How to Take Website Photos You Are Proud Of - Classy Career Girl

How to Take Website Photos You Are Proud Of Your brand image is very important. When you are putting together a website, it is important to make sure you spend a lot of time on your website photos. Your photo is how your viewers are going to connect with you and start to know, like and trust you. That profile photo is how they are going to determine if they will do business with you. The first impression is very important when you meet someone in person and also when they happen to land on your website. If you are  ready to take website photos that you are really proud of, heres a handy checklist to help you stand out and be trusted: Step 1: Study magazines Buy magazines and study the backgrounds and poses of the models. Also, study the props the models are using for ideas. Have these images handy during your photo shoot and send them to your photographer before the shoot so he/she knows what type of photos you want for your website. You can also send them examples of other website photos that you like. Step 2: Have a theme I once did a photo shoot with no plan and I was not very happy with the photos. The second time around, I got really clear on exactly what I wanted for my website. And guess whatthe photos turned out exactly how I wanted them to be! Write down the answers to these questions before the shoot: 1) How do you want others to feel when they see your website photos? 2) People can relate to stories. What story do you want to tell with your website photos? 3) What environments will help you create that story? Make sure you send these 3 questions to your photographer before the big day! Step 3: Find the very best lighting If you are taking photos inside, try to find a place with natural light. You don’t need fancy equipment. If you are taking photos outside, do it 2 hours before the sun sets. Step 4: Pick your colors Don’t just wear anything from your closet. It’s now time to make a decision and plan out your color scheme. Pick 3 colors you want your website to have. This will make outfit picking much easier. (Feel free to head to the mall during this step). Step 5: Pre-plan your looks and locations I recommend having three outfits ready to go. What is going to make you feel great and confident? If you feel great, you will take better photos. What are you most comfortable in? If you don’t wear pants normally, don’t wear a pantsuit in the photo shoot. Wear what you love. You also probably want a formal dress shot, and then maybe a more comfortable shot. Whatever matches your style, do it. Step 6: Plan Your Props! Hundreds of photos of just you might be a bit boring. Props make photos fun and give you lots of variety for your shoot. They also allow you to show off your personality more and allow the reader to connect with you more. Here are some ideas of props that I used: -Coffee cup -Candle -Magazines/Books -Journals -Calendars/Post-it notes -Purses/Shoes/Necklaces -Baby toys (for the working mom theme -Flight safety instructions for my dream career launch theme. Remember to add props for your theme! -Flowers -iPads, computers and phones, Balloons -Ice cream cone Step 7: Book Your Appointments Ok, we are women. There’s a lot to do to make us look our best and feel as confident as possible! Here are some appointments you might want to consider: -Hair cut/highlights/color -Hair Blowout -Manicure/pedicure -Fashion Help (some stores like Nordstrom offer this for free!) -Makeup (Remember department stores offer this too!) Hope this helps, let us know how your photos turn out!