YOUR WEB DESIGNER CALLED—
AND SHE'S BEGGING YOU TO GET A BETTER BRAND SHOOT
It's me— I'm the web designer. And I'm about to say something that might completely shock you: your logo, fonts, and colors are only as good as the brand photography you pair it with.
Stick with me and learn how to plan a brand shoot that gets clicks and actually establishes you as a unique & sought-after service provider.
... and here in 2026, defaulting to the stiff, plain-white-studio-disco-ball-coffee-mug brand photoshoot is no longer cutting it.
I've designed 220+ websites and counting, and time and time again I've seen gorgeous branding fall flat because the photography was giving ~stock photo model pretending to type.~
I've also seen simple sites absolutely pop because the person behind the brand dared to put a little extra thought into it.
But this should excite you! Because it means the barrier to a killer brand shoot isn't a million dollars or being hot. It's having a vision and a plan.
Creative, high-quality imagery is like..... of what makes your brand & website actually look good.
DON’T TELL THE OTHER DESIGNERS I TOLD YOU THIS, BUT…
80%
I dunno who needs to hear this, but it's not your photographer's job to be your brand's creative director. It's yours.
And it’s one of the only marketing tasks in your business that requires your complete involvement. And not only that, but…
★ It's a re-occurring expense
AKA, you need a new one every couple of years to stay relevant and have new content to use.
★ It’s an investment
Money, time, aaaaaand emotional labor. So it's important to get the most useable content out of it.
★ The vast majority of photographers won't (and really can't) help you with the planning.
This job will pretty much alllllways fall on you.
TL;DR: learn this skill now and use it for years to come, because the methodologies I’m teaching in this workshop are designed to be repeated through every new era of your brand.
join me for THE
brand shoot
direction
masterclass
featuring brand stylist Sophia Bayly!
watch the masterclass now
In this 90-minute masterclass, we’re teaching you how to plan a STANDOUT brand photo (& video!) shoot, become your own creative director, and master your imagery so that your website & socials become both singular and iconic.
in this class, we're covering
How to Develop a Creative Shoot Vision
★ How to ideate a shoot concept that captures the true energy of your brand
★ How to plan if you already have professional branding done
★ How to plan if you don't have professional branding done
Hiring the Right Creatives for Your Brand
★ Hiring the right photographer (& videographer) to capture you and your brand
★ Imagery strategy and how it fits into your macro visuals
★ Developing an actually useful shot list for website, socials, etc
All Things Locations, Props, & Makeup Artist
★ Maximize the amount of time and money you’re spending on the shoot
★ Scouting on-brand, creative locations & props that aren't just a plain white studio
★ Coordinating timelines, and more
What to Wear with Sophia Bayly
★ Learn Sophia's exact creative styling process so you can confidently build your own looks
★ Create impactful outfits that tell a story about you, your brand and business—as well as looks that pop on camera and shine on your website
Getting Comfy Cozy in Front of the Camera
★ Pre-shoot musts to make your life much easier the week and day-of
★ Camera confidence tricks
★ How to be yourself, even if you're shy
I'm Sarah Kleist, and despite not being a photographer or videographer myself, I've got a pretty unique perspective on this whole brand shoot thing because...
I've designed 220+ websites and I know exactly which shots you'll actually use versus the ones that'll sit in a Google Drive folder collecting dust. I can tell you what makes a hero image pop, what kind of photos your services page is begging for, and why that one headshot isn't going to cut it across your entire site.
★ I'm a brand & web designer, so I see the full picture.
... so being in front of the camera is just another day on the job for me. Headshots, reels, branded content—I've been photographed and filmed more times than I can count. But as a theatre girly, being in front of the cam didn't always come easy. I'm teaching you tactical tips I've learned for camera specifically—so if you're someone who "hates being on camera," hi, I see you, and I've got you.
★ I’ve also been a professional actor for 15+ years
I used to offer imagery creative direction as part of my design packages—helping clients nail their shot lists, locations, and overall vision before they ever stepped in front of a camera. I don't offer that 1:1 anymore (a girl only has so many hours in the day!), but this workshop is the next best thing. Everything I know, packaged up for you to run with on your own!
★ Aaaaand, I’ve planned countless client shoots.
meet your teacher
Brand stylist,
meet our special guest
Sophia spent 15 years in editorial fashion and fashion PR before pivoting to personal styling. And styling brand shoots is absolutely her sweet spot. (Go stalk her Instagram for proof.)
When you want to show up to your shoot knowing exactly what you're wearing, why you're wearing it, and how it's going to photograph, Sophia is the one you call. (As opposed to the alternative, aka standing in front of your closet the night before, spiraling.)
Sophia’s philosophy is: if you're building a personal brand, your style is part of your strategy, and what you wear in your brand photos is communicating something… whether you've thought about it or not.
She's not going to tell you to wear a blazer because it's "professional" or stick to your brand colors head-to-toe like a human mood board. She's going to help you figure out what actually makes you feel like yourself, what photographs well, and what you won't look back on in two years and think oh no, why did I do that.
And now, after styling 80+ business owners for their brand shoots, she's handing over the frameworks so you can do it yourself.
sophia bayly
this is if...
★ You've had a brand shoot before, but feel like it didn’t HIT the way you hoped
★ You've never had a brand shoot and know deep down that being stuck behind your graphics and stock photo memberships is holding you back from making a real impact & income
★ You feel like you're "not a visual person” so you “couldn’t possibly plan” something like this. Pinterest overwhelms you and you have no clue what to tell the photographer
★ You're tired of scrambling every time someone asks for a headshot or you need a photo for literally anything.
★ You have a website redesign coming up and don't want your photos to be the weak link
★ You've invested in beautiful branding and a gorgeous website but your photos are giving... not that
★ You want your visuals to attract higher-paying, more aligned clients (and repel the ones who aren't a fit)
★ You've got a brand shoot on the calendar (or want to book one soon) and want to actually show up prepared this time.
this is IF...
★ You're a brand shoot QUEEN and people are already gagged and gooped by your brand's unique imagery on the regular
★ You're a creative freelancer or business owner who is adamantly against being the face of your business or establishing a personal brand—no judgement, but this workshop is very much about *you* being in the photos
★ You've already got a creative director on payroll. Fancy!
★ You genuinely love your coffee-mug-and-laptop stock photos. If they bring you joy, I'm not here to yuck your yum. (Even if I want to.)
for you
not for you
★ You've had a brand shoot before, but feel like it didn't HIT the way you hoped
★ You've never had a brand shoot and know deep down that being stuck behind your graphics and stock photo memberships is holding you back from making a real impact & income
★ You feel like you're "not a visual person" so you "couldn't possibly plan" something like this. Pinterest overwhelms you and you have no clue what to tell the photographer
★ You're tired of scrambling every time someone asks for a headshot or you need a photo for literally anything.
★ You have a website redesign coming up and don't want your photos to be the weak link
★ You've invested in beautiful branding and a gorgeous website but your photos are giving... not that
★ You want your visuals to attract higher-paying, more aligned clients (and repel the ones who aren't a fit)
★ You've got a brand shoot on the calendar (or want to book one soon) and want to actually show up prepared this time.
frequently asked questions
That's exactly what it's for! This class exists specifically for the person staring blankly at Pinterest with no idea what they want. (Because "just wing it with your photographer" is not a creative direction strategy.) You'll leave knowing exactly what you want and exactly how to ask for it."
The main focus will be on photography, but I will share a bit about brand videography as well.
YES. Hot take: it is my belief that your first business investment should be a brand photoshoot. (Yes, before logo & branding, before website, before everything.) So YES, this is perfect for you.
This masterclass will focus heavily on service-based businesses and personal brands, but most of the methodologies I'm teaching can be applied to other business structures, too. So, although I won't be focusing on product-based businesses, a lot of it will be applicable.
Nope! I am teaching you how to plan an iconic brand shoot with AND without professional branding, so no matter where you are in your business, you'll have a game plan that works.
It's time to stop leaving your brand shoot to chance
Between the photographer, the location, the outfits, and the time off from client work, you're spending real money here. And if you show up without a direction and without a plan, you're going to walk away with a folder full of photos that are... fine.
This is your sign to learn how to plan a brand shoot you're actually proud of; one that makes you excited to post, to send people to your website, and to market your business like the legit operation it actually is.
It's time to stop leaving your brand shoot
to chance
because brand shoots aren't cheap!
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