A balanced image content portfolio
When looking to create a comprehensive image portfolio…
Show how you serve while also getting personal, too.
As an expert, you’re in the business of solving people’s problems.
You’re also in the business of building relationships.
So, how do you create image content to serve both purposes?
Keep in mind 2 primary objectives during your branded lifestyle portrait session.
Capture lifestyle scenarios that show your audience what your professional and personal worlds look like.
This combination will paint a much broader picture for those you serve, which allows them an opportunity to qualify whether or not you’re a fit to help them.
This two-pronged approach to creating a diverse and comprehensive image content portfolio was on top of mind during a recent session with Lisa.
I’ve worked with her on several occasions over the past few years, but we’ve, up until this point, conducted her lifestyle sessions in neutral locations such as coworking and hotel/resort spaces.
For this round, we wanted to create a closer-to-home vibe, so we shot a portion of the session in her home as she recreated aspects of her day-to-day life in front of the camera.
Specifically, we wanted to capture her doing her thing in her home library, where she writes, brainstorms ideas, reads and meditates.
These specific images would create an added, personalized wrinkle in her overall portfolio to give her audience a fly-on-the-wall look into what that part of her world looks like.
Then, we turned our attention to creating visual assets that would help support the visual storytelling of the professional side of her life.
In past sessions, I’ve photographed a slew of visuals that are used to help promote the keynote speaking and consulting side of her business.
However, there was one glaring omission:
Lisa has spent over 2 decades in the construction world as an OSHA safety certified incident investigator.
We’re talking hard hats, reflective vests, steel-toe boots and clipboards, folks.
As a result, grabbing candid photos of her engaging in this type of environment became another priority to capture during her time in front of the camera.
So, how did we do?
I have to say, it was pretty cool walking onto a random construction site and using the space in the way we did. Fortunately, we didn’t get thrown off the property :)
It was also cool to be in her home for the first time and actually SHOW people how she spends a portion of her day.
One point to mention about the personal side photos:
You don’t need to show your audience everything.
Only focus on those areas that you’re comfortable sharing, while also understanding how to create stories that compliment these images in a way that offers a teachable moment to those you serve.
I share a lot myself - but not everything. And neither should you.
But don’t ignore that side entirely. These photos resonate with your audience in a different way - it creates relatability with them and proves that you’re not some type of an untouchable superhero that lives in a lair built in the side of a mountain.
You’re a human being…that reads with bare feet just like them :)
Keep this professional/personal dynamic in mind before your next branded lifestyle portrait session.
It will go a long way to build a more engaged audience that wants to learn more about how you can get them past what’s holding them back.
For more visual storytelling strategies and insights for experts, I’ll talk your eyes off through my blog. Sign up to receive them directly in your inbox, and if you have any questions, set up a time to chat with me and then I’ll talk your ears off, too :)