It's one of the first questions I hear on a strategy call: "Do I need headshots or a branding shoot?" They overlap, but they do different jobs. Here's how to tell which one fits.
What a headshot does
A headshot is a clean, current photo of your face. Its job is recognition and trust. People see it next to your name on LinkedIn, your company's team page, a speaker bio or a casting site, and it tells them what you look like and that you're a professional.
A good headshot is:
- Shot on a simple, consistent backdrop
- Focused on your face and expression
- Retouched to look polished but still like you
- Easy to match across a whole team
Choose headshots if you need one great photo for profiles and bios, you're updating a team page, or you're an actor submitting for roles. See headshots in Orlando.
What branding photos do
A branding shoot tells the story around you: what you do, where you work, how you work and who you are with clients. Its job is to sell. These photos fill your website, your social media, your launch posts and your press kit.
A branding shoot usually includes:
- Portraits in two or more outfits
- Working shots with your tools, product or space
- Detail shots like hands, workspace and product
- Wide images with room for text on your website
Every image is planned before the camera comes out, so each one has a job. See branding photography in Orlando.
Choose branding if you're building or refreshing a website, launching something, posting regularly on Instagram or LinkedIn, or your current photos all look the same.
A quick way to decide
Ask yourself where the photos will be used in the next six months.
- One or two places, like LinkedIn and a bio: headshots.
- Five or more places, like website, social, emails, press and ads: branding.
- A whole team that needs to match: team headshots, with a few branding images for the company's About page.
Can you do both?
Yes, and many clients do. A branding session can include a classic headshot as one of the looks. It's often the best value, because you leave with your profile photo plus a full set of images for everything else.
Studio or on location?
Headshots usually happen in a rented studio in Orlando for consistent light. Branding often mixes a studio look with on location shots where your work actually happens, like your office, your shop or a spot in Winter Park or Downtown Orlando.
Still not sure? That's what the call is for. Book a free strategy call, tell me what you're working on, and I'll recommend the right session and send a custom quote within 24 hours.