5 Questions to Ask Your Client for a Successful Personal Branding Shoot

Aug 28, 2024

Louise Downham

A woman with blonde hair is sitting at a desk wearing a headset with a microphone. She's smiling and looking at a laptop screen. A webcam is positioned on top of the laptop, indicating she might be on a video call or virtual meeting. — Photo for a presentation coach, on a training call with her client

Asking your client the right questions gives you a massive head-start in delivering a successful brand shoot. Here are 5 questions that I ask every client, which I find lay the ground for a productive and effective shoot.

1. What Are All the Services Your Business Offers?

Finding out about all the services your client provides means you can capture content for each service, making the shoot more valuable to the client. Asking this question shows that you understand their business has intricacies that may not be obvious to an outsider, and that you’re committed to really understanding their work. Discussing what makes their business unique helps to build rapport between you and your client, as well as guiding the kind of shots you’ll take for them.

2. Where Will You Use Your Brand Photos?

Knowing if the photos will be used on a website, on LinkedIn, Instagram or marketing materials means you can be mindful of the formats you’re shooting in. If it’s almost entirely for a website, then landscape format photos are likely to be more useful. If it’s mostly for Instagram, then portrait format shots will be best. Of course, it’s always sensible to still take a mix, as their plans may change later on – having a variety of images provides flexibility for the future.

A woman with long, curly hair stands smiling in a garden. She is wearing a black top, a colorful floral shawl, gold hoop earrings, and sunglasses resting on her head. The background features lush green foliage and a wooden fence. — Photo for a graphic designer, who needed brand photos for her pitch deck

3. How Would Your Ideal Client Describe You?

This question gives you a great insight into how the clients see themselves and how they want to be seen. Both of these are key to taking really meaningful brand photos. The answers to these questions can provide a very useful steer on the qualities your client would like captured, and help you ensure you’re taking photos that will be well received.

A woman with curly hair, dressed in a white blouse, is sitting on a gray chair, attentively listening to another person with blonde hair whose back is turned to the camera. The background is dark, creating a focused atmosphere. — Photo for a therapist, who wanted to show their compassionate side

4. Have You Had a Brand Shoot Before, and How Did You Find It?

Finding out your client’s previous experience can be a great way of seeing how to improve those issues in their experience with you. Knowing which shots they loved and which ones they didn’t will make your shoot more efficient – there’s no point shooting content you know your client won’t like or use.

5. Do You Have Any Insecurities About Your Appearance or How You Look in Photos?

Depending on the client, this can be easier answered beforehand or in person – I usually find in-person works best. Knowing what worries a client about their appearance means you can minimize that in the shots – both by choosing flattering angles for those body parts, but also when it comes to the image cull. If you know a client is sensitive about their arms, for example, and a photo isn’t particularly flattering on the arms, there’s no sense in keeping that photo in the selection.

I often find clients are anxious about things you’d never expect, and wouldn’t spot yourself just by looking at them. People really are their own worst critics! Hopefully your photos will not only downplay any issues they’re anxious about but also give your client a renewed sense of confidence as they see the best version of themselves in their brand photos.

A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair is smiling gently at the camera. She is wearing a black short-sleeve top and has her left hand resting lightly on her neck. The background is simple and neutral, focusing attention on her expression. — Photo from a brand shoot with a pilates instructor

Asking your client these questions will give you an insight into their values, aspirations, and their personality. Knowing this will help you to take photos that really resonate with your client’s target market, and that your client will love.

About the author: Louise Downham is a personal branding photographer based in London. You can find more of her work on her website, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

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