Let's start with some honesty: if your professional headshot is a cropped photo from someone's wedding, or your team page features everyone photographed in different years with completely different styles, lighting, and backgrounds—we need to talk.

I've shot brand photography and corporate headshots for over 50 Austin businesses, from solo entrepreneurs to 100-person companies. And I've learned that the gap between "we have photos" and "we have photos that actually work" is enormous.

Here's everything I know about getting brand photography right—whether you're a solo business owner building a personal brand or a company that needs 40 headshots that look like they belong together.

Part 1: Personal Brand Photography

What Brand Photography Actually Is

It's not just a headshot (though that's part of it). Brand photography is a cohesive library of images that tells the story of your business—who you are, what you do, and why someone should hire you instead of the other person doing the same thing.

A good brand photography session gives you:

Professional headshots — for LinkedIn, your website, press features, speaking engagements
Behind-the-scenes shots — you at your desk, in your studio, doing the actual work
Lifestyle photos — how your product or service fits into real life
Detail shots — your workspace, tools, branded materials, the little things that make your business yours
Environmental portraits — you in context, not just against a white wall

The goal is a library of 75-200+ images you can pull from for months—social media, website updates, email headers, pitch decks, everything.

Why It Matters (With Numbers)

This isn't just vanity. Professional photos consistently outperform selfies and stock imagery across every platform — your website, LinkedIn, social media, pitch decks. For business owners, that's the difference between getting found and getting passed over.

And here's what I've seen firsthand: clients who invest in brand photography consistently tell me their inquiry rates go up. One Austin real estate agent I shot for told me her inquiries increased by 30% in the month after updating her website and social media with new brand photos. A coach I worked with said she finally felt confident sharing content because she wasn't embarrassed by the visuals anymore.

Stock photos can't do that. Neither can selfies.

My Process for Personal Brand Sessions

Every brand session starts the same way: a conversation. Not about photography—about you.

Step 1: Brand Discovery Call (30 minutes, before the shoot)

I want to understand:

What does your business do?
Who's your ideal client or customer?
What feeling do you want your photos to convey?
Where will you use these images?
What makes you you?

This isn't a formality. This conversation shapes every decision I make during the shoot—the locations, the angles, the lighting, even how I direct you. A real estate agent needs different energy than a yoga instructor.

Step 2: Planning (Outfits, Locations, Shot List)

Based on our call, I'll recommend:

2-4 outfit options that align with your brand
1-3 locations (your office, a coffee shop, an outdoor spot, or another Austin location that speaks to your brand)
A shot list of must-haves so we don't miss anything

Step 3: The Session

This is where my portrait photography background comes in. I know how to make people who hate being photographed look and feel natural in front of a camera.

My secret? I talk the entire time. Not about photography—about your business, your weekend, your dog, whatever makes you relax. When you're engaged in a conversation, your face does the work naturally. No forced smiles, no stiff poses.

We'll move through different setups, switch outfits, try different locations. The session should feel like a productive hang, not a stressful performance.

Step 4: Delivery

You'll receive your full gallery of professionally edited images within 7 business days (rush delivery available within 24 hours). All images come with commercial usage rights—use them wherever you want, as many times as you want.

Part 2: Company & Team Headshots

Grid of cohesive team headshots showing consistent lighting, background, and framing across multiple employees with individual personality shining through

The Problem with Most Team Pages

You know the look: Sarah's headshot was taken in 2021 against a gray background. Mike's was shot outside with totally different lighting. Jennifer's is clearly an iPhone selfie. And the new hire doesn't have a photo at all.

It looks disjointed. And whether or not anyone consciously notices, it signals that the company doesn't have its act together.

Cohesive ≠ Identical

Here's what I've learned shooting headshots for companies like Austin tech startups, law firms, creative agencies, and healthcare organizations: the goal isn't to make everyone look the same. It's to make everyone look like they belong to the same company while still looking like themselves.

That means:

Consistent lighting and background across all photos
Same general framing (head-and-shoulders, same crop)
Same editing style (color tones, contrast, feel)
Individual expression (some people smile big, some smirk, some go neutral—and that's great)

The consistency comes from the technical side. The personality comes from the human side. Both matter.

How I Handle Team Headshot Days

Corporate time is valuable. I'm not going to pull your team into a 6-hour photoshoot. Here's how I keep things efficient:

The Setup:

I arrive early, set up lighting and background in a conference room or office space
We create a schedule where each person gets a 5 minute window
People rotate through individually—no sitting around waiting

The Individual Session:

Quick wardrobe check (collar straight, hair in place)
2 minutes of chatting to get them comfortable
2-3 minutes of shooting (multiple expressions, slight pose variations)
Done. Back to their desk.

The Result: Everyone gets the same professional treatment, the same lighting, the same background—but with their own personality coming through. Your marketing team gets a consistent set of headshots that look cohesive on your website while showcasing the actual humans behind the company.

For larger teams (50+): I can photograph 100 people in a single day without disrupting operations. People cycle through during natural breaks between meetings.

Real Examples from Austin Companies

A self employed fitness coach in a natural, candid environment at her home gym. she is foam rollin her leg with a soft, inviting smile.

Solo Entrepeneur(1 person, of course): Her goal was to get a variety of images showing her in action in all of the different roles she takes on in her business. We mixed in candid lifestyle portraits, along with a warm and inviting headshot session. Doing the session in home allowed us to keep the environment relaxed, and include some personality shots with her dog.

Tech Startup (8 people): Needed headshots, a team portrait, and in-action shots during their meeting. I set up on the patio of the CEO's house that the meeting was being held at, captured candids of presentations and pulled employees out individually for headshots to avoid disruptions. At the end, we gathered the team for a unified group shot.

A warm group portrait of confident women in activewear. each is casual and relaxed, with arms around eachother and a joyful, fun loving expression. they wear colorful clothing, and have a warm glow of light surrounding them.

Activewear Brand (11 people): Shot during a company retreat. Because the setting was relaxed, we had more time per person and could do multiple outfit options. The result was a mix of standard headshots and lifestyle shots that the brand uses across their website and marketing, along with a warm and inviting group portrait with relaxed posing to convey the company's personality.

A cohesive set of headshots taken for a professional real estate firm. each team member appears professional, approachable, and natural. the lighting is studio quality, with a neutral grey backdrop.

Large Real-Estate Company (50+ people): Needed fast, consistent headshots across multiple departments. I set up a shooting stations during their annual meeting and moved people through in scheduled blocks while my 2nd photographer photographed the conference candids.

Pricing Overview

A large group portrait of a company wearing coordinated team shirts in natural light, in front of their office. the employees gather around in a relaxed and confident matter, smiling and connecting with eachother.

Personal Brand Photography

Essentials (2 hours): $800 — headshots + 2 outfit/location changes, 75+ images. Ideal for solo entrepreneurs or boutique consulting companies.
Brand Builder (4 hours): $1,500 — full brand library, time for product photos or in-action company candids, 3+ outfit/location changes, 200+ images. Perfect for team's looking for unified images of their team, products, and culture.
Full Story (8 hours): $2,500 — comprehensive visual identity, multiple locations, unlimited possibilites, 400+ images. An investment for large companies wanting to stock up on brand images for years to come, customizable to your team's vision and needs.

Team Headshots

Individual headshots: Starts at $125/employee for teams of 5-10 people
Large teams (10+): Custom quotes based on team size and setup requirements

All sessions include professional editing, commercial usage rights, and an online gallery.

The Bottom Line

Whether you're a solo entrepreneur who needs to show up professionally online or a company that needs 50 headshots that actually look cohesive, the investment in professional brand photography pays for itself.

Your photos are doing marketing for you 24/7—on your website, your LinkedIn, your proposals, your press features. Make sure they're telling the story you want told.

Ready to upgrade your brand visuals? Let's plan your session.

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