#66 Unlocking the Power of Branding Photography to Elevate Your Business with Ariel Faith
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As entrepreneurs, we all know that branding goes beyond logos and color schemes—it’s about showcasing your authenticity and building trust with your audience. One of the most powerful ways to do that? Branding photography. In this episode of She is Unstoppable, I sat down with branding photographer Ariel Faith, who helps women entrepreneurs shine by capturing their essence on camera.
In this post, we’ll explore key takeaways from our conversation, including how to use photography to increase your visibility, what to look for in a branding photographer, and how to embrace your authentic self—flaws and all.
What is Branding Photography, and Why Does It Matter?
Branding photography is more than just pretty pictures. As Ariel explains, it’s about visual storytelling and creating images that resonate with your audience on a deeper level. Whether you’re posting on social media, updating your website, or marketing your services, the right photos can elevate your brand, establish trust, and make you more memorable.
Ariel emphasizes that branding photography is purpose-driven. It’s not just about having a professional headshot; it’s about capturing moments and visuals that reflect your values, your mission, and your personality. These images become an integral part of your marketing strategy, working behind the scenes to help you connect with your ideal client.
The Power of Being Seen
One of the most impactful moments in the conversation was when Ariel shared a personal story about street photography in Chicago, where she photographed strangers on the street. The reactions of the people being photographed were transformative—they felt truly seen.
Ariel brings that same mindset to branding photography, especially for women entrepreneurs who might feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. She shared, “It’s hard to explain, but the feeling that people had after they were seen, really seen by the photographer, was amazing.”
For female business owners, especially those who struggle with self-confidence, Ariel’s goal is to make them feel comfortable and empowered. She believes that when you’re at ease, it shows in your photos, and that authenticity is what connects you with your audience.
How to Prepare for Your Branding Photoshoot
Feeling anxious about what to wear or how to pose for your branding session? You’re not alone! Many of Ariel’s clients share these concerns. Her advice? Don’t overthink it.
- Dress comfortably: Wear what you would in professional settings where you feel most like yourself. Whether it’s an outfit you’d wear to speak at an event or something you’d choose for a casual lunch with clients, the key is to feel confident.
- Embrace your personality: Your photos should reflect who you are right now. Ariel herself is often barefoot during shoots because it makes her feel more grounded and creative, and one of my favorite shoot moments was when I wore sneakers—because that’s just who I am!
- Plan with a purpose: Before your shoot, think about the content you’ll need for your marketing throughout the year. Are you launching a new service? Promoting an event? Make sure your photos align with those goals. As Ariel says, “It’s about creating a year’s worth of marketing content in one day.”
Choosing the Right Branding Photographer
Finding the right photographer can feel overwhelming, but Ariel offers some great tips to help you choose someone who fits your needs:
- Trust your gut: Pay attention to how comfortable you feel during your initial consultation. You’ll want to work with someone who puts you at ease.
- Pre-shoot preparation: Does the photographer take time to understand your brand, your goals, and the type of content you need? If they don’t ask about your business or offer strategic input, you may want to keep looking.
- Personalization: Make sure the photographer customizes their approach based on your needs. Every entrepreneur has a unique story, and your photos should reflect that.
- Post-shoot support: A great photographer won’t just hand you a gallery of images and say goodbye. Ariel, for example, helps her clients select the right images for social media, website banners, and marketing materials, ensuring they’re ready to be used effectively.
Why Authenticity Matters in Branding
One of the most important lessons Ariel shared is that being yourself is key to attracting the right clients. She says, “When you’re authentic, you’ll attract the people who vibe with you, and you’ll repel those who don’t. And that’s a good thing!”
This is especially important for women in business. We often feel the pressure to look perfect in our photos, but Ariel’s approach is to make women feel comfortable just as they are. It’s not about hiding flaws; it’s about embracing who you are and letting your true self shine through.
Ready to Boost Your Visibility? Get My Free Visibility Checklist!
As Ariel mentioned in this episode, showing up authentically in your branding photos can make a huge difference in how you’re perceived by potential clients. But visuals are just one part of the equation—there’s more to increasing your online visibility.
That’s why I created the Visibility Checklist to help you take actionable steps toward getting noticed by the right people. Grab your free copy at deannahinsz.com/getvisible and start growing your brand with confidence!
Branding photography is a powerful tool that can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to update your visuals, it’s worth investing in photos that truly reflect who you are and what your brand stands for.
If you’re feeling inspired and ready to dive deeper into your own branding journey, be sure to check out more of Ariel Faith’s work at arielfaith.com and connect with her for a free consultation. And remember—showing up authentically is the key to building trust, gaining visibility, and becoming unstoppable!
About Ariel Faith
Show Notes:
[00:00:00.530] – Ariel Faith
I had just experienced a street photography shoot where we were basically walking in the middle of Chicago, and we were walking up to people and asking them if they would like to be photographed. Some of them were performers, but the feeling that they had after they were seen, really seen by the photographer, was just amazing. It was like you just did the best thing for them in their whole life. They felt so good. Being able to that for women business owners was just super exciting. So I just dug in full steam.
[00:00:36.840] – Deanna Hinsz
I’m Deanna Hinsz, entrepreneur, digital marketing Ninja, and your guide to building the business and life you’ve been dreaming of. Years ago as a divorced mom with two young boys, I took the leap into entrepreneurship, driven by the need to create the freedom to be present for all things that, well, really mattered. It wasn’t always easy, but every challenge brought me closer to the life I wanted. On She is Unstoppable, you’ll hear inspiring stories, real talk, and actionable tips, whether I’m flying solo or sitting down with incredible guests. My mission? To help you grow your business, find your freedom, and create a life that’s unapologetically yours. So let’s dive in and get you one step closer to becoming truly Unstoppable.
[00:01:30.690] – Deanna Hinsz
Ariel, I am so excited to have you here. Thank you so much for joining me today.
[00:01:35.020] – Ariel Faith
Well, thank you for inviting me.
[00:01:37.470] – Deanna Hinsz
You are welcome. Good to see you. You are welcome. Yes, it’s great to see you, too. Now, I want to start at the top. So your work is all about capturing not just photos, but the essence of your clients. What inspired you to become a branding photographer and focus on helping women feel empowered?
[00:01:56.460] – Ariel Faith
It was an interesting journey because I didn’t do this necessarily. If you asked me five years ago, I would have said I would have never done this, but I didn’t fully understand the genre and the power that it had. So I did a lot of nature photography, macros, a lot of art type, fine art work for many years in photography. And I always said, I don’t want to shoot people. I didn’t want to do babies and weddings and some of those things. But when I was interviewing a photographer on my photography podcast, she was mentioning that she was doing brand photography, and I hadn’t really heard of that. It’s actually more new in the United States than it is in UK and Australia. It’s much more of a thing over there than it is even here. But it’s coming. I mean, it’s here. It’s just becoming more and more known as we speak. Anyway, so I had never really heard of it. I knew, obviously, actors and the big, important companies and people had some a photography shoot. But to me, that was out of my range. And then she was telling me what she did.
[00:03:08.110] – Ariel Faith
So she worked with women who were uncomfortable in front of the camera, who were business owners that needed to improve their visibility. And the more she talked, the more goosebumps I got, the more excited I got. And I had just experienced a street photography shoot where we were basically walking in the middle of Chicago, and we were walking up to people and asking them if they would like to be photographed. And some of them were performers. It’s hard to even explain, but the feeling that they had after they were seen, really seen by the photographer was just amazing. It was like you just did the best thing for them in their whole life. They felt so good. So that was a feeling I had experienced on a small scale. So being able to do that for women businessmen business owners was just super exciting. So I just dug in full steam, learned as much as I could, practice my skills from one genre to another. It fits. So then I just went all steam. So that’s where I’m at and where I’ve been.
[00:04:14.220] – Deanna Hinsz
I love that. And the street photography, how cool. What a cool experience that had to be to do that. It was scary. I wish I was there. I see things like that on TikTok, little clips about that, and just photographers walking up to random people and taking their photos, and they come out amazing. And you’re like, oh, my gosh, this is so cool. It’s just so cool. So that’s awesome that you got to do that, and you did do that. And that was part of your journey that led you here. But now you’re working with women and with their branding, and you want them to embrace their authenticity, right? And you made a comment I saw it on your website that it said, especially if they struggle with self-confidence in front of the camera, why that target? And what do you do to help them overcome that?
[00:05:13.280] – Ariel Faith
I think I’m particularly drawn to that target market because I am that target market. I am larger than I want to be. I am older than I want to be. I look in the mirror and I don’t see the 20-year-old or the 30-year-old or even the 40-year-old anymore. I’m like, Go away. Hey, I want the other lady back. I understand those inner things we have. But yet as a business owner, we still have to get ourselves out there, especially with the shift. I remember the days when we could get on yellow pages and you just put an ad and people would call. That’s been gone for a long time. I’ve been in another industry before this that I basically was word of mouth for at least 20 years. I didn’t market at all. This is a very different thing for me. It’s not just photography, it’s also marketing, it’s also branding, it’s all the other pieces that make this particular photography work. But choosing to work with women who are low self-esteem or just struggle, and I haven’t met too many women that don’t, to be told.
[00:06:19.580] – Deanna Hinsz
I was just going to say that. When you were describing, you’re like, Well, I’m that actual person, and I’m smiling and I’m nodding. If anybody’s watching this on YouTube, you can see me. And I’m like, not because of the changes you mentioned in yourself, because I’m like, yes, I can so relate to that. Even though I take photos and do branding shoots, I will critique it. I’m not confident. It’s hard to get up there and pretend you love everything that’s happening because I see every flaw.
[00:06:52.150] – Ariel Faith
I’m super playful, and I think that really helps. So I get people to… Everybody’s a little different, and some people, it takes a a lot longer to get them comfortable. So it works. Some people immediately, they’re right there. But as soon as I can get them comfortable, the pictures are so much more authentic. A lot of comments I get from the women I work for is, You saw me. My pictures look like me. To me, that’s the greatest compliment I can get because it’s not like… We always think we have to pose and get in these real stiff, weird positions. And yeah, sometimes we do a little of that. But if you’re not comfortable, your face will show it. It’s a matter of finding the comfortable pose for you. So you have to be willing to play a little, to go outside of your comfort zone. It’s like when you were a little kid and you got dressed up and you played tea party, right? You didn’t care what you look like, even though your lipstick was way over here. We have an adult version of that. We just literally play together and we experiment, we try this, we try that.
[00:07:58.090] – Ariel Faith
And then we always come back with some great stuff because there’s always a strategy to what we’re playing with. There’s always a plan before we start.
[00:08:06.880] – Deanna Hinsz
So I want to talk a little bit about that, that plan before you start. But before I do, let’s talk about what is the difference of branding photography? Because we’re over here talking about branding photography, and somebody might be listening and so, oh, I know a photographer, but it’s different. Wedding photographers, or maybe it’s not, wedding or baby or I don’t know, event? Is there a difference between those types of photography?
[00:08:36.000] – Ariel Faith
One of the biggest differences, technically, is it’s commercial. It’s for commercial purposes. So you have to have a commercial license to use the imagery. And a lot of family, wedding, photographers don’t give you that, which could bite you down the road. But so that’s one thing, is it is a commercial investment. It is to promote your business. So it is very purpose-driven photography. It’s not like the other weddings, family. That’s more memories that you’re keeping and capturing and holding precious. So it has a very different purpose. So that’s one big thing. The other thing is there’s a lot of strategy in a lot of those. If you’re doing a family shot, there’s wardrobe coordination, there’s location, et cetera. Same with weddings. Obviously, you’ve got different stages, you’ve got shots you want, so you might have a shot list. But when it comes to branding, it’s much more about visual marketing. So whatever you’re trying to accomplish in your marketing in the next year, that’s what we’re trying to create images for. So we have to dig into what is your marketing? What is your brand? What is your message? What are your core values? How do you share that and show that?
[00:09:51.720] – Ariel Faith
Who is your ideal client? Who are you talking to? Then we can start to pull together the pieces that are going to be more attractive or communicate that message more clearly to your audience.
[00:10:04.690] – Deanna Hinsz
Is there a difference between, and I’m listening to you and I’m like, Okay, yeah. But is there a difference between different type of branding photos? You have a headshot. Do people want different things, or does it all fall under that one umbrella?
[00:10:26.920] – Ariel Faith
They all fall under commercial photography. Okay. And then head shots fall under commercial. But head shots are the more corporate, just literally from the test stop.
[00:10:39.550] – Deanna Hinsz
I’m not a fan. I think they’re boring. But I think you need something. You need something. The profile shots might be the way you put at the end of your email.
[00:10:49.320] – Ariel Faith
But they don’t usually share personality real well. I mean, sometimes they do. I think people are starting to want to more and more as as they see more fun stuff. So I think their head shots are starting to see more personality. But yet the big difference between a branding shoot or branding session and just a headshot session is you get maybe one or two images with a headshot session, and they’re all pretty much 15 minutes and you’re out of there. So there may not be a whole lot of communication. They may not know your goals and what you’re trying to accomplish. So they’re just going in, looking at you, maybe talking to you for a few minutes, taking a few pictures, and you’re out the door. A branding session can go from half a day to… I mean, you can do some mini ones, which are half an hour an hour just to get a few pictures. But the ones that I really love are the ones that either last all day long or half a day. That sounds like a ton, but it’s literally a year’s worth of content. From one day, you get a year’s worth of marketing content on brand, achieving your goals for the next It’s a very productive, time-saving.
[00:12:04.760] – Ariel Faith
It’s not just… It’s lifestyle photographs. It might be you doing your work. It might be you working with your team. Every industry is a little different, so it’s hard to put it in a big nutshell. I actually have a PDF that you can download from my website. That’s six different images that you need in your marketing. And it talks about those different kinds of images images. There’s always a hero image or the one that you want that really says something loud as the first image on your fold, the website fold. We talked about that before. And then there’s all kinds of other lifestyle shots. There’s detail shots, which you can use as stock photography, but it’s your world, your colors, your brand. So you don’t have to hunt through stock photos forever.
[00:12:58.090] – Deanna Hinsz
And we’re going to talk about stock photos too, because a lot of times we’re like, well, I’ll just use stock photos on my website or for my social media content instead of I don’t need to go and get branding shoots because I can get stock photos pretty much anywhere. What do you say to that?
[00:13:21.230] – Ariel Faith
It is an option, just like all things in the world are an option. But I can immediately tell a well-curated visual website versus a stock photo website. Am I going to think to myself, Oh, they just wanted to save money by using stock photography? Am I going to necessarily have a negative view? Not necessarily, but what I will have is a sterile view. I won’t be emotionally connected to that website. I won’t have a reaction. I won’t see a human. I won’t see that human interacting. So there’s a disconnect for me and the person behind the website. Site with stock photography. That’s the biggest way I know how to explain it.
[00:14:05.430] – Deanna Hinsz
I think that’s a great explanation because I know exactly what you’re saying, because I’ll encourage people as well. You have to put your personality out there. And stock photos, they serve some purpose, but not this purpose. This is different. So exactly how you explained it, I think that was great. Now, let’s pretend that we have Let’s just say I’m coming to you and I’m like, Ariel, I want to do a photo shoot, and I need some… I want to increase my visibility online. I want my social media and my website and everything to have my brand personality But I have no idea what I should wear. Okay. I’m like, What do I bring? Is there a general rule of thumb?
[00:14:54.560] – Ariel Faith
How many people have anxiety about the wardrobe, including myself, because I have. Yes. A year ago. I’m like, Oh, this is so crazy. But the answer is simple. Much more simple than we think we have to go out and buy a whole new clothes. You can if you want to, but you don’t have to. Most of what you have is in your closet. It’s all about your audience. As an example, if you were a speaker for an event, what would you wear? What’s in your closet that you would wear to be the speaker at that event. That’s one of the outfits. If you were going out to lunch with your girlfriends, what would you wear? Would be different than going out to a dinner, fancy dinner with a husband. What would you wear? So you think to yourself, if you’re going to go meet a client, what do you wear? So it’s not necessarily all about your brand colors. You don’t have to matchy-matchy total. It’s more about what you’re comfortable in in these more professional settings. And that takes away the fear and the anxiety. And yeah, of course, you can always go shopping, but you don’t have- Well, my go-to color is black nine out of 10 times in life.
[00:16:14.550] – Deanna Hinsz
And I will say that I am trying to incorporate more color, but I tend to go back to that. But I still, right before a shoot, I’m like, what should I wear? And that’s really great advice is, what would I wear if I was speaking? That’s what I should put on, or if I was hanging out with friends. Because for me, that’s my brand personality, is just that I try to bring that friend, we know each other already vibe to what I do. So I like that. That’s a really good, really good suggestion there. That’ll help because it’s hard to decide because we do think we have to go out and buy all new stuff or it’s not good enough. And one time I wore my tennis shoes to a photoshoot because I am in my tennis shoes most of the time. And that, first off, I’m glad that I did it. But it was also very different because I used to always be in heels. Prior to moving to Florida, I was in heels 90 % of the time. And then I got super comfortable. And now I’m in tennis shoes 90 % of the time.
[00:17:20.160] – Deanna Hinsz
And I’m like, I’m going to wear these in the shoot. And it felt super casual, almost too casual to do. But I’m glad that I did it because I’m like, this is who I am right now. This is me.
[00:17:31.080] – Ariel Faith
I have to tell you a small funny story, but I’m always barefoot. I work barefoot. I’m in my office. The only time I’m not barefoot is if I’m out at a networking group or something. Obviously, I’m not barefoot because that I’m going to be polite. So literally in my brand shoot, I think I was 99% barefoot in my brand shoot. But I’m more comfortable. I even shoot photography. I take my shoes off because there’s- For you, really?
[00:17:57.120] – Deanna Hinsz
I love that.
[00:17:58.540] – Ariel Faith
There’s something about being I don’t know, I feel grounded. So I’m more creative when I have no shoes on. Anyway, it’s a weird thing. So a lot of my pictures, I have no shoes on.
[00:18:09.580] – Deanna Hinsz
And I think that’s great. I think that’s exactly what we’re saying right now is just be you, be authentically you, and the rest falls into place. So if somebody is listening- You will draw people that are like you or that feel that, and you might repel some, but that’s the point.
[00:18:28.230] – Ariel Faith
The clients you don’t want to work with are the ones aren’t going to be drawn to you. That’s so true. So you accomplish two things. You don’t get a whole bunch of calls from people. You’re like, Oh, please go away. We don’t know we have those. We talk to people like a tribe.
[00:18:43.420] – Deanna Hinsz
Yes. And that is so important. I know early on in business, it can be scary to think like, well, everybody’s not going to like me because I want everybody to like me. I want everybody to feel my vibe and want to work with me because we are in that mindset of scarcity where we feel like, well, if they don’t work with me, then I’m losing something if they work with somebody else. So it is scary, but you’re 100 % right. If somebody is not feeling your vibe, if they’re not drawn to work with you, they’re actually doing you a favor because we don’t want to work with everybody. We just don’t.
[00:19:20.420] – Ariel Faith
We don’t. And I don’t have time to work with everybody, to be honest.
[00:19:24.740] – Deanna Hinsz
No, absolutely not. I don’t want to work with everybody. No. I love the people I work with, and I’m grateful that I can actually decide if I want to work with them or not. It’s nice. It’s nice to be able to do that. So if somebody is looking for a brand photographer to work with, what are some questions should they ask to make sure that they’re a really good fit? We’re talking about they may not like us, but what about how do we make sure we like our photographer and that they’re going to be able to bring out our personality and our brand in their photos?
[00:20:00.320] – Ariel Faith
One big thing is just trust your gut. You have a gut, whether you like somebody or not, whether you’re comfortable with somebody or not. I mean, that’s huge. A lot of us don’t listen to that, but that’s one thing. So obviously, if you’re talking to them and you get along really well immediately, well, that’s a good sign. Make sure that they have some pre, whether it’s through questionnaires, whether it’s through a brand audit, where they basically look at… They’re looking at your visual content to see what you have, what you’re missing on your website, what images you might need, where are the holes in your current marketing? If they’re not doing that, they’re just taking photographs, then your money is going to be not utilized well, I’ll put it that way. So if they don’t have that preliminary set up, that’s one clue. Look for that. Look for that a free consultation so you can have a conversation before you even talk about cash. The other component to it is, are they willing to adapt to you? In other words, do they have a predetermined shot list that they do for every single person, or do they modify based on your needs?
[00:21:21.870] – Ariel Faith
Are they customized? Do they customize their work based on what you want? That’s another thing. Then the third one, I think, is sometimes, and this It’s a little tricky, but sometimes you end up with all these pictures at the end, and then you have no clue what to do with it. I have 100 pictures. What do I do with them? Or they either pour them all out at once or they don’t know where I should use them or how. If somebody is not willing to take the time after the shoot to get on a Zoom, to go through the gallery, to say, Hey, look, this would be great as a website. For my larger packages, I actually produce a social media suite. So the images that would work as a banner, I give them to them in a banner format.
[00:22:05.930] – Deanna Hinsz
Oh, wow.
[00:22:06.410] – Ariel Faith
So they don’t have to crop it. So all that work is done. Squares, the 4 by 5s for Instagram, all those of the probably about 30 or 40 shots, not necessarily the whole thing, but any of the ones that are really good for that. So you end up with just pictures, but you also end up formatted ready. Those little extra things that people do for because they know what the images are for. You’re obviously not putting it on a canvas on your wall. I mean, you might, you can. But you know what I mean? I haven’t. And you also have to make sure that if you have print material, that you’re not getting web resolution if you plan on printing. And that’s all about communication. What are you using the pictures for? I have this magazine I’m going to produce. Well, now I have a different conversation. I know you need high resolution.
[00:22:59.260] – Deanna Hinsz
Yeah.
[00:22:59.910] – Ariel Faith
Right? Different conversation. It’s now my goal is different. So it’s all about planning, working together, strategy, and then just having fun.
[00:23:11.670] – Deanna Hinsz
Those are great tips. I mean, they’re great tips for the photographer, and it’s also a great to-do list for the individual who’s hiring the photographer, because a lot of times, I haven’t always known exactly what I’ve needed. And I’ve learned what I do now is that when I see a photo on Facebook or Instagram, and I’m like, oh, I love that style, I’ll screenshot it and put it in a folder, an album inside my photos. So then I can go back and look and like, okay, I like this. Of course, you can’t duplicate it 100 %, which is good. You don’t want to, but it reminds me of what I like. Or sometimes with the hands holding out to the side, so then you can have verbiage or text on a slide. Things you’re not always thinking about When you’re… Or maybe things I have not always thought about when I’m in the shoot, I had to learn to think about those things. So I love the tips that you brought, but not just a photographer. We, as a client, also have some responsibility to pay attention to what we need and let you know as well.
[00:24:19.840] – Deanna Hinsz
You’ll do your homework, but- I use Pinterest for that with the client.
[00:24:24.110] – Ariel Faith
So I have a board that they can put the feelings they want in their photographs. Oh, that’s good. What message are you trying to convey? You look at images and there’s a million of them on Pinterest. It’s a very good resource for that. So even if you know you want to do this at some point in your future, you want to think about your visual message and your vibe, if you want to call it that, go on Pinterest, create a folder, and just start shooting some, putting some images in there that have the same feeling that you’re trying to communicate with your audience. And then when you go in to talk to your photographer, you’ll be like, This is what I’m looking for. I’m trying to achieve this feeling. And then your communication is real strong because that’s visual. Photographers are visual. You could tell them what you want, or you could show them. And the showing is much stronger in terms of the feelings of what you’re trying to accomplish.
[00:25:20.180] – Deanna Hinsz
Great point. Really, really great point. Thank you for sharing that. So let’s talk about behind-the-scenes photos. Are those important or not so much? Because Is that something a brand photographer does?
[00:25:32.710] – Ariel Faith
I have a couple of videographers that I have started to work with. I do believe that behind the scenes photography is very important for me because you want to see what it looks like to be on a shoot. But I don’t think the client needs behind the scenes of her photography shoot. Do you know what I mean? The videographer might do, but behind the scenes of her working. So instead of it being of, I’m at a photoshoot, it’s more they’re taking advantage of the the setups that we put, the outfit changes, and they’re creating content that is more for them, not for me.
[00:26:18.290] – Deanna Hinsz
Another thing that I’m definitely including in the retreats that we have started next year is I did this, and it was just an incredibly good You know those frequently asked questions that you get a million times? Yeah.
[00:26:34.420] – Ariel Faith
So at the end of the day, we do a series of video interviews, but you basically are answering those questions in little clips. And they become YouTube content. They become social media content. You put them on your website. So you are verbally explaining the answer to all the questions you get. Well, not all of them, but a few of them that you get all the time. So it just saves. If somebody asks you that question, Hey, check out this episode. It’s got your answer. So it’s just a way of putting it all out there and being real transparent, but giving information that they want. Yeah.
[00:27:15.900] – Deanna Hinsz
I think that’s important. Yes, video helps. Definitely helps. It helps a lot. And video is really big right now, and it’s been big, but so are your branding photos. Yeah. So one more question for you, right? Because somebody might be listening and they’re like, I know I need branding photos, but I’m just starting and it’s not in my budget right now. Is it okay for them to have a friend and take photos on their phone for the time being? And when would you say they would be ready? Like, ballpark, and I’m not saying to give your pricing out right now, but can you give an idea of when, how far? When is it okay for them to feel comfortable calling and not feel like, oh, gosh, I can’t even call to schedule a branding shoot because I don’t know if I could afford it?
[00:28:06.220] – Ariel Faith
I think that most brand photographers that I know that are specialized in that have different price points. So if a person is starting, there’s a minimal set you want that is for your website. You also use it for social. It transcends. It’s multi-purpose, and you can use it over and over again. But it might only be 15 to 30 images, not a whole It may only take an hour or half an hour. There are different price points to start into the professional side of it. If you are doing it with a friend or even selfies, the more you do the Pinterest board, the more you see the message you’re trying, the more you personally do that development of what messaging are you trying to communicate, you’re doing that for your website already because you have to think about what words you’re putting on there. So what visual words are you putting on there? So they’re not just, Oh, I’m at the beach, and, Oh, I’m heating coffee. You know what I mean? What is the reason for this image? So that’s my first advice. When you start taking your own photographs, it’s really hard to take Everybody knows what a selfie looks like, and there’s something- It does.
[00:29:18.380] – Deanna Hinsz
Yes.
[00:29:19.260] – Ariel Faith
And I did them, too. When I first started. And there’s nothing wrong with that. If that’s all you can afford. But it’s finding out that you might be able to afford more and more. Sometimes people collaborate based on shared. If a person is really desperate and they really need the help. But I think one thing that I’m noticing this more and more as time goes on, but a lot of us in business, we don’t do the math, and we don’t think about our marketing budget.
[00:29:49.510] – Deanna Hinsz
Oh, yeah. I agree with you.
[00:29:51.090] – Ariel Faith
A marketing budget because we have social media. It’s free, right? Well, not anymore.
[00:29:57.340] – Deanna Hinsz
You know my opinion on all that, but But yes, I agree with you 100 %. That’s how people… Most people don’t. When I start talking to somebody and I’m like, well, what’s your marketing budget? And they look at me like deer in the headlights. They’re like, well, I don’t know. I have no idea. I never figured it out. And you’re 100 % right. They don’t really know what their budget is or what they’ve… They’re just spending it as they spend it, not knowing if they’re on track or not.
[00:30:29.780] – Ariel Faith
Sometimes I’ve had several people say to me, well, I can’t afford it now, but if I start paying you in six months from now, I’ll have it paid for. So there’s also payment plans for a lot of photographers so that when you’re ready, you’ve put it away. So it’s not you’re, oh, I don’t have it. We know how it goes.
[00:30:52.350] – Deanna Hinsz
Money just seems super. I do. And I appreciate you sharing all that because that is important, because I remember what it was like when, boy, I wanted those polished photos, but I just couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t afford really much of anything when I first started out. And now it’s a priority. The branded photos, I do get them taken a lot. And I think it’s important to have updated photos. So I am a huge fan of you and branding photography because it Which adds credibility, which adds trust when you have those images. And it’s so important when we’re talking right now, we’re talking about being seen and visibility, and how can we get our online brand to be more visible, which we have to gain trust, and those photos contribute to that. So I do think it’s a key piece, and should be a key piece in your marketing. Yes.
[00:31:58.850] – Ariel Faith
Well, Ariel, We like work.
[00:32:01.380] – Deanna Hinsz
I want to thank you so much for coming on. And how can everybody find you? If they’re listening right now, where can they find Ariel Faith?
[00:32:11.820] – Ariel Faith
Pretty easy because it’s just ArielFaith. Com, and it is faith as in faith, love, and joy. So it’s pretty easy to find me on my website. I’m on Instagram, Ariel Personal Branding, and a few others. So connect, talk. I have a free consultation if anybody’s interested, and they can also get that PDF if they want to up their selfie game.
[00:32:40.120] – Deanna Hinsz
Sounds good. We will definitely include all those links in the show notes. So just scroll below and you’ll be able to access Ariel Faith through one of those links. Ariel, thank you so much for coming on today. This is a great conversation. I really appreciate your time.
[00:32:55.140] – Ariel Faith
I appreciate yours.
[00:32:57.570] – Deanna Hinsz
You’re welcome. All right, everybody. We’ll see you next next week.
[00:33:01.990] – Deanna Hinsz
Thanks for tuning in to She is Unstoppable. I hope today’s episode inspired you and gave you the tools you need to take that next step towards building the business and life you’ve been dreaming of. Remember, whether you’re just starting out or leveling up, you’ve got what it takes to make it happen, and you don’t have to do it alone. If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. And hey, don’t be shy. Leave a review or share the podcast with a fellow Unstoppable Woman. I can’t wait to see how you’ll take action and create your version of freedom. Until next time, keep pushing forward, keep dreaming big, and stay Unstoppable.
