In the dynamic world of marketing, authenticity is the golden key that unlocks the hearts of your audience. And what better way to achieve this than through personalized lifestyle stock photos? Yes, it does take extra effort, time and financial investment to plan your own photo session, but personalised images certainly trumps generic stock photos any day. Check out why here. Crafting a shoot that resonates with your brand identity and connects with your audience requires careful planning and thoughtful execution. We have done similar photo sessions for our clients across various industries, such as Genting Resorts World, Shell, Monash University, GBG, Avanade, KEX Express and Pacific Senior Living.
So if you are planning to organise a session soon, here’s your comprehensive guide to planning a personalized lifestyle stock photo shoot for your next marketing campaign.
Define Your Brand Story
For a big corporate organisation, the brand story is already clear, and usually comes with a comprehensive brand guide for creatives like us to understand. But if you are just starting out, get to the heart of your brand. What story do you want to tell? Define your brand personality, values, and the emotions you want to evoke. This clarity will guide every aspect of your photoshoot, from locations to wardrobe choices.
Understand Your Target Audience
To create images that truly speak to your audience, you must first understand them. What are their lifestyles, aspirations, and pain points? Tailor your shoot to resonate with your target demographic, ensuring that the images reflect their realities and desires. It’s important to understand the purpose of each photo session, as you might be creating images for various purposes. For example, Monash University could potentially have prospective students, parents and academic professionals as their target audience. The images could look very different if they had specific campaigns targeting different audiences.
Create a Detailed Shot List
Crafting a shot list is like creating a roadmap for your shoot. Consider the various scenarios you want to portray and the emotions you want to evoke. Think beyond just product shots; showcase your products or services in real-life situations that your audience can relate to. For example, some images that would relate to a logistics company like KEX Express include photos of staff in the office or warehouse, satisfied customers receiving packages, vehicles en-route to their destination and more.
Choose the Right Locations
Beyond the obvious choice of your office location, you could possibly think of locations that align with your brand story and resonate with your audience. Perhaps you want to portray the idea of a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle to promote your wellness services. Whether it’s a cozy coffee shop, a bustling city street, or a serene nature spot, your backdrop should seamlessly integrate with your brand narrative.
Select the Perfect Models
It does cost money to hire professional talent but they are able to give you amazing expressions based on prompts from our photography or video team. It can be tempting to hire your mother or best friend for the photo session, but do consider their energy levels and availability when planning a session. The photo session may take longer to complete if you work with non-professional talents or models. Your models are the living embodiment of your brand during the shoot. Choose individuals who naturally embody the essence of your target audience. Diverse and authentic representation is crucial for relatability.
Curate Authentic Wardrobe and Props
Ensure that your models are dressed in a way that authentically represents your target audience. The clothing and props should reflect the lifestyle you’re aiming to portray. Avoid over-styling and using outfits that have large text or logos of identifiable brands that you might not want to be associated with. You could also use the same brand colour palette to bring a sense of cohesiveness to your wardrobe and props.
Create a Shooting Schedule
Once you have your detailed shot list, the locations and models, it’s time to prepare a shooting schedule. Create an action plan of what the models should be doing at each location or scene, taking into account lighting and timing. Perhaps some locations look best in the morning because of the way the light streams into the backyard. Or maybe, if you need to shoot in a cafe, you will need to work out a timing that is not during their peak period.
Finally, invest in a skilled photographer to capture all of these images. A professional with experience in lifestyle shoots will understand how to capture authentic moments, ensuring that your images don’t look staged. By carefully planning every aspect of the shoot, you’re not just creating images; you’re weaving stories that resonate with your audience, fostering a deeper connection that goes beyond the pixels on a screen. Speak to us if you’d like to embark on this journey with our creative team.
