by Sarah Wills
London is such a great backdrop for a personal brand shoot. There are so many great locations, from iconic London sites and bustling streets to hidden gems and beautiful green spaces. There is something for everyone. And even though I have called London my home for over 15 years I’m always discovering new spots with my clients.
I’m a big believer that shoot locations should be personal and have meaning to my clients. It helps tell a story about you, where you live, your lifestyle and what you do. It helps your audience to connect with you.
I met Jennifer online during lockdown two or three years ago (lockdown time seemed to move
differently to real time so I’m not 100% sure how long ago it was). We met in the lovely Affinity Women’s Networking Facebook group (link below if you want to check it out) and I’ve attended a couple of her workshops. So I was excited to be asked to help her with her new brand photos and also to finally meet in person!
In November we met outside the British Library, as a writing coach and author it’s one of Jennifer’s favourite London haunts, so it seemed like the perfect spot to start.
What were the goals for Jennifer’s brand shoot?
Before the shoot we caught up over zoom to chat about her brand, what she wanted to achieve
from the shoot and how she would be using the final photos. I always include these planning calls in my packages, it’s such a great way for us to connect before the shoot, get to know each other and plan out what we want to achieve. Jennifer’s aim was for the photos to:
Show me and the generally calming and supportive vibe of my coaching.
Along with some nice portraits Jennifer also wanted some shots of her at work, and some photos to show her personality and hobbies so that her audience could get to know her better.
What did the shoot entail?
My priority is for my shoots to be stress free and relaxed, so no rushing around, or awkward
posing just to get ‘the photo’. Feeling comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera always
translates to more natural photos that show the real you. And as Jennifer was keen to get photos that reflected the calm and relaxed vibe of her business, taking our time and keeping things relaxed on the day was so important.
We met at the British Library, taking the time to get some relaxed portraits outside, took a stroll
from Kings Cross down to Fitzrovia, stopping for coffee and photos at a few spots on the way. We chatted about books and cats (two of my favourite things and thanks Jennifer for the book
recommendations!) and found a lovely little square and a coffee shop along the way for some photos. By the end of the shoot we found ourselves near Soho and decided to reward ourselves with a drink and a bite to eat! See some of the final images from the shoot below.
To find out more about Jennifer and her work visit her website
Affinity Women’s Networking website and Facebook page
Interested in booking a brand shoot? Contact me for a chat
On the day, even though we were in the middle of a busy city, she brilliantly captured images that embody the calm and quiet vibe I was going for – people get worked up over writing, but I work with my clients to make writing easy. The photos I use on my website and in my marketing need to show that – thanks to Sarah, they do!
Dr Jennifer Jones