Our Realtor Branding Photoshoot

Introducing the Brand Image Project.  

Back in June, I was contacted by KevinandFred.com about doing a realtor branding photoshoot for their new website. They were looking for creative, candid photography that they could repurpose for content strategies and use throughout their copy. Their main focus was to capture authentic lifestyle images with space for text. These types of photos are ideal for website headers, slideshows and social media memes. You’ll see some of the pictures aren’t centered for this reason. I love working on projects where the client values quality content and wants to communicate who they truly are. One of Kevin’s quotes is, “By being authentic with people that is when the good stuff happens.”

Our “PreFocus” for the Session:

The first step of the proposal was determining the settings of the shoot. Communication on the front end was vital because their office was about an hour away from ours. Alexa did a great job of sending me photos of the property so I could determine how the creative direction would flow. I also invested in a discovery session and additional research to gain a better grasp on who these guys were. Come to find out, they’re pretty successful realtors and are well-known throughout the country. Once I knew more about them, I was able to piece together a shot list that would suit their audience best.

Our shot list for the realtor’s branding shoot included:

• Work Arrival – getting out of the car and walking into the office with a serious tone.
• Personality – playful banter and laid back value with two ad lib settings (arch and skateboard).
• Hero Images – the use of courtyard arches and walls to create perspective
• At Work – in the office interacting with each other.

Front-end planning is what we’re all about at PreFocus. Brand photography is more than traditional poses and settings. We want our clients to stand out. Since we set the expectations beforehand, Kevin and Fred were ready to roll the day of. As we kicked things off, we focused on simple poses so they could get comfortable with who we are.

Editing Styles for the Brand Imagery.

Our editing style with this shoot was fun. We needed to communicate seriousness but also showcase Keven and Fred’s laid back personalities – and the bond between them. We decided to go with a rugged approach for the serious photos and a “lighter” style for the candid moments. We also wanted the mood of each photo to match the setting. This theme was prevalent throughout the project.

As you can see above, the editing style matches the emotions being conveyed in each picture. One is more dark with contrast while the other is brightened to capture the smile. Visual elements help you get your message across with emotions people can relate to. When you add text to a photo, the image needs to speak with the emotions conveyed.

The upward camera angle showcases authority in what most call a hero shot. Looking up at you causes your audience to subconsciously view you as.. well, a hero. We also left space in the photo so it could be used as a website header.

Realty Team Portraits with Personality.

After getting some cool headshots and hero images, we wanted to keep momentum rolling. This is where Fred stepped in and lightened the mood a little bit. As I mentioned above, this is where we lightened up the editing style. Once they were done taking jabs at each other, we zeroed in on a few serious shots of them together. Mixing up the editing styles gives them flexibility for content. Candid portraits are good for social media posts and “about” content while the rugged hero images suit advertising and cover art best.

Work Arrival Portraits with Intention.

The next thing I wanted to capture was “work arrival.” We wanted to start getting them comfortable being themselves and walking with intention. I know it might sound silly but, it’s important to ensure your audience that your serious about your business. So, we did a catwalk type of thing which created some humor that I’m sure they’ll appreciate revisiting over time. Here are a few other images that turned out well.

I love how we were able to embody the work arrival mindset. Whether it was from a distance or close up, both guys did a good job conveying a “let’s get to work” mentality. These types of shots are great for social media posts that include a motivating message. Showcasing the entrepreneurial mindset is a good approach during a realtor branding photoshoot.

Once we wrapped up this awkward portion of the photoshoot, we moved on to close ups. We liked the lighting here and we thought the backdrop against the white wall would be perfect for added text. The main focus here was to capture a few “chill” poses with additional space for website copy.

Getting Creative With Unique Landmarks.

As I scoped out the property prior to the shoot, I wanted to find a landmark that we could have some fun with. There was an arch over a sidewalk by the entrance that caught my eye. It also had a state and American flag flying in the background. After listening to Kevin and Fred crack jokes the first hour, I thought it would be funny to have them push each other into the arch as they walked through it. Here is a photo of me attempting to explain this “angle.”

As you can see below, these guys had some fun “pushing” each other. Since this phrase epitomizes who they really are, you’ll see that we used it again later on in the session. Their real estate brand is all about having fun while pushing colleagues and partners to be better – and do better. We also left some space to the right in some of the photos for header images and text. Since they were preparing to launch a podcast, this was perfect for their title screens.

Using Creative Imagery for Personal Branding.

After capturing them push each other around for a long minute, we focused on some poses. It was easy with these guys because they were working as we were shooting. I had them reenact opening up a shocking email and sharing it with each other. These turned into some solid candid photos they can use for their homepage slider. Capturing who people really are during authentic moments is what’s fun about doing branding photoshoots. Whether I’m working with realtors or another personal brand outside of Memphis, the creativity is endless!

Using the Real Estate Agency’s Tesla as a Prop.

Now that we had some good headshots and candid moments with the guys, we wanted to focus more on lifestyle photography. Since these two spend a lot of time on the road together (some of their videos are even done in the car), capturing shots in Kevin’s Tesla was a no-brainer. What really made these images cool was that they were actually discussing work while we photographed different angles. Multitasking at it’s finest..

We even got some cool shots of them getting out of the vehicle. As you can see, we kept the camera angle low to create the same authoritative look and feel for branding purposes. This creates a little authority, as if the viewer is below the subject and creates a nice profile for the entrance. 

Realtors Trying New Things for Brand Imagery.

When we got to their office, we asked if there were any props they’d like to use. Objects with company branding on them always bode well for online content. Kevin happened to have a brand new skateboard one of his clients gave him. He wasn’t sure how to ride it, but gave it a shot. Since we were ahead of schedule, we were able to think through a few creative and funny ways to capture the real estate duo on unfamiliar wheels. 

Aside from Kevin riding the skateboard, we knew we had to incorporate Fred. As aforementioned, pushing real estate agents to be better is one of the main characteristics of their business. So, we viewed this as another great opportunity to communicate the message. After Kevin cruised around for a few minutes, I showed Fred how to give him a friendly shove. Even though it looks like he’s going to smash into that tree, no realtors were injured during this photoshoot. Click on the image for a closer look.

Curating Content “At The Real Estate Office”.

To wrap up this realtor branding photoshoot, we wanted to capture Kevin and Fred in their element. Placing them in the meeting room instead of a small office allowed us to take advantage of different angles. The whiteboard also gave us a cool motivational backdrop. We asked them to start their day as they normally would while we took some candid shots of their interaction and facial expressions. Smiling headshots and perfect poses will never speak to your target audience like authentic moments will.

We altered the editing style during this setting for the same reasons as before. Having image variations allows you to repurpose similar images for different forms of content. Although most of these will be on the website’s about page, we edited a few with an edgy look for social media and promotions (like above).

Tons of Branded Content to Repurpose for Real Estate Campaigns.

Since our photoshoot with Group 46:10, Kevin has used a few of these pictures on his social media channels. When the voice of the brand embodies work ethic and strategy, these types of images carry value. They’ve been working on tons of new endeavors and their PreFocus library of brand imagery has really come in handy!