Brand Photography Guide
Defining Your Style
Composition
- Rule of thirds or centered (pick one as primary)
- Close-up vs wide (what's your default framing?)
- Negative space usage (how much, where)
- Depth of field (shallow = cinematic, deep = documentary)
Lighting
- Natural vs studio (or both with guidelines for each)
- Warm vs cool (color temperature direction)
- Soft vs hard (diffused vs directional)
- Time of day for outdoor shots
Color Treatment
- Saturated vs muted
- Warm vs cool color grade
- Specific color grading preset/LUT
- Consistent editing across all photos
Subject Matter
- People: candid vs posed, diversity requirements
- Products: lifestyle vs studio, scale reference
- Places: with people or without, occupied or empty
- Details: textures, materials, craft close-ups
Shot List Template
Scene: [Description]
Subject: [Who/what]
Composition: [Framing, angle]
Lighting: [Type, direction]
Mood: [Feeling to convey]
Usage: [Where this will be used]
Notes: [Special requirements]
Photo Don'ts
- Generic stock (shaking hands, pointing at screens)
- Inconsistent editing between photos
- Forced diversity that feels staged
- Low resolution or watermarked images
- Photos that could be any brand
