Today’s blog is a special one as I’ve got something a little different for you all! As you can probably guess from the title, I had the pleasure of doing a branding session with the lovely and talented ladies of Meld Studio in Naperville, Illinois!!🫶🏽 These sessions are a TON of fun, and completely different from my other forms of photography. Come with me as we take a look at what makes branding photography so unique as well as some of the highlights from Meld Studio!

Beauty products sit organized on shelfs inside meld studio during their branding session

My Process as a Branding Photographer

So what does my process look like for my branding sessions, and what does that mean for the client you might be asking? When a client books me for a branding session I make it a priority to get to know them, their business, and their goals prior to their session. I want to know ALL the details! What they plan to use the branding photos for, who their target audience is, the services and/or products they provide to their customers, and what they want their clients to feel when entering their space.✨ From there I’m able to step into their space looking for these key pieces of their brand and begin documenting that story through photos!

3 empty work stations of the beauty salon Meld Studio sit open and ready during a branding session

2 photos side by side, the left is a close up of beauty products sitting on a shelf in a store, the right is of mirrors sitting on a table

During a branding session for Meld studio, a woman curls the hair of another woman sitting in a chair

2 photos side by side, the left is of refreshments and a coffee machine on a countertop, the right is of a hair stylist smiling while working with a client

Headshots vs Branding Sessions, What’s the Difference?

If you’ve heard the term branding session before then you’ve probably heard of headshots as well! But what’s the difference between the two? Headshots are a very formal version of business photography that focus solely on the people that make up the company. The general use for these are for staffing pages or other areas where the company needs to showcase their team. While a branding session will include headshots, they’re usually less formal and are more focused on showing the personality of the staff! Branding sessions include a LOT more though. Branding sessions are meant to document your space, your team, and the work you do! 🤩 They’re well rounded sessions with your business’ needs as the focal point.

2 portrait photos side by side of a hair stylist, the left photo is of her standing and smiling at the camera, the right photo is of her sitting smiling at the camera

2 photos side by side of a hair stylist in her studio, the left is of her sitting in a chair and the right is of her standing and smiling at the camera

2 photos side by side of 3 stylists standing next to one another, in the left they are smiling at the camera and in the right they are laughing with one another

Branding Session at Meld Studio in Naperville

Now that we have a clear picture of what branding sessions are and how they work, let’s take a look at a real example with the incredible Meld Studio’s session! I started off Meld Studio’s branding session by documenting their space. From there we moved on to headshots with a focus of capturing the personality of each team member.

Another fun thing that’s possible with branding sessions are full team photos! These help to showcase more of each member’s personality as well as show how close knit the team is. From there we moved on to action photos showing each of the stylists working in their space. I always make sure to get a good mixture with these photos, including close ups as well as photos where the team member is fully in view. This helps to really drive home the experience that the potential clients will get when coming into Meld Studio!

2 photos side by side, the left is of a woman smiling as a stylist works on her hair, the right is of the woman from behind playing with her hair

2 portrait photos side by side of a hair stylist in her studio, in the left photo she is smiling at the camera and standing, in the right photo she is smiling at the camera and sitting

3 stylists of Meld Studio stand with one another in the studio during a branding session

3 workers of Meld Studio stand with one another and smile at one another during a branding session in their studio space

2 portrait photos side by side of a hair stylist, the left photo is of her looking over her shoulder at the camera, the right photo is of her facing the camera with her hand on her hip

2 portrait photos side by side of a hair stylist smiling at the camera while standing in their studio space

2 photos side by side of a hair stylist sitting on a green couch in her studio space and smiling at the camera

2 portrait photos side by side of a hair stylist in her studio, the left photo is of her facing the camera and in the right photo she is smiling over her shoulder at the camera

2 photos side by side, the left is a close up shot of a woman's hands holding a pair of scissors, the right is a photo of the stylist sitting in front of a couch with her scissors

Close up photo of a woman's hands holding a pair of scissors, taken during a branding session at Meld Studio

2 photos side by side of a blonde woman getting her hair worked on in a hair salon, each photo has a different stylist working with the woman

During a branding session at Meld Studio a stylist adjusts the hair of a fellow stylist while the two stand in front of a mirror

My branding session with Meld Studio was such a blast to be a part of! If you’re in or around Naperville and you’re looking for a hair stylist in the area, the gals at Meld have you covered!!✂️ If you’re in love with the idea of a branding session for your business and would like to book me for it be sure to send an inquiry through my contact page. I’d love to start getting to know you, your business, and your goals so we can create the best branding session possible to fit YOUR needs!!