Personal branding is an essential part of every entrepreneur's marketing strategy. It helps you stand out from the crowd and build a strong brand identity. When planning your personal branding session, one of the decisions you have to make is where to have your photographs taken.  

The location of your personal branding shoot plays a role in helping tell your story. It will help you leave a lasting first impression and can even influence the kind of audience you attract (Hello, potential clients!).

When you think about personal branding photography, a studio setting is the first thing that usually comes to mind. That's how professional photos were traditionally done anyway. However, this is just one of the many options that you can choose from. In fact, this is the last location I think of when clients ask me where they should have their photos taken.

So where should you have your personal branding photography session? Here are some great location ideas.

Home Office or Home Studio

If you work from home and you feel that your home office visually represents your personal brand, then there's no need to look further -- it’s the perfect location for a personal branding shoot!

The home office is a great branding photoshoot location for a number of reasons. Firstly, if you work from home, it is one of the places where you feel the most comfortable and that translates well in photos. This is especially true for artists like painters, sculptors, illustrators, writers, and even musicians.

Second, it's convenient! It eliminates the need for you to travel for the branding session. Plus, your home office will have all the props you could ever need for photographs that look and feel like you.

For an even more relaxed, personal feel, you can even include your pet in a few of the shots. Some people even go as far as taking a few shots in their living room or kitchen! It all depends on the messaging you want to send. Just make sure that your home office has lots of natural light for the best photos.


Meeting Room or Coworking Space

If you don’t feel your home office is right for a personal brand session, then you can do it in a meeting room that you can rent or a coworking space that you frequent. These places are fantastic because they are well-lit and usually perfectly decorated-- just make sure that the décor aligns with your brand image.


To make the location feel less generic, you can add a personal touch by bringing with you some things from your home office, like your favorite mug or planner. When hunting for the perfect coworking space or meeting room to rent, choose a space that has other areas you can use, such as a lounge with visually appealing furniture so there can be some variation in the photos you take.

Apartment or BnB

Yep, you read that right. Sometimes, the perfect location for your personal brand photo shoot is somebody else's home!

There are so many beautiful apartments and guest houses that can be used for your personal branding shoot, especially in Miami. Usually, these places are quite affordable to rent for a few hours or even for a day. And you can make use of all the rooms in the apartment! It's definitely a plus if they have a nice little terrace or some outdoor space with gorgeous lighting.


If you know someone who has a great apartment or you’ve seen a nice location on Airbnb, this can be a good option for your shoot so list that down. It’s also ideal if you are a little shy or would prefer a more private setting for your photo session.

Coffee Shops and Restaurants

Do you have a favorite coffee shop where you enjoy working? Or a restaurant that you just love? You can have your personal brand photographs taken there! 


Unless you make prior arrangements though, you might need to work around other customers but hey, that is actually a plus and the 'busyness' around you can add charm to the photos. Either way, it's always a good practice to speak to the owner of the establishment first.

Go Outside

Sometimes, indoor locations just don't cut it. So take the shoot outdoors! Outdoor photos can feel more adventurous, carefree, and even add an urban feel to your visual branding. 


Outdoor locations are also perfect if your personal brand is about movement or nature. And even if it's not, getting some photos taken out in the sun can result in striking photos that emit happy vibes. Not to mention, the backdrop opportunities are endless.

Photography Studio

Although this is rarely my first recommendation, a photography studio can still be a great location for personal branding photos. It offers a professional setting and it gives your photographer easy access to tools they might need for the shoot like lighting equipment. If you want to change things up so the backdrop doesn't look too generic, find out whether you can bring in your own props and furniture although honestly, that can be a lot of work. Still, it is an option that you may want to consider if all the locations suggested above won't work for you.


Do you have any questions about personal branding or having your personal brand photos taken? Leave a comment below or shoot us a DM -- we are on Instagram as @bravoimage_branding!