Consistency in Your Brand Photography: Creating a Distinct Editing Style

It can be pretty tricky to create consistency in your brand photography portfolio while also honoring your clients' needs. On one hand, staying true to your brand as a photographer and creative is essential. However, on the other hand, brand photography is all about creating final edits that fully represent a client's brand, even if their style doesn't fully mesh with your own brand image.

So, how do you maintain your distinct photography style while serving your client's needs? In truth, it's always a delicate balancing act. Still, a few things have helped me create consistency within my brand photography portfolio.

TIPS FOR MAINTAINING CONSISTENCY IN YOUR BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Share the kind of work you want to attract.

You've probably heard this advice before, but it's an essential first step toward creating consistency in your brand photography. You should share only your very best work, true representations of your photographic style. By doing so, you'll attract clients who love your style as much as you do! Sometimes, I work with brands that require me to shoot in a more moody or colorful style than I typically use. However, I choose not to overshare those shoots because they aren't consistent with my brand.

2. Guide your clients through each step of the process.

As a photographer, you know what you're capable of and what you're not. So, my best advice is this: prep your client for a successful shoot. You know that location matters, lighting matters, and outfits matter. I can create consistency in editing and styles while catering to my client's brands because I let them know what works and what doesn't. I also send over welcome guides, location recommendations, my brand photographer's planning template, and schedule planning calls to discuss the logistics of each shoot.

3. Apply your basic preset to clients' proof galleries.

As a part of my workflow, I deliver a proof gallery within 72 hours of the client's shoot. Even though I don't fully edit the gallery until after the client selects their images, I do apply my base preset upon import. I also make sure the image is brightened up enough so the client can see what they are looking at. So, all my proof galleries give clients a good idea of what their images will look like once the edits are complete. In addition to cutting back on later editing requests, this always excites the client and encourages them to purchase more images!

Overall, it's entirely possible to create consistency in your brand photography edits. If you share your best work, guide your clients, and remember the importance of your proofing galleries, you'll find creating and maintaining a distinctive editing style much easier. For more resources and purchasable guides, be sure to check out my brand photographer's shop. Or, for one-on-one business advice, sign up for a mentor session here.