5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before a Studio Portrait

There are a few types of people that approach us for a Studio Portrait session:

Those that are doing it for a purpose (i.e. an album cover, or the launch of a new website/product or service).
Those that are NEEDING to get something done, and urgently because their current photos are out of date.
Those who do it just because they can and it allows them to step out of their comfort zone.

No matter what category you fit into, here are a few questions you should ask yourself when booking a Studio Portrait session and how to know which package suits you best…

What is the message you would like to portray?

We want to empower you with a great portrait of yourself - one that captures your who, what and why. When you are investing in professional photos of yourself this is such an important question as this will dictate the look and feel of your entire shoot and how the Acorn team creatively direct you during your session. A great image not only looks good, but it will help to convey a message to people that view it. What is the one thing you want viewers to “get”? Here are a few extra questions that will guide you to your personal answer to this question:

Do you want to look approachable?
Do you want to look strong and powerful?
Do you want to look “put together”?
Do you want to look like you just woke up?
Feminine or masculine energy?
Is there a theme or overarching message that you need to portray?
Could we use props, styling, lighting, or a particular paper backdrop colour to help you communicate your message?

What is your inspiration?

This is a really great thing to look into before investing in a Studio Portrait. Take some time to scroll through Instagram, Linkedin and Facebook and see what you like. Pinterest is also a fabulous platform to draw inspiration from as well! And sometimes the best images can be found from a good old fashioned Google search. We live in a visually saturated world so your options from where to draw inspiration from is endless. Look at what other people in your industry are doing, ask yourself what do you like about their portraits and what you don’t like about them and we strongly encourage you to throw the net out wider to see what other people in OTHER industries are doing and look at how you can apply this to your images! Keep in mind that these are INSPIRATION and not necessarily a “shot list” and you will find during your Studio Portrait session that these inspo images will spark off a range of poses and images till we get what you are looking for. What you will also find is that these inspo images will also help you to gain confidence as you begin to figure out what will work and what doesn’t.

What sort of investment are you looking for?

Our Individual Studio Portrait sessions are designed to help take your portrait to the next level by being customisable, creative and premium. When it comes to considering which collection or package you would like to work with it is important to consider what your budget is and what you are willing to invest. We offer three packages at three different price points:

Studio C is our lower cost option - this is great if you are looking for a sort of one hit wonder and a chance for you to get your feet wet in the world of Studio Portraits.
Studio B offers to clients a bit more variety including an extra backdrop and a bit more time - this is a great option if you are looking to invest a little bit more money to get you a mixture of shots.
Studio A is our top investment package offering a lot more time and up to three backdrops. This is an awesome package if you are happy to invest the time and money needed to get the shots you are looking for.

Keep in mind that with all our packages you do have the opportunity to purchase more images so you can make your time investment go further!

What will help you to feel more confident?

There are two types of people in the world - those who love to be in front of the camera and those who don’t. No matter what type you fall into if you are taking the time and money to invest in a Studio Portrait it is important that you have a bit of self discovery when it comes to channeling that inner confidence!

Here at Acorn you can be assured that we aren’t striving for perfection - we love working with REAL people and your studio portrait should reflect your personality however confidence is key and it is important for you to get past perfection and fear in order to nail your shots. Our team will work hard to make sure the studio environment helps you to ooze confidence. However, before your studio portrait take the time to consider a few key things that will help you to boost your confidence:

Hair and Makeup - you know that feeling when you have just gotten your hair done and you walk out of the salon feeling like a total boss? Well think about recreating that feeling in your Studio Portrait session by engaging with someone who will do your hair and makeup for you. We offer this as an add on for our studio portraits and we work with some amazing people who know their stuff and will work with you to achieve the look you are after!
Music choice - whether it is something chill and vibey, upbeat and poppy or you are after some 90s sing-alongs, music is key to helping you relax and have FUN! Think about what type of music helps your confidence and boosts your energy!
What to wear - Make sure you are comfortable in what you are wearing and just a friendly reminder that just because it is on trend doesn’t mean you HAVE to wear it. Think about a few signature pieces that will help you to own your poses whether it is a blazer, a flowy dress, or jeans and a white t-shirt. Also don’t forget to bring options! Check out our “What to Wear” blog here.

Have you considered other packages?

As we mentioned before, our studio portrait collections were designed to help take your portrait to the next level. Basically, we are passionate about showcasing people and we love to do this through Studio Portraits, however before your Studio Portrait session it is important to make sure you are selecting the right service for what you are after. Acorn Studio offers a variety of services for you to choose from so make sure you consider all of your options before going ahead with your portrait session. Some options for you to consider could include:

Standard Headshot: This package offers you one shot on what is usually a white backdrop, this is perfect for Real Estate Agents, Lawyers and other professions where a headshot is needed.

Comparatively, an Individual Studio Portrait is more relatable and provides a connection for the viewer of the image, utilising additional colours and other elements to convey a message, rather than just being a personal photograph (as in the case of the Standard Headshot)

Personal Brand Imagery: Not to be confused with a headshot or professional portrait, personal branding imagery is not just one image but an overall visual representation of you and your business. These photos are done on location for one person and are more lifestyle images rather than portraits.

Business Brand Imagery: You are looking to elevate your brand and wondering where to start? Then these are the packages for you! Each photo session will build up a great personalised portfolio and library of content that can be used across multiple platforms - gone are the days of stock images. Give your clients and customers something real and relevant to your brand.

So if you have taken the time to answer these questions then you are probably ready to book in your Studio Portrait Session - check out more info here and we will see you in the studio!

Individual Studio Portrait