Choosing where you do your branding shoot should be so fun! When you find a spot that really resonates with you and your brand, it can just energize the whole day! But there are as many "perfect" locations as there are business owners, so let's consider some of your options!


I decided to split these posts into Indoor and Outdoor options. Today we're starting with shooting indoors!

Option No. 1: Your home or office


Your home can be a great option since it's usually already going to reflect your tastes and personality. Same goes for your office or workplace. This especially makes sense if you have a major set up for your work - think painters or potters with a studio or personal trainers with their own gym space. You'll feel comfortable and - bonus- it's impossible to forget to bring something you need to your session! Plus one big pro is that it's free.


The main thing we need to consider here is the light. Not every home or office is going to have sufficient light to get the look that you want. Almost everything you see in my portfolio is shot with natural light, so if you like that look, let's definitely talk about the lighting situation before we plan to shoot at your home or workspace. Another thing to be aware of is all the every day stuff you forget about that we probably don't want in the background. I have no problem moving things around if you are cool with it. But if that bums you out, let's consider other options! We may even need to rearrange furniture a bit!

Option No. 2: Airbnb or VRBO Rental


We are really lucky in Central Texas to have a TON of beautiful vacation rentals to choose from. Odds are you'll be able to find one that suits the look of your brand. One major pro is that the place will be clean. Getting yourself ready for a shoot will probably take a little more work than you think, so having a place that is just ready when you walk in is really nice. Also, you get the place overnight! So you can get there the night before your shoot, iron your clothes, organize any props you brought, get ready by yourself in the morning and really be able to focus on the shoot. (My mom clients know what I'm talking about!) Actually a lot of them require a two-night stay to book - it's up to you if that's a pro or a con!


These will usually cost a few hundred dollars at least. The larger ones can be even more. But depending on the scope of your shoot, it can easily be a reasonable business expense given the ROI you can expect from how you use your photos. Another potential drawback is the checkout time - it's usually 11 a.m. That gives us plenty of time for a 1-2 hour shoot, but if you need longer, you will need to book two nights.


Option No. 3: Peerspace


Okay, this one is similar to a vacation rental, but you may not have heard of it. Peerspace.com offers rentals by the hour for things like photoshoots, meeting and events. You'll find residences, but they also tend to have studios and event spaces. It can be more affordable than a vacation rental, but it depends on the space. There are some really great options on Peerspace in our area.


These rentals will probably also run at least a couple hundred dollars. And a lot of them don't let you rent for just one hour at a time. So it's possible you'll find one you love and then be sad that their minimum rental is six hours or something. But it's worth a look, for sure!

Option No. 4: Wedding and Event Venues


This is one of my favorite options! There is such a huge variety of venues in Central Texas, and so many of them are open to hourly rentals during the week! This can be the most affordable option. Actually, I used a wedding venue for my own branding photos. They tend to have beautiful lighting and the good ones are thoughtfully designed to be pretty in pictures!


I'm trying to think of a drawback to this option. It might not be right for you if you want a homey look. There doesn't tend to be anything that can really pass for a workspace, but if you need that, then we'll just bring it with us!

Option No. 5: Traditional Photo Studio


And now for something completely different! This option is great if you don't have time to schedule around the seasons or the weather. We'll be using artificial light, so we can shoot any time of the year and any time of day. It's also a different look - it's going to look more like a traditional, glossy commercial shoot. And lastly, the background can be completely clean *or* we can build out whatever set you want! Depending on how elaborate you want it to be, there may be an additional fee associated with building a set.


There is a rental fee for the studio, but it's comparable to the other options we've looked at. The main drawback to using a studio is that any variety you want in your shots is all up to us to create because it's just a white room with some lights. Actually - that sounds kind of fun. Does that count as a drawback?? Depends on the client, I guess!


I think that's enough options! Shooting indoors gives you the peace of mind that you won't have to reschedule for weather or be freezing or sweating off your makeup! We always need to carefully consider the lighting, but we can work together to make sure we get it right!


Email me to talk about specific locations and see if we can find the perfect spot for you!