Our world has become a very visual one. Now, more than ever, photos matter.
It’s a rarity for someone to not have a camera in their hand daily. And it’s become common nature for our society to live vicariously through the lives of others we see through the photos that they share socially. From an author’s perspective, it’s important to not neglect how your target reader consumes information … and it’s likely through the use of impactful images.
From selfies to live photos and headshots to lifestyle branding … photography is a way to tell stories … and for the aspiring and established authors and authorpreneurs out there, it’s important to ensure that your visual story complements your written one.
When both stories are developed in perfect alignment, your message can make the largest impact … create the greatest reach … and inspire those that you seek to make a difference in the life of.
Photos are baked into our culture. They are how individuals express themselves and how they gather information from others. But just because you can take a photo doesn’t mean that you are equipped to take the photos you need as an author. And, speaking of author photography, you’re going to need more than a few selfies to help in your book promotion.
Photos have power. They tell us what is important. They become a part of our legacy. They allow us to share and communicate with others. They gives us a form of creative expression and they have the power to move people to action.
Season 5 of The emPowered Author Podcast is dedicated to this topic and filled with jam-packed episodes highlighting the importance of photography and how authors can best utilize it as a part of their marketing efforts.
Take the stress out of your photo shoot planning with this planning check list.
If you are planning an upcoming photo shoot for a headshot or a branding session, you likely have enough to worry about. Whether you like to be in front of the camera or not, we want you to take full advantage of your photo session and to do so requires you to be prepared. Want to download our planning check list? We’d love to send you a copy!
Why should I care about investing in author photography?
Great question!
We know how important photos are … but have you consider how important they are to helping you sell books, spread your message and build your authorpreneur business?
Strong author photography can create:
- Confidence. Photography can empower an author with newfound confidence in themselves and in their message.
- Connection. Photos humanize authors and the information they share in their books, alllowing for a connection that the written word just can't accomplish alone.
- Credibility. Photos are used in book promotional efforts, and professional photos increase an author's credibility within their current author platform and when reaching new and potential readers.
- Content. It allows an author to create and build out the written story into a meaningful visual one.
- Curiosity. And in doing so, can actually help you *sell* books (without you directly doing so).
We love being a part of author branding photo sessions. Below are several authors we’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with. Whether it is our team or another, remember there are experts who can help you so that you can stay focused doing what you love most!
Meet the Team
Stephanie Feger
Stephanie Feger, owner and chief strategist of the emPower PR Group, is passionate about emPowering nonfiction writers, authors and authorpreneurs with laser-focused marketing strategies and tactics to help them write books that sell, promote their books to those who need and want them most, and build a meaningful business from a message that is emPowering. Stephanie doesn’t believe in movement without strategy, and always keeps strategy front and center. She has also seen how emPowered people emPower people. In fact, her business is built around it!
Chanel Wells-Henderson
Chanel Wells-Henderson is a branding Rockstar. Seriously! Her ability to capture authors’ brands to help tell their story visually is proof that she works in her zone of genius. With her brand photography business, she captures photos that elevate a brand and helps authors reach their ideal client (and ideal reader)! She knows that authors have a group of super loyal fans who want to support you (and buy your book) and she helps authors speak to them through their photos.
Stephanie and Chanel are a dynamic team when it comes to ensuring authors capture their story visually, through impactful author brand photography. Whether you are looking for support in capturing photos that will elevate your story (and your author brand) or seeking guidance on preparing for a photoshoot (possibly in a city beyond the Greater Louisville area with a different photographer), our team is prepped and ready to emPower.
Understanding how you are going to leverage your author photos is important, and it’s the first discussion that any author should have with their photographer (and it’s where we begin the conversation, too, with authors we work with). Understanding the needs and planned photography usage will help determine the type of photoshoot that will create those desired outcomes.
Below outlines how authors can collaborate with Stephanie and Chanel on their author photo needs.
Author Headshots
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Perfect for authors looking for a strong photo to use in their book and to provide to media outlets, podcast hosts and speaking engagement opportunities for marketing purposes.
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Includes a 30-minute photo session in Chanel's studio in one outfit.
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Authors receive 2 digital images.
Author Branding
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Perfect for authors in need of branded photos to help them tell their written story visually. These photos make great assets for marketing materials, social media use and on an author website.
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Includes a 1-hour photo session in Chanel's studio or on location with 2 outfits.
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Author receives 12 digital images.
Authorpreneur Branding
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Perfect for authors seeking photos to help them tell their written story (and the story of their business) visually. These photos make great assets for marketing materials, social media use and on an author website.
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Includes a 2 hour and 45 minutes session in studio, on location, or both and 4 outfits.
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Author receives 20 digital images.
Frequently Asked Questions
The length of a photo session is dependent upon the type of photo session that you choose. Photo sessions can range from 30 minutes to nearly 3 hours.
Absolutely! Author headshots are critical to the book process (and marketing the book). Stephanie and Chanel love working with authors to capture the perfect headshot that speaks to their personality and aligns with the book’s message appropriately.
Be sure to download our Author Photoshoot Planning Guide above for insights into everything you need to prepare ahead of time to make sure your photo session runs smoothly. That said, if you opt to work with the emPower PR Group on your photography needs, we will work with you to prepare accordingly.
Great question! And the answer is … that depends.
Every author is unique and so is their book and what they plan to do with their book.
However, we find that most authors need a strong headshot along with some lifestyle branded photography to use in their marketing materials, on their website and in their social media efforts.
If you haven’t listened to season 5 of The emPowered Author Podcast, be sure to do so, Stephanie and Chanel dig deep into this topic.
Of course. If you work with the emPower PR Group on your photo needs, part of our process includes a follow-up virtual meeting where we review the strongest photos together and select which ones you’d like edited and utilized.
Every photographer is different with their turnaround, but we know how excited authors are to get their photos (and listen, we are excited to get them to you, too!). Our goal is to follow-up as quickly as possible with our virtual photo review session within a week or two of the photo shoot. Upon photo selection, we work promptly to email you over your photos for immediate use.
If you are looking to utilize your author photos in marketing materials, you will likely need the photos in a high-resolution format. However, if you are using the photos for social media, on your website, or in another form digitally, low-resolution is likely preferred. Because of these unique needs, we provide you your photos in both formats for your ease of use.
While it isn’t required, we do encourage authors to pamper yourself on the day of your photo shoot. You will feel better, and that will show in your photos!
Go get a mani and pedi if you’d like. Many authors use this as a time to get a new outfit or two (but of course that isn’t required). And some authors get their hair and makeup done as well.
We do have an amazing makeup artist available if that is something you’d like to consider. Let us know and we will share pricing.
No worries! We LOVE our author photograher (and just know, we have had authors fly in to get photos from her before!) but we also know that there are amazing photographers around the world, too.
If you are working with a photographer in your area, we are happy to consult with them to ensure that you get the best author photos that can be used in ways that authors need them to.
Keep in mind when you are selecting a photographer that not all photographers are author branding photographers.
Yay! We are so excited to get the chance to work with you. We’d love to chat with you to learn more about your needs and determine how we can best support them. Schedule a chat with us when you are ready to get started. From this chat, we will pull together a proposal for you. A signed contract is required to get you officially on the schedule and payment is required in full prior to the photo session.
