your business’ branding by leveraging a brand photoshoot. Alyssa and Kiley deep dive into the process of a brand photoshoot, Alyssa shares her experience working with Kiley and Kiley breaks down what to expect, the process and some golden nuggets to DIYing your own photoshoot till you have the budget to hire a photographer.

In this episode you’ll hear:

Why you should consider getting professional photos taken for your business
Benefits of visual content for your business and how it can elevate your brand
How to choose the right photographer for your personal branding
What to expect of the photoshoot process
Where to us your photoshoot photos to build your companies branding

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You’ve seen her work alllll over my Instagram and website, but you probably didn’t know it! She’s amazing and bubbly and works exclusively with boss babes. Kiley Shay is my brand photographer and has the BEST energy and makes me feel SO confident when I worked with her in my brand shoot!

Today we’ll dive into all things :

Importance of a brand photoshoot and what that process looks like
Her recommendations on clothing, timing, and locations
Great tips for how to take your own pics before you’re able to hire a brand photographer

Ready? Let’s find out how photography can level up your brand AND help you show up authentically in your business.

Why Do You Need A Brand Photographer?

Kiley is my very own hype-woman, who always makes me feel confident, celebrates my business, and me as a woman. See all those gorgeous photos all over my website? I have Kiley to thank for every single one of them!

She's a personal brand photographer who loves female business owners. She helps us stand out in the industry and is thinking about branching out from photographer to coach right now. She wants to help women shine authentically in their branding.

We've all had that awkward headshot moment. Where it’s just us standing in front of the camera in an awkward solid-colored blazer or tie, and you can see the fear in your own eyes when you see the end result. (Been there — we’ve gotta start somewhere!)

So when you start to feel like your brand needs an upgrade, photos are a GREAT place to start!

My photos were taken TWO years ago, and I still post them all the time. She chose three different locations and WAY over delivered on the amount of photos she was able to provide me. Which is why I can use these pictures for so long without recycling the same things over and over again.

Kiley says her marathon sessions, where she offers multiple places to shoot, can either invigorate and give everyone the best vibe— or wipe clients out. It’s a lot of energy to shoot for 4-5 hours straight in multiple places. But seriously, I’m still using these pictures years later and have saved myself hours of time reshooting them. It’s a lot, but to batch that content is AMAZING.

Brand photographers focus on shooting people to help build a business. And trust me, you’re going to want that!

There’s regular portrait photographers out there. And I’m sure they’re great. But you know my main motive in life is all things time-saving. So why do it if you’re going to use a selfie on your phone? Or a friend who takes pictures in the backyard. Don’t waste time, money, and energy on photos that won't elevate or help your business. Take the leap, jump in, and invest in your business so that you can utilize these photos.

Getting Started With A Brand Photographer

How can you start with a brand photographer? According to Kiley, showing up authentically is the MOST important thing you can do. You know I sing this song often, but you just have to embody who you are. Brand photography can be the perfect first step in that process.

Firstly, get clear. Get clear on who you are and what makes you stand out from other bookkeepers and accountants. Do you need to know your colors and font preferences to hire a branding photographer? Not always. You mostly need to know who you are. Get super clear on how you want to “show up.”

(That’s another perk of batching this content on these long marathon days. Kiley suggests showing up how you are and getting those photos, as well as considering your future goals for the shoot. See a podcast in your future? Buy a mic and bring it!)

In terms of getting clear, find a photographer that aligns with your goals. A family photographer and wedding photographer isn’t going to have the strategy to dive into your brand and shoot with your future self in mind.

Before you hire a photographer, don’t be afraid to ask for a portfolio to make sure your outcome matches the photos they’ve produced for others. You don’t want to work with someone who loves to shoot in a bright and vibrant way when you’re looking for a moody serious vibe.

What to Do When You’re Camera Shy

I have my own body insecurities. (What human doesn’t?!) And I felt that fear of putting money into something and hating how these pictures look. That was something that totally sold me on working with Kiley and one of the reasons I still suggest her to people. Because she has a super detailed intake form that allowed me to lay out all insecurities I had so she could do the shoot in a way that made me feel comfortable. Bottom line: When you’re choosing a photographer, ensure you’re clear on what makes YOU feel your best.

“What is your favorite thing about yourself? Do you have a preference on the side of your face you prefer to take photos from?” If your photographer doesn’t ask these questions, tell them! — Kiley’s advice on communicating with your photographer during the before hiring them.

Tips To Make The Most of Your Photoshoot

Outfits. Props. Settings. Makeup and hair. Yeah, that’s a lot to think about. So if you’re getting ready to revamp your brand, give yourself enough time to make appointments (hair, nails, etc.) and choose the on-brand outfits you want to wear during the shoot.

I still can’t believe how much I’ve used these pictures over the years!! Because there were so many locations, settings, and props— I can completely justify this investment that I made two years ago. Not only with the actual payment of pictures, but the huge day of shooting, the time, and the mental bandwidth it took.

Kiley’s Tips For Looking Confident On Camera

Confidence. It may be cliche but man…. showing up is taking action. Showing up is confidence in action. It’s a confidence that you believe in yourself enough to invest in your business.

Practice in the mirror. Practice posing. Watch videos of people posing. Dance and make yourself laugh. For real. Practice before the day!
Dress comfortably. Don’t buy an outfit you’d never wear in real life. Wear what you love. When you’re comfortable, it shines through. You don’t have to wear a crazy boa (Unless it aligns with your brand and you WANT to!). But if you’re a jeans and a blazer babe— jeans and a blazer it up. Start in your closet. What do you normally wear? What makes you feel good? Start there.
The bookkeeping industry has a reputation of being dull, but that’s not you! Show up in your brand photos the way you would show up in real life. THAT authenticity’s what makes potential clients want to work with you!
Find someone who brings out the vulnerable side of you. Someone who makes you feel safe. If you’re not comfortable during the shoot, that’s going to shine through in all of the pictures. Building a relationship with who’s going to take your picture can help the day go smoothly!

Remember, you are uniquely and beautifully made. That mindset will translate into your business and hurdle you into a better and more authentic place in business through professional brand photos. Wanna hang out with Kiley on Instagram? Go check out all of her AMAZING work and get some inspiration for your own shoot!

About our guest:

Kiley Shai is a personal branding photographer & photography coach for the bubbly ambitious #bossbabes of the world! Not only does she help female business owners build their brand presence & stand out in their industry through photography, but she also get to help other photographers who want to pivot into branding, build their dream life & business doing the same!

Connect with Kiley Brinson:

Follow her on Instagram: @kileyshaiphotography

Send Kiley an email: kileyshaiphotography@gmail.com

Check out her website: https://www.kileyshaiphotography.com

Thanks for listening. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram stories and tag me, @workflowqueen

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