Personal Branding Photography

Personal branding – More than just a headshot

add context to your visual branding

At Shipman Photography, we specialize in Personal Branding Photography that captures the essence of creative professionals, artists, musicians, models, and personality-driven individuals. Your brand is your story, and we’re here to craft custom, personalized imagery that amplifies your unique vibe for promotion, branding, PR, and marketing. Whether you’re launching a new project, building your portfolio, or elevating your public presence, our photography is designed to make you stand out in a visually competitive world.

Personal branding photography and headshots both serve professional purposes, but they differ in scope, purpose, and execution:

• Scope and Variety: Headshots are typically a single, tightly framed portrait focused on the face, often with a neutral or simple background, designed for formal use like business cards, LinkedIn profiles, or company websites. Personal branding photography is broader, encompassing a variety of images (portraits, lifestyle shots, action shots) that showcase your personality, work environment, or creative style across multiple settings and contexts.
• Purpose and Storytelling: Headshots aim to present a polished, professional image with minimal context, emphasizing your face and expression. Personal branding photography tells a story about who you are, what you do, and how you connect with your audience. It conveys your vibe, values, and unique qualities, making it ideal for marketing, social media, and creative portfolios.
• Execution and Customization: Headshots are standardized, often shot in a studio with consistent lighting and minimal props. Personal branding sessions are highly customized, involving in-studio or on-location shoots, props, wardrobe changes, and creative direction to align with your brand. They may include dynamic compositions, environmental elements, or thematic visuals to reflect your profession or personality.

All that said, headshots are still a critical part of any professional branding strategy and should be part of  a layered visual content plan for you or your organization.   Visit our headshot services page for more detailed information on headshots.

Branding for Musicians

Musicians and bands know that your visual content is as critical as your sound. We create imagery that syncs perfectly with your musical vibe, whether it’s gritty rock, soulful indie, or high-energy pop. From album covers to social media content, our visuals reflect the heart of your music. You wouldn’t buy a cheap guitar to perform or record, so don’t let the drummer’s girlfriend handle your visual content. Instead, trust our professional team to deliver bold, cohesive branding that fits your aesthetic, resonates with your fans and elevates your presence in the industry.  

Band Promo Photos

There’s a lot of ways to plan and execute a photoshoot, but whatever look we are going for, authenticity is the goal.  Nobody likes a poser, and so we try to keep the plan focused on personalties and stage personas.   Sometimes that includes props and instruments, but most times not.   It really depends on the look, the intention, the vibe and the musical identity of your band.   Sometimes a practical location is the way to go.  Sometimes a studio session gives us a lot more options on putting band “photos” together, choosing backgrounds etc.  And of course, a studio composite is updatable, just in case you have a lineup change, or someone has a new look they want to reshoot without getting the whole band together.   These are all things we cover in a free consultation ahead of time.

• On-Location Shoots: We collaborate to choose locations that reflect your band’s aesthetic—gritty urban backdrops for rock, open fields for indie folk, or vibrant venues for pop. These shoots immerse you in environments that enhance your narrative, creating authentic, high-energy images perfect for posters, social media, and press kits.
• In-Studio Photoshop Composites: For a bold, cinematic edge, our in-studio composites combine expert photography with advanced graphic design. We create modular, updatable images—ideal for band lineups that change—blending individual portraits into cohesive, eye-catching scenes. Our expertise as graphic artists ensures every detail, from lighting to effects, aligns with your brand’s vision.
• Musician’s Perspective: Led by Gregg and Jennifer Shipman, who are active musicians in their own band, Riverside Rebellion, we speak your language. We know how to translate your music’s energy into visuals, whether it’s for album art, tour posters, or Electronic Press Kits (EPKs).
• Vibe Match:  If you have a band photo of some other band that you love the feel – the lighting, the poses, the color grading, whatever the case may be…  we can expertly deconstruct what you love about that image and borrow the good ideas for your own promo.   No different than doing your own spin on a popular cover.   Good ideas are meant to be repurposed!

Tailored to Your Vision

We understand that creative professionals need imagery that reflects their individuality and resonates with their audience. From minimalist, natural looks to high-end, cinematic graphic creations, we offer fully customized sessions to match your brand’s aesthetic. Our process begins with a free consultation to dive deep into your goals, ensuring every shot tells your story with authenticity and impact.

• Integrated Content: Sometimes we are creating multiple band images and individual artist branding photos.   These all need to feel purposeful and connected.   Not identical, but they need to feel like it’s the same band with the same musical identity.   Band photos, artist branding, sometimes even live concert photos – they all need to work together for your EPK, Website, socials and promo.
• Versatile Deliverables: Perfect for websites, social media, press kits, promotional materials, and more.   Images suitable for merch table prints are larger and denser files that load slower on your website.    We can deliver your images in multiple sizes and formats so that they work best for whatever uses you need them for.

Album Art & EPK Photography

For musicians and artists, we create striking visuals for album covers, song singles, and Electronic Press Kits (EPKs). Our commercial photography expertise ensures your imagery is bold, memorable, and ready for industry use. From conceptual shoots that tie into your music’s narrative to clean, professional headshots for media kits, we deliver art that complements your creative output.

Personal Branding for Business Professionals

Attorneys, realtors, physicians, and other business professionals rely on trust and personality to connect with clients. Our Personal Branding Photography showcases your unique vibe and professionalism, helping you stand out on LinkedIn, social media, and professional websites. Whether it’s a polished headshot or dynamic lifestyle imagery, our photos convey confidence, approachability, and expertise to elevate your brand and build lasting connections.

Personal Branding for Artists, Authors, actors & Models

For artists, models, and other creatives, your visual identity is an extension of your craft. We collaborate closely to create Personal Branding Photography that reflects your artistic vision and tells your story. Whether you need striking imagery for book covers, gallery promotions, or design portfolios, we tailor each session to capture your creative essence, helping you connect with your audience and elevate your presence in the creative world.

MUSIC VIDEOS AND CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY

Visual content of your music isn’t just limited to your promo photos.   Our award winning music videos and professional concert photography can really make a difference for an artist as well.   Visit our Video Productions page to see examples of concert videos and fully staged and scripted story telling platform videos from a variety of artists and genres.    Concert photography is not done on an iPhone.  It’s done by a pro in a well lit performance venue with professional gear that captures movement without blurring, the vibe of the ambient stage lights,  and sharp detail of tight and wide angle shots.   Good enough might be OK for some social media posts, but it’s not good enough for your EPK or professional footprint.  Eventually, you will need legitimate concert photography to show promoters, venue owners and booking agents what you bring to the stage, and we have worked with artists large and small to do exactly that.  Here are some notables….