What’s the Difference and Which One Do You Need?

When updating your professional photos, one of the most common questions I hear is: Should I book a headshot or a branding session?

Both serve an important purpose, but they tell very different stories. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right fit for your business, your goals, and your audience.

What Is a Professional Headshot?

A professional headshot is typically a chest-up portrait photographed on a solid or subtly marbled background. Think clean, classic, and business professional.

Headshots are designed to be polished and straightforward. They work beautifully for:

Corporate websites
LinkedIn profile photos
Company directories
Speaking engagements
Press features

The focus is on presenting a refined, traditional look. Lighting is controlled, posing is simple, and the expression is confident and composed. If your industry leans corporate, legal, medical, or executive, a studio headshot offers a timeless and credible presentation.

What Is a Branding Session?

A personal branding session is the modern evolution of the professional portrait. It moves beyond the traditional head-and-shoulders image and captures you in a way that feels dynamic, personal, and approachable.

Branding sessions can include:

Full body, mid-length, and headshot images
Natural environments such as a studio, office, home workspace, or outdoor location
Movement-based poses that feel relaxed and authentic
Props you use in your business, such as a laptop, notebook, camera, tools, products, or packaging

The goal is to visually tell your brand story. These images show not just what you look like, but how you work, how you connect, and what clients can expect from you. They feel professional without being stiff.

Branding photography is ideal for:

Entrepreneurs and small business owners
Realtors, creatives, coaches, and consultants
Social media content
Website redesigns
Marketing campaigns

These sessions are designed to create a cohesive library of images you can use across your website, social platforms, email marketing, and promotional materials.

LET'S TALK!

Which One Is Right for You?

If you need a polished, professional image for a corporate setting, a headshot may be exactly what you need.

If you are building a brand, launching a business, refreshing your website, or actively marketing yourself online, a branding session gives you the variety and storytelling power to stand out.

Both are valuable. The difference lies in whether you want a portrait… or a visual narrative.

If you are unsure which session best supports your goals, I would love to guide you. Let’s create images that represent your professionalism and your personality with confidence.

FAQs

1. What should I wear?
Choose something you would wear to meet a prospective client and elevate it slightly. You are welcome to bring a couple of outfits for variety. Jackets, scarves, and sweaters layer beautifully and create multiple looks within one session.

2. What should I bring?
Bring items that reflect your work and personality. Common choices include a laptop, books, briefcase, or specialty equipment such as a camera, microphone, or headphones. These details help tell your brand story.

3. How do I choose the location?
If you need a more formal, traditional portrait, the studio is ideal. Branding sessions offer flexibility and can take place in the studio, your office, at home, or in an outdoor setting depending on the look you want to achieve.

4. How often should I update my portraits?
Most professionals update their portraits every 1–2 years. It is also wise to refresh your images during a career transition, promotion, rebrand, or when pursuing a new opportunity.

5. How do I pose during a branding session?
Branding sessions focus on natural movement and relaxed, authentic expressions rather than stiff posing. I will guide you throughout the session so you feel confident, comfortable, and polished.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

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Headshots vs. Branding Sessions

What’s the Difference and Which One Do You Need?

What Is a Professional Headshot?

What Is a Branding Session?

Which One Is Right for You?

FAQs

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