Most people who contact me know they need “new photos.” The first question is what those photos need to do. That answer decides between a headshot session and a personal brand session.
A headshot session: one great photo
A headshot session gives you a clean, polished portrait that works everywhere you show up professionally: LinkedIn, your company site, a speaker bio, your email signature. Sessions run 45–60 minutes and produce 10–20 hand-edited images with multiple looks.
It’s the right choice for professionals updating one photo, corporate team members, anyone starting a new job or chapter, and real estate agents, attorneys and consultants who need a strong, current portrait.
A brand session: a whole library
A personal brand session produces a full set of images that tells your story: portraits, you at work, the people you serve, and the details that make your brand yours. Sessions run 2–3 hours across multiple locations and outfits, with 60–100 hand-edited images and a strategy call beforehand.
It’s built for entrepreneurs, coaches, speakers, political candidates and community leaders, and anyone who posts to social media every week.
What brand sessions look like
Every brand session is built around the person. For a real estate professional, that meant bringing personality into the studio with props that say who he is, from house keys to his skateboard. For a state senate campaign, it meant a morning out in the community with volunteers. Either way, every image leaves with a job: the website, social posts, ads or press.
How to decide
Ask yourself one question: do you need one great photo, or content for the next year?
The way I think about it: a headshot is focused on getting a look or a callback from someone, like a potential employer. A brand session is about making a statement about who you are and what your business is about.
If you post more than once a week, give talks, run ads or are building a visible personal brand, you need a brand session. You’ll run out of headshot content in a month. If you just need to update LinkedIn and your company bio, a headshot session is exactly right.
Get the full guide
My free guide, The Professional’s Guide to Personal Brand Photography, includes a brand session shot list and a session-day checklist to plan either one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a headshot and a personal brand session?
A headshot session produces a set of polished portraits, typically 10–20 images in 45–60 minutes. A personal brand session runs 2–3 hours across multiple locations and produces 60–100 images: portraits, at-work and lifestyle shots, and details for your website and social media.
How much does a personal brand session cost?
Personal brand sessions with Monstera Lissome Photography start at $650. Business headshot sessions start at $250.
Who are personal brand sessions for?
Entrepreneurs, coaches, speakers, real estate professionals, political candidates and community leaders, and anyone who needs a steady supply of images for their website and social media.