Portrait photography for personal brands: how to look like yourself

Founders, creators, podcasters and performers all need pictures that look like them on a good day. Not stiff, not over edited, just recognisably themselves. Through Eccentric Portraits we have shot everyone from podcast host Elsie May for History in High Heels to musicians and business owners. Here is how we plan it.

Start with where the photos will live

A LinkedIn headshot, a podcast cover, a speaker profile and an Instagram grid all need different crops and moods. We list every use first, then plan the shots to cover them.

Choose a location that tells your story

A studio is clean. A location says something. Castles, old streets, your workshop or your favourite café give context that a plain backdrop cannot. A shoot at Bothwell Castle, for example, gives a history lover a setting that matches their work.

Wardrobe: bring options, keep it simple

• Two or three outfits that you actually wear.
• Solid colours photograph better than busy patterns.
• One outfit that matches your brand colours.

Direction beats posing

Most people do not like being told to pose. We talk, walk and give small tasks: look for the light, tell me about the project, laugh at that terrible joke. The real expressions arrive in between.

Edit lightly

We grade for colour and mood and remove distractions, but we do not reshape faces. The goal is that people recognise you when they meet you.

See more on our portrait portfolio, or book a personal brand shoot.