How to Choose the Right Brand Photography Session for Your Business

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION FOR YOUR BUSINESS

If you’re here, chances are you already know you need updated photos.
What’s less clear—and completely normal—is how much you need.

Most business owners don’t struggle with deciding if they should book a brand photography session. They struggle with figuring out which type of session actually makes sense for where they are right now. And that uncertainty can make the whole process feel heavier than it needs to be.

As a brand photographer working with small businesses in the Bay Area, this is one of the most common questions I’m asked: How do I choose the right brand photography session?

So let’s take some of the pressure off.

Choosing the right session isn’t about going bigger or smaller. It’s about choosing what will support this season of your business—without overdoing it or underestimating what you need.

WHAT ACTUALLY DETERMINES THE RIGHT BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION?

In my experience, the right session usually becomes obvious once you stop asking “What should I book?” and start asking a few more grounded questions:

• How will you be using the images?
  Just for your website and profiles, or across ongoing marketing too?

• How much of your work do you want to show?
  Finished product only, or also your process, environment, and personality?

• How long do you want these images to last?
  A short-term refresh, or a library you can return to over time?

When you answer those honestly, the decision tends to feel much clearer.

To make this easier, I’ve broken down my brand photography session options below so you can see how they differ at a glance.

A SIDE-BY-SIDE LOOK AT MY BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY SESSIONS

A closer look at each brand photography session option:

PORTRAIT MINI

Portrait Mini is a headshot-only brand photography session, photographed in my in-home studio. It’s ideal when you need updated profile photos for your website, About page, or online platforms—and that’s it.

This is a great option if:

• You’re stepping into a new role or phase

• Your current headshots feel outdated

• You don’t need brand storytelling or content variety right now

If you find yourself wanting to show more than just your face—how you work, what you create, or what it’s like to collaborate with you—you’ll likely want to explore a Quarter Day session instead.

QUARTER DAY

Quarter Day is my most commonly booked brand photography session, and for good reason.

It’s designed for small business owners who don’t need a full rebrand, but do need a thoughtful refresh. Maybe your business has evolved. Maybe your offerings are clearer. Maybe your photos just don’t reflect where you are anymore.

Quarter Day sessions are photographed in one location and focused on creating a cohesive, versatile image library—images you can use across your website, email marketing, and social platforms without feeling repetitive or forced.

This is often the right fit when:

• Your brand has shifted and your visuals need to catch up

• You want consistency without turning it into a full-day project

• You need polished, usable images that actually work

HALF DAY

Half Day is for businesses that want more room to tell the story.

If your content has felt flat or repetitive—or if it’s been hard to show how you work, not just what you do—this brand photography session gives us space to go deeper. Half Day sessions allow us to photograph across one to two locations, with time for process, transitions, and behind-the-scenes moments.

This option works well if:

• You want your audience to better understand your work and approach

• You’re creating ongoing content and want more variety

• You need imagery that feels layered, human, and natural

FULL DAY

Full Day is designed for larger seasons of change.

This brand photography session is often chosen for rebrands, launches, expansions, or moments when your business has grown complex enough to need a wide range of imagery. With the ability to photograph across one to three locations, Full Day allows us to work at an unhurried pace and capture the full scope of your work.

Clients tend to choose Full Day when:

• They want long-term mileage from their images

• Their work spans multiple spaces or offerings

• They’re planning ahead rather than reacting

Rather than feeling intense, Full Day is meant to feel spacious.

If you’re still not sure which session to choose

If you’re feeling torn between options, you’re not doing anything wrong. Most people don’t know immediately what they need—and that’s okay.

There’s no “best” brand photography session, and there’s no hierarchy here. The right choice is simply the one that supports where your business is right now, without creating unnecessary pressure or overwhelm.

My role isn’t to upsell you. It’s to help you choose what will actually serve you.

There’s no wrong choice—just the right fit for now

Wherever you are in your business is valid. The goal of brand photography isn’t perfection—it’s alignment. Images that feel like you, support your work, and make showing up a little easier.

If you’d like help deciding which brand photography session makes the most sense for you, I’m always happy to talk it through.