I’m looking at a plaque on my wall that says, “Your vibe attracts your tribe.” Imagine signature brand images that carry your vibe and attract your tribe of perfect clients. Imagine images that express the essence of you . . . inspired . . . and inspire your perfect clients to reach out to you. Imagine a page full of experts’ photos and yours is the one that jumps off the page, like that moment in the Wizard of Oz when everything turns from black and white to color. Imagine images that both provoke and invite clients to work with you. And imagine an image of you at your highest and best that grounds you like a magic mirror.

Sounds great, right? So how do you get such images that resonate with your clientele?

In a word, getting exceptional images is a creative process. The conventional process of googling headshot photographers in your area, booking a session, dressing up and shooting photos simply won't get you there. The conventional process is designed for efficiency and puts you in a box.

Here are six steps to creating truly compelling brand images.

1. Clarify your Uniqueness

What precisely sets you apart from others in your field? I like to ask it like this: how do you show up for others? What qualities do you bring into a room? This is your singular, irreplaceablely unique way of being. (I call this your brand-essence.) That’s what you want to express as clearly as possible in your images. Without a target you don't know what you're shooting for.

Take my client Tyler for instance. Two of the essence words we identified for him are welcome and reflection. Now that’’s an interesting combinagion. Welcome reaches out; reflection reaches within. So there is a tension here, an edginess, in bringing these qualities together. And this tension expresses part of the unique experience of working with Tyler. He approaches you with open arms and leaves you with deeper insight. That’s his unique way of being with others, and that’s what needs to come across in his images. Failing to get clear on your brand-essence will inevitably leave you with images that are boring and undistinguished.

2. Partner with a Photographer Who Gets You

When you look for a photographer you want more than a brilliant camera operator. You want someone who gets you, who is curious about you, who celebrates you. Being photographed is an inherently vulnerable experience, and our defenses naturally go up. You want someone you can feel free and playful with and who draws you out. The more trust you can develop with your photographer, the more authentic — even revelatory -- your images will be. Moreover, you'll want a photographer who is a true creative partner -- someone who can collaborate with to tell you story visually.

3. Design Your Images

Work with your photographer to develop meaningful concepts and a shot list for your photo session. Get a concrete sense of what you’re going after. What's the story you want to tell? For instance, a musician client and I recently planned a session around the concept "sharing the magic." We used her favorite color (cyan) and whimsical locations to flesh out the comcept visually. How does your brand-essence translate into images? What wardrobe choices best express your brand-essence? What setting? Color palette? Gestures and body language? I like to think of this step as setting the stage for an improvisation. This planning provides structure, cues and inspirations for the photo session itself. A “show up and shoot” approach rarely yields consistent, compelling results.

4. Play Bold

The stage has been set. Now when you step into the actual photo session, play bold. Now I get it. Most of us get self-conscious in front of the camera. Our self-judgements raise their head. And we either shut down, pose as cool and collected (and fake) or play small. Set a meaningful emotional context for your session that outflanks your normal survival mechanisms of self-consciousness, pleasing others, perfectionism and hiding out. One of my favorite ways to express it is our photo session is a playdate between two mischievous co-conspirators. Shenanigans are expected! Bringing the right kind of friend can sometimes be a real aid in keeping you grounded, engaged and expressive.

5. Curate Your Images Ruthlessly

Half the creative process is cutting what doesn't work. When reviewing your photos trust your gut reactions. We instinctively know what’s right on . . . and what’s a little off. There is a micron of difference between OMG and Meh. You deserve OMG. Remember Theodore Sturgeon’s 90% rule: “Ninety percent of everything is crap.” I find that tremendously freeing! There are going to be lots of near misses from the session, and that is simply the price of admission to this wonderful game. Don't settle for medicore or images that almost hit the mark. You deserve better.

A few questions to ask when you curate your images:

Is the image technically acceptable - in focus (and the focus on the appropriate area of the image), color corrected, appropriate cropping, no distracting elements?
Does your facial expression -- whatever it is -- look natural?
Does your body language look natural and unforced? Is it clear?
Does the image match your overall brand-essence? (For instance, if part of your brand-essence is warm-hearted, you might question the presence of sleek, hard, shiny surfaces.)
Does the individual image suggest an emotional story?
Sanity check: Does the image contain cheesiness (unless cheese is your brand!)?
One final thought: presence trumps perfection every time. I’d rather see a technically flawed image in which you’re fully present than a perfect image vacant of your spark.

6. Share shamelessly

Finally, you are here on this planet to uncover and share your gifts. Period. Full stop. The world is awaiting the full expression of you. Not the perfect expression. The full, human expression of the wondrous being you are. What are you waiting for? Yes, there is fear in being fully seen. And there is rich, rich acknowledgement and affirmation.

Own your badassity!

Until then, own your badassity!

Six Steps to Compelling Personal Brand Images