Personal Branding: Imagery vs. Headshots

Don’t confuse PERSONAL BRANDING imagery with HEADSHOTS!

What’s the diff you ask?

Headshots are promotional images, which typically focus on the person (i.e a shot of the head and shoulders). Headshots tend to be geared more towards corporates than creatives and are used for promotional purposes rather than as a way of showcasing your true personality.

Personal Branding images on the other hand are images that tell the story of who you are, what you do and how you do it. They should be an authentic representation of your personality with the main aim: to give your ideal customers/clients a chance to get to know you and therefore form a deeper connection with YOU and your BRAND.

Unlike headshots, personal branding imagery doesn’t always need to incorporate your face in the image. Try to get creative and think about different ways that you can tell the story of YOU and your BRAND.

A great example of this, is a recent shoot I did with the lovely Kimberly from @k.rae.designs

During my preparation (aka stalk fest) for Kimberly’s shoot, I noticed that Kimberly often made mention of her tattoos in her ABOUT ME / SELF INTRODUCTORY posts on her socials. Kimberly’s tattoos hold meaning for her and are an important part of who she is, so we made sure that we included her tattoos in some of her imagery.

Personal Branding imagery like this is a great way to engage with your audience as it allows you to start a conversation about shared interests, experiences, likes/dislikes, values, hopes and dreams. Your audience LOVES getting to know YOU and all the things you have in common with them!

Now I have a challenge for YOU! Can you think of something unique, quirky, meaningful about yourself that you could incorporate in your Personal Branding imagery? Let me know below, I’d love to hear from you!