Why should I have a seasonal mini brand shoot? My top tips | AKP Branding Stories

Hello!

2020 put a bit of a spanner in the works for a lot brand shoots last year, in particular my Seasonal Mini Shoots, so this year I’m playing it safe and rather than doing my Spring shoot sessions, I’m holding off and running Summer mini brand shoots and Festive Winter mini brand shoots.

But for those of you who are unsure what a Seasonal Mini Brand Shoot is, and why it’s actually the perfect addition to your brand imagery and business, I thought I’d share my tips and advice on them.

So, first up, what is a Seasonal Mini Brand Shoot?

Well, whereas my normal brand shoots range from 90 minutes to a half day (and soon to be a full day, watch this space!) the mini shoots are 30 minutes long where I hold a set number of them over a couple of days in pre-determined locations. This is so that we can be super quick and efficient in creating the content for you and your business.

Theses shoots are ideal for specific campaigns or to top up existing imagery. The reason I do them seasonally, is that I believe that our brand images should reflect the seasons so that the imagery you are sharing for your business are relatable and current for that moment in time. This is particularly the case when it comes to thinking about your festive marketing messages, for instance your email or social media banner images – having festive imagery grabs the attention of your audience as it’s relatable to where they are when they see it.

Where do the Seasonal Mini Brand Shoots take place?

This is one of the exciting bits for me, I explore various areas in London, so that over the course of the 2 days of mini shoots, only 2-3 of those shoots will take place in one area of London. Meaning that everyone who attends the shoots doesn’t end up with the same locations in their photos.

These are carefully planned so that logistically the day runs smoothly and that we can explore those areas within our shoot time. When the diary is opened up, each time slot has the area of London the shoot will take place in, so you know the sort of vibe that can be created in your shoot.

How do I plan for my Seasonal Mini Brand Shoot?

Once you’re booked on to your shoot, you’ll be sent my signature shoot preparation guide, along with a pre-shoot questionnaire that will give me the opportunity to get to know you and your brand a little more. But some of the things to think about are:

What is the purpose of the shoot for you – is it topping up images, do you have a PR campaign planned, do you need the images primarily for social media or are you launching a new service? By knowing the purpose of the shoot, we will have a clear idea of the types of images we need to create together on the day.
Believe it or not, you can get a bit of a variety of clothing within a mini shoot – now I’m not talking full on outfit changes, as these shoots take place outdoors, so stripping off in the middle of London might draw a bit of unwanted attention, as well as eat into the shoot time. However, the adding or removal of a jacket/jumper/scarf or swapping shoes and accessories can create a new look and therefore provide a bit of variety. So have a think about how you can mix up a single outfit to create a second look.
Another note on clothes, remember these are Seasonal Mini Shoots, so keep in mind the season you’re having your shoot in and when those images will be used – and if that means popping in a Christmas jumper for a festive mini shoot, then I’m game if you are!
Just because it’s a mini shoot, don’t think that you can’t bring along some props – this is a time to think creatively, it doesn’t even have to be solely business related… Think about your passions and hobbies, what do you love that shows your personality that we can bring into the shoot.
Always have your ideal client or audience at the heart of what you’re doing – what sort of things will resonate with them, this ties together what you wear, what you bring and what you’re communicating through the image, as well as the location, so when you’re looking at the shoot slots, make sure that slot location you pick, aligns with your target client.

My 2021 Seasonal Mini Shoot Session Wait List is now open. The shoot dates will be released in May to the Wait List first, and will take place at the end of July for the summer ones and the start of November for the winter/festive ones.