North West Business Association Mini Session Prep Guide

Photos that work as hard for your business as you do

Keep reading for all your tips to show up confident and ready.

Black and white photo of a woman with long wavy hair, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a light-colored, loose shirt. She is sitting on a worn wooden chair, resting her arm on the back of it, with her other hand on a guitar's neck.

I’m so stoked you’ve booked!

These sessions are simple, fast, and designed to give you maximum impact without the stress.

Your photos won’t just sit in a folder somewhere. They’ll be the images that carry your business forward, on your website, socials, Google profile, proposals, or LinkedIn.

I believe business photography should show the real you. Professional, yes. Polished, yes. But also approachable, proud, and true to the work you actually do.

This prep guide will walk you through how to get ready so you feel confident on the day. What to wear, how to prep your space, and what to expect while I’m there.

Let’s do this.

Why these photos matter

Think of these images as your business handshake. Most people see you online before they ever meet you in person. A strong photo tells them straight away that you are professional, approachable, and the real deal.

These photos will help you:

  • Build trust fast

  • Stand out from the competition

  • Add polish to your website, socials, and Google profile

  • Put a face to your business so people know who they’re dealing with

You don’t need to pose like a model. You just need to show up as yourself. That’s where I come in, guiding you so your personality, pride, and professionalism shine through.

What to Expect

I come to you. Your workplace, shop, café, office, or site, wherever tells the story of your business best.

These sessions are quick and easy, usually 15 to 25 minutes. Just enough time to capture a strong variety of images without taking you away from your day.

You’ll get:

  • One outfit that feels professional and comfortable

  • One location, with a couple of angles or backgrounds for variety

  • A mix of natural and environmental shots that show what you do

  • Full direction from me, so you’re never left wondering what to do with your hands

We’ll chat while I shoot. You’ll barely notice the camera, and before you know it, you’ll have a gallery of photos that feel like you.

No awkward poses. No frozen smiles. Just confident, clean, professional images that work as hard for your business as you do.

What to Wear!

Choose something you actually feel good in. Polished, professional, but still you.

Here’s what works best:

  • Solid colours or soft tones — black, navy, cream, olive, rust, tan, charcoal

  • Avoid neons, super bright colours, thin stripes, heavy logos, and busy patterns

  • Clean lines and simple shapes always photograph well

  • Add a jacket, blazer, apron, or accessory for a small variation in your look

  • Shoes clean. Belts straight. Lint roll dark fabrics

  • If you’re in uniform, make sure it’s your best one — clean, pressed, and ready to go

Hair, makeup, and grooming

  • Style your hair the way you normally wear it when you want to feel confident

  • Makeup can be natural or glam — whatever feels like you

  • Shave or shape facial hair as needed, moisturise to avoid dry patches

  • Lip balm and a bit of powder go a long way on camera

  • If you wear glasses, give them a good clean before we start

For teams: pick a loose colour palette so everyone looks coordinated without being too matchy.

Your space checklist

A quick tidy-up makes a huge difference to how professional your photos look. Five minutes of prep will save hours of editing later.

  • Clear benches, counters, and desktops

  • Hide cords, chargers, and random clutter

  • Wipe down fingerprints, smudges, and dust

  • Straighten signage, remove old posters or notes

  • Clean windows and mirrors if they’re in shot

  • If you sell food, prep one hero dish or drink to feature

  • If you sell products, choose two or three best sellers rather than stacking everything

  • Check uniforms, name badges, and branded items are clean and straight

  • Charge any devices that will be visible — no “low battery” warnings sneaking into your photos

Keep it simple, keep it tidy, and let the focus be on you and your business.

Props that tell your story

Props are great, but less is more. A couple of well-chosen items can add personality and show people what you do.

Think about:

  • Your laptop, clipboard, or notebook

  • Tools of your trade (clean and tidy)

  • Packaging, menus, or a branded coffee cup

  • One or two of your best products

  • Fresh ingredients or a hero dish if you’re in food

Avoid clutter. If you bring everything, it’ll look messy. Two or three items is plenty.

And make sure anything electronic is fully charged. A glowing red battery icon is not the story we want to tell.

Most important show me what you do! Let’s get some photos of you in action. In your workshop, your kitchen, or your office. Action images add huge value. They make brilliant social posts and stand-out hero shots for your website.

What Happens After?

Once your session’s done, you can get back to running your business, I’ll take it from here.

I’ll carefully select and edit the best images from your shoot. Your online gallery will arrive within a couple of weeks, ready to download and use straight away.

Here’s the best bit: your gallery will be packed with value. If you find it impossible to narrow down your favourites (and most people do), you can simply upgrade to bring the whole gallery home.

  • Upgrade to the full gallery: $250

That way you don’t have to stress over picking just a handful of images. You’ll walk away with everything we created together, ready to use across your website, socials, and marketing.

For convenience, your gallery will come with images already optimised for online sharing, perfect for websites, socials, and everyday marketing. If you’re planning something bigger like a poster, banner, or office artwork, just let me know. I’ll supply those at the right size so you don’t waste time fiddling with files. Let me do the work for you.

Let me answer some questions that might come up!

  • I hate having my photo taken, is this going to be awful?

    There is a very small number of people who thrive in front of a camera. The majority of us feel a little uncomfortable and awkward. I’m here to tell you that is absolutely fine, it’s normal to feel this way, I do too when I have my photo taken.

    My job is absolutely making you look your best in your photos, but my main goal is making you feel comfortable throughout the process. I will tell you how to sit, stand and move to get all the best angles, we will chat the whole way through and it really does become lots of fun.

  • Hair and makeup

    While we are absolutely keeping it authentic and natural you do want to look your best. If you wear makeup, take your time when you are putting it on that morning and bring a little powder or lipstick for a touch up just before your shoot. Make sure to exfoliate and moisturise the night before for that beautiful fresh look.

    Taking your time to style your hair will help you feel more confident. We will do a last check before we start.

    Gents who wish to have their hair cut try and and schedule it for 4 or 5 days before your photos.

  • How else can I prepare for my headshot?

    If at all possible, try and have a good night’s rest before our photo day.

    It’s a great idea to drink plenty of water which hydrates your skin and gives you the freshest look.

    Iron or steam your clothes if possible,

  • What do I do with my glasses ?

    If you normally wear glasses it is a good idea to wear them in your photos. However, if you wear glasses with a strong prescription or photochromic lenses let me know beforehand and we can come up with a solution.

  • Try to relax and enjoy it!

    To ease any nerves I often suggest people crack a beer or a wine at my sunset sessions but of course, this might not be appropriate for your work headshots!! I do suggest to sit and have a cuppa and maybe try some deep breathing if you are feeling anxious at all.

    Remember I absolutely have your back when it comes to the lighting and angles to make you look amazing, the rest is really just coming and having a chat with me which I promise you is (almost) painless!

Final Checklist

✔️ Outfit ready. Clean, pressed, and feels like you
✔️ If you’re in uniform, make sure it’s your best one
✔️ Jacket, blazer, or accessory packed. Optional, but great for variety
✔️ Glasses cleaned. No smudges or fingerprints
✔️ Hair styled. Whatever makes you feel confident
✔️ Makeup done, or whatever helps you feel sharp and professional
✔️ Tools, props, or products tidy and ready to feature
✔️ Space clear. Benches, desks, signage, and clutter sorted
✔️ Phones, laptops, or devices charged if they’ll be in shot
✔️ Water bottle packed. Your skin will thank you
✔️ Take five minutes to breathe before I arrive

That’s It! You’re All Set!

I can’t wait to come to your workplace and create some powerful, professional images you’ll be proud to use. These photos aren’t just for your marketing today, they’re also part of something bigger. Together we’re creating a record of our people and our businesses in this ever-changing landscape. A little piece of our area’s history.

See you soon,
Aisling x