Welcome To the Cait Kramer Brand Photography Family!

I'm so excited to dive deep into your business to create beautiful, custom, imagery that sells! Here are some of my BEST tips and tricks to help you make the most of your session.

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WELCOME To the family!

This is going to be A LOT of fun. Now that we are officially, official, I want you to take a beat to BREATHE! Choosing to invest in your business is a big deal, and it is my job to ensure your experience is as enjoyable as it is purposeful. It is truly such an honor to be asked to tell your story. I hope you know just how honored and excited I am to have you as part of the CKP Brand Family!

This guide is packed full of all of my favorite session tips and tricks to help you maximize your experience with me. Planning a brand session is definitely a collaborative effort, and I'm so excited to get started! Ready to dive in? Let's do this!

Communication is key

You’re going to have a number of questions throughout this process— that’s totally normal! I want to encourage you to ask for anything you may need. I’m here to make this process as smooth and easy as possible, so if there is something on your mind, don't hesitate to send me an email. I'm here to help! I respond to all emails within 24 business hours, so I promise, I'll be in touch as soon as I can. Thoughtful replies to all of your questions is my goal. Email is absolutely the best way to get a hold of me for anything session related— Instagram DMs are incredibly easy to lose track of, so if you have any questions pertaining to your session that require an answer, please make sure you’re sending me an email. Just something to note: I actually do not keep email on my phone. I'll respond to any emails received during non-office hours the following business day.

On a note of communication, I'll also have plenty of questions for YOU! I kindly ask that you reply to all questions and questionnaires in a timely manor. If there is something with a timestamp on it, I'll let you know! It is so important that you respect all of the asked deadlines, so I can research + brainstorm appropriately. If you may be delayed on something, it is no big deal. Please just let me know when I can expect to hear from you.

Styling your session

This is probably THE number one question that I receive after booking a branding client! What should I wear?! Honestly, there are SO many factors here that could determine what I would recommend you wear for your session! Before we get to the good stuff, here are a few quick disclaimers: 

When it comes to styling, there aren't really any concrete rules. The BIGGEST piece of advice I can share is to take my advice with a grain of salt. YUP, Sounds a little weird! BUT, at the end of the day, all businesses are different + sometimes deviating from the rules is what makes us most unique!

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You may find that the pieces you are most drawn to for your brand session are just a little different than what you may wear on a daily basis— that is totally okay + even expected! You want the pieces you choose to directly communicate with your ideal client.

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Clothes are often one of the first things that are noticed about our presentation. That said, take a breath, roll out your shoulders, and trust yourself. You know your brand better than anyone, so pick pieces that feel true to your business! 

10 Hacks for Styling your Outfits:

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When choosing outfits for your brand session, consider your overall brand colors + the colors most commonly shown in your IG feed! Are you more of a neutral person? Perhaps you like a little bit of color? Whatever the answer is here, make sure you keep it cohesive with the rest of your brand. You want to coordinate, but not necessarily match your branding, meaning you may include pieces that speak to your aesthetic but don't match exactly. My best advice? If you place everything together, and a color sticks out like a sore thumb? Ditch that piece and opt for something else.

Keep color cohesive

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It can be SO easy to want to incorporate all of the fun prints, patterns, and textures into your brand session! First, there is nothing wrong with incorporating bold textures and patterns! That said, keep in mind that obvious patterns will reduce the longevity of your photos + will ultimately result in use fatigue! (Meaning, you may get a little tired of posting the same print over and over each week... let's avoid that!) My best piece of advice? Ask yourself if you would wear this piece or pattern every week! If the answer is yes, go for it. If the answer is no? Let's pick another piece.  

Avoid obvious prints

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We've all seen the quote from Coco Chanel: "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off," right? With your brand session, I want to challenge you to do the same thing! When you are over accessorized, your photos will "date" faster. Keep in mind, less is more, ensuring your energy + messaging will be the focus of your images! That said, bring along all of your accessories! We'll mix and match pieces throughout your session to ensure more gallery diversity in your final images. #1 tip here? Pick and bring along only your favorite pieces! 

Mix and match accessories

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There's no denying you want to feel your absolute BEST in your brand photos! Know that you are beautiful just the way you are and that you will rock your brand session at any size and in any season. My #1 tip? Incorporate pieces that fit and flatter your silhouette today! It can be tempting to buy "goal sizes," but like I said, you are beautiful, just the way you are! Your goal should be pieces that gorgeously fit your body and that you feel comfortable in! We'll go more into comfort tips and tricks in just a second, but let me just encourage you: ignore the size + make sure the fit is flattering.

Flattering fit is your bff

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If you take anything from this style guide, I hope it's this: comfort is KEY to your confidence. Now, this isn't saying that all of your outfits should be your best leggings and sweatshirts, but your outfits should be comfortable and require minimal adjusting throughout your session. If an outfit only looks right from one angle or position, it is not the right outfit. Sit, stand, dance around, touch your toes, and then stand totally still. How did your outfit do? If it is holding solid and you are happy moving around in it, it made your brand session cut! If you are not happy, pick something new!

Comfort is confidence

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Everything in your brand session should be intentional, yes, even the fabric of the outfits you have chosen! For the most part, I find that natural textiles (Think: cotton, linen, wool, etc.) read slightly elevated over manmade textiles (Think: polyester, rayon, spandex, etc.). For that reason, I recommend opting for pieces that feel and look like natural textiles. I'll be sure to bring along a steamer to your session to ensure any wrinkles or pleats are looking their best. Overall, pick textiles + fabrics that speak to your brand story! Put yourself in your ideal client's shoes! 

Textiles tell a story

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When it comes to your brand, there is no denying that you know how important consistency is. When it comes to outfit selection, it is important that your outfits all communicate with each other: they tell a consistent story + message about your brand. Think of it this way: if your outfits were all on one garment rack, you would want them all to look like they belong! If there is one that doesn't fit the rest, ditch it! After all, your images will be slotted next to each other on your website and social media! It is absolutely okay to mix and match "levels" of attire, but make sure all outfits coordinate.

A note on Consistency

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Do you have a signature piece that you always seem to be incorporating? Chances are good, this is something that people have grown to associate with your brand, and you'll want to incorporate it into your session. Whether you're rocking Chuck Taylors, statement earrings, gorgeous bangles, a bold lip color, jean jacket, or something else, bring along your signature pieces! I also recommend bringing along a few extra accessories to mix and match with the outfits you'll wear with your signature pieces! This will help to infuse so much diversity into your final gallery.

Put your signature on it

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This is more of a note for your session date, but as we style your session day-of, typically, we'll start with the full outfit + accessories and will remove pieces as we go! So... make sure you are incorporating layers + accessories! We'll deconstruct your outfit with intention, ensuring you've got more overall diversity in your final gallery. We'll also tweak various accessories here and there as we work our way through your session! Tying this all together, go big and bold from the start of your session! We'll gradually peel back the layers to reveal different looks as we go.

Go all out to start!

MEET YOUR CLOSET'S NEW BESTIE

I know wardrobe planning can feel incredibly overwhelming... from colors to moods, textile types, messaging through clothes... it's a lot! That's why I would LOVE to introduce you to an incredible woman that will help you source + style your brand clothes! No... really! Her name is Katherine Bignon, and she is an incredibly talented fashion designer + personal stylist, specializing in curating outfits for personal brand sessions! She has a variety of service options, and I can assure you, you'll be in good hands with her by your side! She actually contributed to many of the style tips in this guide, so I can guarantee, her styling wisdom will be an incredible asset to elevating your already amazing brand session!

To hire Katherine, send her a note through her site here! 

Timing

Throughout your experience, I'll have a few deadlines that you’ll want to keep in mind. The first:your pre-shoot questionnaire: make sure to complete that within the timeframe I share with you. Your questionnaire and my notes from our initial call are what direct the majority of my research, so make sure to get that back to me as soon as you can. I want to make sure I have the time I need to thoroughly research and plan out your shoot and would hate for any missed deadlines to compromise this!

After receiving your questionnaire, I’ll reach out to schedule your pre-shoot call. This will take place two to four weeks before our shoot day. During this call, we’ll talk through the unique set of concepts I’ve come up with for you, attire, location, and together, we’ll brainstorm a list of props you might want to have on hand.

Because you might need to purchase/order a few new items that we discuss on that call, it’s important we’re able to meet far enough in advance of your shoot to allow time for ordering + shipping said items.

Keep in mind that any significant delays in deadlines could result in a need to reschedule your shoot— I know your time is precious and these photographs are really important for you to have, so just make sure you’re sending in the everything needed as soon as possible! 

Choosing Location

When it comes to planning your brand session, selecting a location that will serve us well may just be one of the most important parts of the process! The location of your brand session will serve as the canvas for all of your images. You want the location to look and feel like you’ve jumped right into your brand. More than that though, you’ll want to make sure that it meets the following criteria…

1. Is there ample clean, natural light (big windows) throughout the space?
2. Is there more than just one room or corner that feels brand-cohesive?
3. Does the space feel like a photo shoot set, or does it seem more organic/true to life?
4. If choosing a public location (i.e. hotel bar, landmark, public park), will we be dealing with passersby/tourists/etc.? Will we have permission to work there?
5. Is there enough open space for a few people to comfortably move around? 
6. Do you like the colors of the walls? (Breaking this one down further! I recommend selecting a location with bright, neutral walls, such as white, light grey, and cream. This will minimize color reflections on your skin! That said, you’ll want to make sure that the neutral of the walls is on brand, as this will shine through in your images!)

Now… where to find the perfect location?! There are SO many amazing places you can look to source the perfect brand location. If your home is something straight off of Pinterest, let’s chat about having your session there! That certainly keeps things simple, and whenever shooting at home is an option, I love how relaxed it helps my clients feel. But if a well-decorated, well-lit, on-brand home isn’t your story, don’t sweat! 

Part of planning your session involves choosing an appropriate backdrop for it all- if your home isn’t “on-brand,” we still have a ton of other options. More than half of my clients end up choosing an off-site location for their session. You could start by looking into friends' home, if renting a location isn’t in the cards. That said, if you were hoping to rent a location, the top places I recommend looking are Home Studio List, Airbnb, VRBO, Sonder, local boutique hotels, and Peerspace. 

If there’s an event venue in your area that immediately comes to mind, it doesn’t hurt to reach out and ask if they have an hourly rate for a session in the middle of the week. If you go the Airbnb or VRBO route, you’ll most likely need to reserve two nights to give us enough time for prep + shooting. Be sure to let the host know their home will be utilized for a photo session— we’ll need their permission!

If you’re struggling to choose between a couple different locations, send the links my way! I love providing input on what would photograph best. If we’re shooting offsite, when it comes time to reserve your location, please allow a one-hour buffer of extra time for arrival & set-up beforehand, and another 30-min buffer for teardown afterwards. Trust me… we’ll need it, especially with all the props I’ll be asking you to bring!



We're official!

Chances are good, you just signed your contract and paid your retainer! Within the first week of booking, I’ll send over your pre-session questionnaire. Make sure to return that within the requested time frame so I can get started on my research! Your pre-session questionnaire is home-base for me as I do my research. The more detail you can give me here, the better I’m able to brainstorm your storylines and shot list!

Let's break down your experience Timeline...

Two Months out: Brand Board

Once your questionnaire has been submitted, I’ll have you get started on a brief Pinterest board (no more than 15 pins) that tells the story of the overall aesthetic of your brand. This is the place to help me envision the overall vibe of your brand. I’ll have a copy of the board with me on the day of your shoot as a reference! Feel free to include photographs of anything that feels on-brand- locations, textures, colors, moments and emotions, fashion, interiors, and more

Four Weeks Out: Venue, outfit, + planning call

Approximately one month before your session, you’ll start working to choose your outfits. Do this early so you’ll have plenty of time to order and try out new pieces! This is also the time when you’ll want to have reserved your final location for your session! If you’re planning to work with a hair & makeup artist, go ahead and get on their schedule now- this will impact our final day-of timeline, and I’ll want to plan accordingly. I will also reach out around this time to get your pre-session call on the calendar!

Three Weeks Out: Pre-Session Call

We’ll have a pre-session call between 2-3 weeks before your shoot, during which time I’ll share my ideas for concepts and to make sure I’m on the right path. We’ll also use that call to discuss a timeline for the day of your session, taking into account any additional vendors involved, team or family members you hope to include, and potential start/end times dictated by the venue.

One Week Out: Finalized Packing List + Details

After our call, you’ll receive your final packing list. This is the time to pull props and to take any finalized outfit items to the tailor or dry cleaner! Order any final items off your packing list that you don’t already have on hand and double check the arrival dates of items in transit. If I will be traveling for your session, you’ll also hear from me with the final details on when I'll be arriving in town. In your finalized packing docs, I’ll also send over a schedule for the day of your session so you’ll know an overall start and end time

Two Days Out: Final Prep! 

If you’re in need of a final hair and/or nail appointment, this is the time to have that done! Pick up any items you took to the tailor or cleaners. Gather all your outfits and accessories in one place, and ensure everything is clean and wrinkle-free. I’ll have a steamer with me on the day-of for any last-minute subtle wrinkles, but trust me: nothing is more stressful than trying to iron with your hair and makeup halfway done, only to hear the doorbell ring signalling my arrival! If you’re planning to have easy, fresh flowers in vases around the house, purchase these the day before.

Session Day! 

WE MADE IT— get excited for your session day! I always plan to arrive 45-60 minutes before your session to allow for time to explore your space and set up my gear. Don’t worry about being camera-ready right when I arrive! We’ll work to finalize pairing outfits with concepts before we begin shooting. Once we’ve wrapped up for the day, count on me taking about 30 minutes to pack up and load out.

One Week After: Preview

You did it!!!! About a week after your session, I’ll send over a few previews from your session! I can’t wait for you to see these. You’re welcome to begin using your images as soon as I send them.

Three-Four Weeks After: Full Gallery 

I’ll deliver your final gallery through my gallery site, CloudSpot. You’ll have full download capability so you can start using your photographs as soon as they land in your inbox. Your gallery will be online for six months, but I suggest downloading the high-resolution files as soon as you receive them so that it doesn’t fall off your radar! Once you have things downloaded, be sure to back them up! You’ll want to back your images up in more than two places, just in case you experience any kind of personal hard drive issues. 

Beyond: Final questionnaire + Implementation

I would love to hear your thoughts! After you receive your final gallery, I will send over a questionnaire to ask about your experience, thoughts on the final gallery of images, and any other feedback you might have for me. This part is so helpful for us as I polish and perfect my systems! Also… be sure to make a date with yourself once you receive your gallery to view + download your images, and pull your faves- you worked SO hard on this, so let’s put those photos to good use!

So... what should you pack?!

Before your session, I’ll provide a fully customized packing list, designed to help you pack and prep for your session with ease! Every brand session is different, so there isn’t really one tried-and-true list that will work for everyone. That said, there’s often a decent amount of overlap between personal brands in the categories that I recommend bringing! Just in case you wanted to start thinking about your packing list now, here are the general categories I often recommend people pack for their brand sessions: 

Your work tools
Examples of your work, especially if you are a creative maker! 
Marketing collateral 
Outfits and accessories + hangers
Desk accessories 
Your favorite/go to beverage and containers
On-brand decor, especially if we will be at a location that is not your home

Have something else you think would make a great addition to your prop list? Let me know! Additionally, if something on your recommended list ends up falling through, it is not a big deal. I just ask that you let me know, so I can plan our session timeline accordingly! 


Gallery Delivery

YAY!!! Your brand gallery is HERE… but, now what? You put so much work into your brand photos, it is so important that you put your images to good use. Once you have your images in hand, I recommend first running a backup— you’ll want to store your images in more than two places, just in case! (I recommend Google Drive and a solid state drive like this one!). After that, there are two processes I recommend you walk yourself through to fully implement your images! Let’s dive into step one: 

Choose your very favorite headshot from your shoot and go through ALL of your main channels to update your profile photo! Consistency across platforms helps your audience recognize you from one channel to the next, so I strongly suggest using the same bio photo across every channel. Here’s a general list to get you started: 
Website - About Page, online shop, sales pages, social media bio photos including: Instagram, Facebook business page, Pinterest, Clubhouse, TikTok, Industry-specific aggregate websites, client management software (i.e. Honeybook, Dubsado, etc.), email signature, marketing collateral (i.e. pricing PDFs, proposals), downloadable freebies

The broad overview:

The deep dive: Pull together a collection of your favorite 30-40 photographs from your shoot (both horizontal and vertical) and keep them in an easy-to-access folder on your desktop or in the Cloud. These are the go-to photos you’ll use again and again on social media, guest posts, newsletter heads, Keynote slide decks, etc. 

The Deep dive:

THANK YOU!

email me

Friend, you did it! Making it through your massive brand session prep guide is an accomplishment in itself! Now... the fun really begins! Thank you so much for trusting me to photograph these images for your brand. I hope you are feeling all kinds of encouraged, excited, and READY to take on this experience together. I'm always just an email away, so if you have any questions, a need for me to connect with vendors, or just want to pass an idea my way, know my inbox is always open! 

Have a question?