Today, we are going to talk about the fun part in every photo session — props. You will also discover the pros of props as a branding photography tool
Props play a significant role in your session and in your overall social media presence. Today, I will give you my top five reasons to use them and why you need to curate your props.
#1 Choose your props wisely.
You want props that align with your brand, communicate your message, and tell your story. You want props that say to your clients who you are, why you are different, and what you are all about. It helps set you apart and make you stand out from the crowd. So don’t miss the opportunity to add props as one of your branding tools. It helps you with your messaging.
#2 Props give you a chance to talk about something specific in your post.
As a photographer, I could incorporate my camera bag, camera, lenses, laptops, lighting tools, and other work tools. Each prop allows me to speak to a particular aspect of my business and educate my future clients. I don’t want to be all business, though. I could also incorporate some more fun elements into my sessions, such as bold colors, a coffee mug with a joyful saying, sunglasses, and bubbles. These elements communicate my overall shooting style’s lively tone and allow me to talk about that to future clients.
#3 Allow you to incorporate your personal side and talk to more specifics in your online presence
A photo of your favorite book will give you a chance to speak about why it’s your favorite book, how it impacted your life, and what you hope it will do for your audience. Other ideas include journals, a coffee mug, a favorite saying, a branded water bottle, your favorite flowers, fitness equipment, a yoga mat, and other fun things like that.
#4 The most significant reason why you need props.
Props give your hands something to do when taking your photo. When a branding client gets in front of the camera, it can feel awkward at first to know what to do. That’s why it’s important to use props as one of your branding tools as it gives your client’s hands a job! Now they have a purpose.
The most notable element of a stiff or uncomfortable photo is misplaced hands or an awkwardly held pose with your hands. When your hands are busy holding a mug, that gives them a purpose. Now that they have a job, your brain is focused on that job, and it allows you to convey a more relaxed look in front of the camera.
I promise, props make all the difference, and each time my client has something in their hands, they see a noticeable improvement in their photos!
#5 Props equal content creation.
Props allow you to maximize the time and number of images from your branding photo session. Switching out a coffee mug for a water bottle takes mere seconds, and we’ll give you a completely different appearance. Posting various props in your social media feed will also allow you to discuss your post and more content for you to share regularly with your audience.
Again, we can photograph images of just your props, which gives provides us with endless detailed shots. These shots change up your social media feed’s overall look and feel and will give you a break from always being in the camera.
I hope these help you see the value of curated props for your branding photography session in a future post. I will be talking about specific, branded props, my favorite way of collecting them and share all my favorite links for how you can get your branded props, too.
SENIOR | FAMILY | TEENS | BRANDING
Shelly Niehaus Photography is a Boise, ID-based branding and headshot photographer. Shelly specializes in professional headshot photography, personal branding photography and lifestyle photography. Shelly serves the greater Treasure Valley area including Boise, Meridian, Eagle, and Nampa.
[…] 4. Choosing your brand props. […]