How to Book High Quality Photography Clients (Branding Photographer Edition)

Want to know how to book those higher-end clients — so you can actually make a good living as a personal branding photographer?

Well, that’s why you’re here, right? 

Being a personal branding photographer is tough. It’s not just clicking a button. You have to think about the best way to pose your clients, the best locations, the best angles, and the best lighting. And that just scratches the surface. 

It’s fun — but a lot of hard work goes into your passion.

And you want clients who pay you for the amount of work you put in… right? I know the feeling. I used to feel like I was putting in waaaaay more than I was getting back. 

But over my 5+ years as a personal branding photographer, I’ve learned a TON about how to attract next-level clients with my photos, my business, and my mindset.

I’ve been able to go from charging $200 a session to charging $5000 per session (and that number continues to rise). 

And if you’re thinking, “That’s nice, but, that’s something that only happens to other branding photographers, not me.” Think again. 

Because today I’m sharing all the things I’ve implemented in my business that have helped me go from making a few hundred dollars a photo shoot to making thousands per photo shoot! 

Sounds like a dream, right? Let’s turn that lovely dream into a reality. 

But before we dive in, I want to let you in on my upcoming LIVE workshop happening this October! 

The amazing Wendy Yalom (a fellow in-demand brand photographer) and I will be hosting an action-packed weekend in Austin, Texas with personal branding photographers from all over the country who want to bring their skill game ALL the way up. 

Get LIVE feedback. Create a signature package. And leave with an irresistible portfolio and 30-day marketing plan designed to get you the 6-figure business you’ve been dreaming of. You’ll even leave with photos of yourself for your own marketing materials. This will truly be an unforgettable experience!

Okay, ready to dive into my 6 tips on how you can attract high-end branding photography clients who pay you what you deserve? 

Let’s do it!

6 Tips for Getting High-End Personal Branding Photography Clients

1. Create a MIND-BLOWING experience

If you create a high-level experience — you’ll attract the clients looking for a high-level experience — aka, high-quality clients. You want your clients to look at you and say, “Wow! She’s got her sh*t together.” 

Here’s how you can give your clients a fun and easy experience from the get-go.

• Be organized in everything you do.

Make sure you come across as an organized business owner. For example, I send my clients a welcome guide with everything they need to know before they work with me. It has all of their potential questions answered, so they don’t have to hunt me down to ask. Everything is laid out and easy to find. 

• Use a CRM to create simplicity and make it easy for them to pay. 

I use Honeybook because it allows me to send the proposal, invoice, and agreement all from one place. My clients can also pay with a credit card, making it a stress-free experience. There are tons of CRMs out there. Find one that works best for you and makes the client experience seamless.

• Have fun! 

Always think about how you can add more fun to your client’s photo shoot. Crank up the music. Add balloons. Make it a party! The more fun they have, the more stunning their photos turn out. And the more they’ll refer others to you.

2. Elevate your portfolio and skills 

What’s the most important thing in your photography business? Your photos! It’s the first thing people are going to look at to get a sense of the incredible pictures you can produce. So… be sure your portfolio looks amazing! 

Here’s how you can improve your portfolio and your skills. 

• Get mentorship and guidance. 

There are tons of courses and mentorship programs out there! You can even find photography guidance for free on YouTube. (Be sure to check out the Meg McMillan channel. 😉) If you learn from other photographers who’ve been in your shoes, you’ll increase your skills in a fierce and powerful way.  

• Get your portfolio reviewed by other branding photographers. 

As much as you want to get feedback from your mom — she might not have an eye for amazing pictures. It’s important to get someone who understands personal branding photography to look at your work. They can give you honest and valuable feedback. 

• Practice! Practice! Practice! 

The only way to get better at anything is to practice. Take pictures and get feedback. Take more pictures and get more feedback. Rinse and repeat. 

In my live workshop happening this October, you get on the spot practice all weekend! PLUS you’ll learn how to price, package, and market your photography business. It’s going to be the ultimate experience for brand photographers — like you! 

3. Make your clients feel special. 

Give your clients all the feels when they work with you. Little pop up surprises will have them gushing and feeling like royalty for a day. You know what they say — always leave them wanting more.   

Here are some ways you can make your clients feel special. 

• Bring them a thank you gift just for being a client. 

Who doesn’t love free gifts? A handwritten card. A candle. A coffee mug. You could even call them on the way and ask them what kind of beverage they like and hand deliver it. A small gesture can go a long way. 

• Personalize the experience. 

Add personal touches to everything you can to make the experience unique to them. Play their favorite artist during their photo shoot. Choose props that go along with their personality. Anything you can do to create personalization, do it. They’ll be talking about it for weeks to come. 

• Show up early and do a behind-the-scenes shoot. 

Behind-the-scenes photo shoots are so much fun! Take pictures while you’re setting up and prepping. It gets your client hyped up and breaks the ice beforehand. Hey, you might even get some good candid shots they can use!

4. Be the expert

Okay, this is where confidence comes in. Showcase your expertise at all times. In your online presence, as well as the actual branding photography experience. Become the go-to expert in your area for personal branding photography. 

Here’s what you can do to look like the expert you are. 

• Learn about marketing. 

Make sure you understand at least the marketing basics, so your potential clients can see that you know how to run a business. The higher-end clients will feel so much more confident in choosing you to work with.

• Remember: you are the creative director of your photo shoot. 

Pick the right locations. Pick the right props. Take charge of posing your clients. Give them guidance on their own ideas (good or bad). Offer up your ideas. And always speak up to get them the best end result.

• Research the personal branding photography industry. 

If you really understand personal branding and how photography ties into it, it’s gonna make ALL the difference in your ability to execute. Know who your clients are and what they want. This is what’s going to be the difference between coming off as a generalist or a personal branding photography specialist.

5. Invest time in mindset work 

Mindset is key when it comes to how you feel about your pricing. Trust me! If you don’t feel aligned with your pricing, it’s going to show when talking to your clients. There will be a disconnect, and your client will feel it. And ultimately won’t book with you. 

Here’s what you can do to work on your mindset.

• Read mindset books. 

There are lots of them out there! Do a quick Google search and you’ll find tons of mindset books. One of my favorites is [insert favorite mindset book]. Even if you read just one mindset book a week, it will do wonders for your confidence. 

• Journal daily. 

Writing your thoughts down on paper is so powerful! There’s something about seeing something written down that makes it real and achievable. Write down your money and business goals so you can view them in a tangible way. They’ll feel so much more reachable, and you’ll hit your goals 10x faster!

• Mindset coaching and mentorship. 

The mind is a powerful thing! Don’t be afraid to invest in a coach or a mentor who specializes in mindset. This can be a game-changer. Mindset coaches know what to pull out of you to get you feeling confident and worthy. You’ll notice the abundance of clients start to come easily after working with a specialist. 

6. Charge enough.

Make sure your prices align with the quality you’re providing. If you charge too little, you’re going to repel the high-vibe dream clients you want to attract. That being said, if you don’t yet have the confidence and skills to back up higher prices as a personal branding photographer, it might not be the right time to charge more. 

Here’s how to know if you should be charging more. 

• You feel an inner energy shift. 

If you feel like you’re giving more than you’re receiving, you probably are. There’s something inside of you that’s telling you it doesn’t feel good to charge your current prices anymore. 

• More money would allow you to give a better experience. 

You feel if you had more money, you’d be able to bring a better version of yourself to the photo shoot. And you’d be able to create a more premium experience for your clients. 

• You’ve added to your skill set. 

Maybe you’ve taken another personal branding photography course or invested in coaching. If you’ve done the work to take your skills up a notch — this is totally a sign it’s time to up your prices and go after the higher-level clients you so deserve.

There you have it! These are things I bring into my own business that allow me to charge the big bucks!  

Implement these in your own branding photography business, and I’m willing to bet you will see an incredible shift in the clients that come your way.  

What’s Next? 

You do NOT have to do all of these right away. I know it’s a lot of information. 

Instead, pick one thing you can start off with today. Whether it’s something you can add to your client experience, your mindset, your skills, or your prices.  

Think about which one would catapult your business and make progress with the type of clients you want to attract — and start doing it!

Want even more support? Come join us this October in Austin, Texas. There will be a big group of personal branding photographers — like you — who are ready to get higher-paying clients. Everyone who leaves this LIVE workshop will be a grade A photographer and ready to charge premium prices. 

Make friends. Up your skills. Charge higher prices. 

Want an insider’s sneak peek of the live workshop? Then watch this replay of a Facebook Live that Wendy and I did.