How to communicate your brand through the screen

Hiding behind a logo is a thing of the past. Today, people want to know the face behind the brand.

In this video you’ll learn 5 key secrets to creating visuals that make your brand stand out through the screen:

Know your brand personality. What is the tone and energy of your brand, and what emotions are you trying to evoke in your audience?
Know what types of photos you want before you start shooting. Have examples of exactly the kinds of photos you want to capture, so you’re not capturing the same photos over and over.
Always start with the end in mind and know exactly what you want these photos used for. Are they for your website? Instagram? Your product page? Have a clear game plan and create a shot list before you get on set.
Brand yourself inside your shoot by putting yourself front and centre. Don’t forget to incorporate your brand colors!
Bring a team the day of the photoshoot. It’s important to have, at the very least, a professional photographer and stylist, or merchandiser, to make the day run smoothly and for your brand to shine through the screen.

Hi, my name is Wendy Bryan and I am a personal brand strategist speaker and coach. I have a brand consultancy where I help business owners amplify their credibility and their visibility through social media by using their visuals as a powerful communication tool. So why does this matter. Right now listen, you're living in an unprecedented time. People can't always see you hear you or interact with your brand.

So it's so important right now that you're able to convey who you are and your message through the screen. Branding has always been at the forefront of culture because it builds longevity a sense of belonging and trust. I want you think of some of the brands that you know think of Nike and the running club that they created. Think of Rihanna and all of the extension brands that she has with fenty in the laundry.

Today more than ever, people want to know who is the face behind the brand being a logo and hiding behind it is a thing of the past. So today I'm going to share with you the five key secrets that you can do to have your brand stand out through the screen. So listen, you never date anyone without a personality would you.

So I don't expect you to be able a brand without one either before you get started, you need to be able to answer two very important questions. One, what is the tone and energy of your brand. And number two, what emotions are you trying to evoke with your audience. For example, how are you trying to create a feeling of silly and fun or natural and classic or glamorous or cheeky or bold or exciting whatever it is.

The point is you have to know what you want people to feel when they see your photos. So here's a tip. Create a storyboard for the day that you can share with your team and have those juicy words sitting front and center. So everybody knows what you're trying to achieve. Need some inspiration. Visit Pinterest.

It is an excellent resource. So before every shoot me and my photographer not only go through the shot list we actually go through real examples of what I to look like I'm talking angles. I'm talking poses.

I'm talking lighting because I would love it if she could read my mind. But that's not actually the case. So a picture is worth a thousand words. Have an example of exactly the type of shot you are trying to capture. So how do we do this. We create something called the playbook. Now the playbook has everything in it, from the energy those juicy words we were talking about the type of tone the ambiance but it also has my brand colors in there.

It has actual examples of the types of shots that I want. And I want to make sure that we don't miss. So this is how you bring variety and interest to your photos. So you're not capturing the same thing over and over again hashtags nor am I right. What are these photos going to be used for.

You need to know that before you get started because there's nothing worse than having a photo shoot to just have a photo shoot. Anybody got time for that. You want to know what angles you need. What sizes, you need. You need it for your website. Do you need it for social media. You need to know all of this planet before you ever get started. For example, I love me a b hero shot when you land on a website.

But you have to plan for that. And the best way to do that is to create a shortlist for your photographer. So they know ahead of time exactly what you're trying to capture. Here's an example of the shortlist that I use with my photographer and listen. Your shot list is going to be different from my shot list. But the point is you can't be just in there shooting shots all Willy nilly.

You want to have a very distinct plan for you and your photographer to keep you on task and keep you on time. So for example, if you are a service based business. Here are five examples of ones I always have. Number one, the classic headshot. Number two a shot that really showcases your personality. Because like I said before, people want to know who is the person behind the business. Number three is you want to have that juicy.

Wide angle hero shot that I was talking about earlier. Number four you want to have one that showcases social proof. What social proof that's showing a photo of someone using your product or your service. And number five you want to have a busy at work shot showing the behind the scenes of you working on your business. So here's a tip no matter what you're using these photos for make sure that your photographer is always shooting in the highest resolution and shooting in raw.

So let's talk about adding the human element to your photo shoot. I'm talking about you as I mentioned earlier. It's more important than ever to see the person behind the brand. It's not about just being a logo anymore. It's about creating likability and trust. It's time to put your best polished foot forward because when you look your best you feel the best.

And that is conveyed in your photos. So here's what I want you to do number one pick in outfit that really makes you feel amazing. Like really has you come alive inside or at minimum makes you feel like a superstar. Number two, where your brand colors you spent all of this time and energy creating them. So put them to use pig pieces that represent your brand or at least complement it.

So these photos can sit seamlessly on your website or on your social media feeds. Number three don't wear anything too fussy or that makes you feel uncomfortable or makes you feel inauthentic like it's not really you. If you're not somebody who's rocking those high heels. Then you need to wear them. If running shoes are your jam then that's what I want to see you in because if you're uncomfortable.

It will come through in the photography, and number four. I want you to remember your brand personality. Wear something that conveys the energy and tone of the day. Please bring a team. It is hard enough to plan the shoot.

Direct the shoot be present in the shoot. You need other eyeballs there you need other hands. And if you are feeling stressed and scattered that will come through in your photos. So here is a list of people that I bring on all of my shoots to ensure the integrity of the shoot is always there number one, of course, the photographer. Number two, the stylist.

Number three, a makeup artist. Number four a video logger fur. And number five a merchandiser. But listen, you don't want to have this entire team if you're just getting started. But you do need to have these two critical team members. Number one a photographer who has worked in branding before they've done this before. This is not their first rodeo.

And they've worked with your product or service number two a stylist or merchandiser with a keen eye for detail. So if you haven't worked with a stylist or merchandiser before, let me tell you a little bit about what some of them do. They make sure that not a hair is out of place. They do everything from steaming clothes polishing surfaces. So you could just focus on you being you and keeping the integrity of the shoot in place.

So let's recap secret number one, know your brand personality secret number two. Start with the end in mind secret number three know the types of photos, you need before you get started. Secret number four brand yourself inside of the photo shoot and secret number five bring a team. These are the five key secrets that you need in order to have your brand stand out onscreen.

Thank you so much for joining me. I can't wait to see you it out online and fill those juicy photos that your brand deserves. In the meantime, check out some of the other amazing content right here on Shopify compass. See you soon.

It’s important to know ahead of time what photos you need for your website. Review your theme to identify where you could put a bold image. View your store theme.

Get inspired and pull examples of the kinds of photos you want from stock websites like Burst. Start finding examples for your Playbook.

Focusing mainly on product photos first? Learn how to take production photography on your own in this course. Start learning about Product Photography for Ecommerce.