What does it take to create a photo that will stop any Facebook scroll in its tracks? It’s about much more than simply capturing a beautiful image. A powerful, effective personal branding photo is not only visually compelling, but provides an authentic personal relationship with the viewer.

When a viewer looks at your photo, they should immediately understand what your brand “stands for”—health, freedom, wealth, success, beauty. Secondly, the image should leave the viewer thinking, “Who is this woman? I like her, I trust her, and I want what she has to offer.”

Why do so many photographs miss the mark? Some photographers will optimize for a beautiful image and put too much attention on the details, adjusting everything from the lighting to your outfit to your stance until it matches the perfect vision in their head. The photograph might turn out beautifully, and yet you might not know who the woman is or what she stands for.

Then there’s the photographer who will tell you to just be “authentic.” I think pretty much every woman on the planet can agree that there is no more confusing directive to receive in front of the camera. It’s one of those statements that’s likely to pull you out of the moment. You start wondering what to to do or worrying about how you look, and suddenly you’re up in your head, recalling all your past fears of being photographed, rather than openly expressing yourself in the now.

Even when a shoot like this produces a great image, you’ll still catch a little hint of uncertainty. Even though the woman may be the perfect coach, mentor, entrepreneur, fill in the blank, the viewer experiences a lack of trust, picking up on the woman’s own distrust of how she looks in front of the camera. Bummer, right?

Ideally, you and your team want to have equal attention on making sure the visual experience of your image is aligned with your brand, and making sure that you’re having an authentic emotional experience that matches how you want your clients to feel.

Let’s break it down. The visual experience of the image includes all the details that speak to who you are and what your brand represents. The clothing you wear, the locations you’re in, the props, and what you’re “doing”—i.e. in an urban environment, shopping, exploring, working, having a cup of tea, a beautiful meal, a glass of champagne, dancing in the streets, sitting quietly, being physically active, meditating, in nature, journaling, etc.

It also includes the quality of image and the lighting your photographer creates. It should be intentional, flattering and professional. In today’s marketplace, we as viewers notice EVERYTHING, and it all impacts whether we believe that you and your brand are credible or not. This is not meant to put pressure on you so much as encourage you to “do it right” the first time.

So assuming you nail the visual experience of your brand, there is still another part—creating the experience of knowing the woman. It’s the difference between someone thinking, “Wow, I love what she is wearing” or “she looks so beautifully positioned,” and saying “I like her, I can feel her, I want to be like her, and I want to hire her!” That’s the kind of recognition that compels someone to reach out and want to learn more about what you offer.

It’s all about creating an authentic and natural relationship with your clients through your images. If you’re reading this magazine, you probably want to look authentically Hot, Smart, Connected, Vibrant, Powerful, Confident, Elegant, Playful, Capable, Approachable, Loving, Open, Vulnerable, Vivacious, Relaxed, Wealthy and Present in your photos. (When people see someone who has the answer, that’s what inspires them to pull out their credit cards.)

You probably feel most of these in your life authentically often, perhaps daily or even hourly. However, for most of us, how we authentically feel when we’re having a professional photoshoot is a little nervous, self-conscious, worried about how to position our bodies, concerned about how our clothes are fitting and if our hair looks ok, wondering if we should smile, where we should look, what the hell do we do with our arms?!? Can you relate??

So, how do you ensure you get gorgeous, visually compelling images that authentically capture your most divine self?? You do what you can to prepare, and you hire a GREAT TEAM you trust to get the results you want! Below I’ve put together a few tips to help you find your next photographer, as well as my strategy for how to set the scene for your shoot.

• Start by getting recommendations from people you trust.  Gina trusts me, and Gina’s clients trust her, which is why our collaborations over the years have worked beautifully.
• Look for a photographer who understands personal branding and is working specifically with entrepreneurs.  Choose someone whose work you’ve seen and admire.
• Reach out and plan to get on the phone to see if they’re a good fit. you want to find a photographer who will provide a healthy balance of direction, flexibility, and attention to detail. Someone who will make you feel comfortable, confident and connected.
• Some photographers are booked 3-6 months out, so book your shoot well in advance to ensure you get to work with the photographer you feel the most excited about working with.

The right personal branding photographer will be able to hold a vision for you that’s bigger than the vision you hold for yourself. When I say that, what I mean is that often times, we have this idea about what we’re capable of or what our businesses are capable of or who we are capable of serving that’s limited by our imagination. A photographer who’s worth their salt will be able to hold a bigger vision of who you can be in the world and how you can serve, and be able to capture that!

• They will be curious about you and want to get to know who you are and what your message is.
• They will listen closely to what you want and ask questions that let you know they understand.
• They will be clear about what you can expect to receive and how the experience will go.
• You may still feel nervous, but you’ll also feel a knowing, a trust and the feeling that you like them!

Make sure everything that’s to be included in your photoshoot is laid out in detail. Ideally you want to get the whole package—make-up, hair, styling, and transportation if needed. Establish how many photos you’ll be getting by what date, and whether retouching will be included. Also find out if there might be any extra charges for a photo-assistant etc.