by Yasmin Bruce | Aug 26, 2025 | Featured, Personal Branding
Meet our friend, Kristin Hendrix. For business professionals like Kristin, a career coach based in Morrisville, NC, first impressions matter. Whether for your website, your social media, or even the headshot you submit when you’re asked to speak at an event, the right personal branding portraits are essential for communicating what you do, how you do it and what sets you apart from everyone else. This is especially true in coaching, where differentiation makes all the difference.
When Kristin reached out to Teresa Porter Photography, she was looking for a fuller approach for her small business branding photography, rather than just having updated headshots. Kristin needed personal branding photography that reflected her warm, approachable style while giving her a variety of portraits for multiple platforms that were versatile enough to feel fresh throughout the year.
Capturing Kristin in a variety of settings and outfits helped add versatility to her personal branding photography, ensuring that she had portraits that would feel fresh throughout the year.
Crafting Kristin’s Visual Brand Identity
To bring Kristin’s brand to life, we designed a session that balanced her professionalism with a more relaxed authenticity, to translate her approach to working with clients. Our studio in Cary provided the perfect setting, with a variety of backdrops from earth-toned living rooms sets to a mocked-up office. With fall in full display outside, we took advantage of the beautiful, autumnal colors that perfectly complemented her features and her outfit choices. We headed into Downtown Cary and the new Downtown Cary Park to capture Kristin in natural settings that celebrated the season and the area she calls home. We carefully chose the right time of day for the softest, golden light, which created a warm, inviting feel that matched her coaching style: supportive, approachable, and impactful.
Showcasing the Depth of Her Work
We focused on creating a variety of images that could serve Kristin across all her marketing touchpoints. In the studio, we captured her teaching at a whiteboard, highlighting her confidence and leadership. Posing behind the computer in our office set-up, we guided her on poses that felt focused and approachable, enabling us to create personal branding portraits that show what it is like to work with her. These branding portraits are perfect for her website’s “about” page or professional platforms like LinkedIn.
To balance the more formal shots, we added lifestyle branding portraits, including Kristin casually posing with a cup of coffee, enjoying the moment, and engaging in the kind of conversations that shape her coaching practice. These images brought her down-to-earth professionalism to life, while focusing on her approachability and authenticity, making it easier for potential clients to connect with her brand.
Whether she was posing at the whiteboard or surrounded by the beautiful fall foliage, we made sure that Kristin’s branding portraits showed her approachability and warmth.
Versatile Branding Portraits for Every Platform
The final collection of images provided Kristin with everything she needed to elevate her personal brand: branding portraits for her website, headshots for presentations and workshops, and personal branding photography for her social media and marketing. Having taken the time to learn about her brand in our Planning Meeting, we used this information to influence the style of branding portraits and ultimately, reflected the heart of her coaching practice in her branding portraits, while giving her flexibility for future projects.
Be You, With Us
At Teresa Porter Photography, we know that personal branding photography is essential to your online presence. Whether we are creating website branding images that reflect who you are, or a collection of branding portraits for your social media platforms, we make sure that every image reflects who you are and the story you want to tell. From pioneering entrepreneurs to dedicated employees, we’re here to make sure your portraits work for you and show the story you want to tell.
Ready to elevate your personal brand? Contact us today.
by Yasmin Bruce | Aug 19, 2025 | Featured, Personal Branding
Your story is worth telling and it deserves to be shared. When it comes to personal branding, your image reflects who you are, what you value, and how you want your audience to feel when they interact with you. Personal branding photography expresses that story through compelling, consistent imagery that connects across every platform you use.
Why Storytelling Matters in Branding
Audiences want to engage with people and brands they can relate to, and in the words of Bob Burg, people do business with those who like they like, know and trust. The same is true for personal branding – if people feel that they like you, they are more likely to want to get to know you and the more they know you, the more their trust is built. Whether you’re a coach, influencer, wellness professional, real estate agent, or creative entrepreneur, or simply want to increase your online presence, your network is drawn to the person behind the brand. They want to get to know you. Personal branding photography communicates your presence, personality, and purpose in a way that builds connection and credibility.
These visuals often communicate more than words alone ever could. A well thought-out and intentional collection of branding images for your website and social media helps to establish that trust, highlight your process, and showcases your expertise in action. When reinforced with photography for social media, your brand presence becomes more approachable and memorable.
With our personal branding photography you have the opportunity to visually tell your story. What messaging do you want to convey?
What are the Key Elements of Story-Driven Personal Branding Photography?
- Headshots with Personality
Forget stiff poses and blank expressions, we don’t do that here. Our modern personal branding photography focuses on portraits that feel real, confident, and true to who you are, and the story you want to tell. These are the kinds of headshots that feel natural and down-to-earth, without compromising on your professionalism.
- Lifestyle Imagery That Captures the Real You
For lifestyle imagery, we’ll plan a whole session that shows more than a headshot ever could. This is tailored to you, and could include moments like chatting with clients, recording a podcast, taking a call at your desk, or posing in your favorite coffee shop with your laptop in hand. These images help potential clients and your followers to see what your work looks like, and helps them form an understanding of what it might be like connecting with you.
- Workplace and Behind-the-Scenes Photos
From cozy home offices, to your brick-and-mortar location, and bustling co-working spaces in-between, showing your real environment adds dimension to your story. It helps your audience understand how and where the magic happens. The sky is really the limit here – we have captured personal branding portraits everywhere from a shed conversion in the back yard to strolling along the sand at the beach!
- Branded Touchpoints and Details
We’ll help you plan your session with personal branding in mind, and we’ll guide you on the perfect props and outfits to reinforce your brand messaging.
- Photography for Social Media
Photography for social media should feel natural and conversational while remaining cohesive with your overall brand. With a mix of portraits, behind-the-scenes content, and lifestyle moments, we’ll make sure you are left with beautiful, impactful images to post.
Let your clients see the face behind the brand. Personal branding photography helps you build trust before you even say a word.
Be You, With Us
At Teresa Porter Photography, we create personal branding photography sessions that are tailored to your story. We’ll help you prepare every step of the way, from wardrobe suggestions to location selection and creative planning, through to choose the final images that tell your story. Every session is designed to feel fun and relaxed, even for those who aren’t used to being in front of the camera – in fact, our favorite clients are those who say that they hate being photographed! Our focus is on capturing the images you need most, including branding images for your website, branding portraits that reflect your journey, and a variety of gorgeous portraits for your social media use. The result is a versatile collection of professional images you can use again and again.
by Yasmin Bruce | Aug 5, 2025 | Featured, Headshots, Personal Branding
For many of us, the idea of getting our professional headshots done can feel overwhelming, or even intimidating. Maybe you’re unsure about how you’ll look or choosing what to wear feels impossible, or you’re simply not used to being photographed. We know all too well how easy it is to put off booking your session due to nerves or not knowing where to begin. You might be surprised to hear it, but you’re not alone – many of our clients have felt the same. At Teresa Porter Photography, our small business branding photography sessions are designed to be stress-free, to put you at ease, make you feel comfortable and like your best self, and we’ll even have a little fun, too! Our goal is to help you walk away with personal branding portraits that you feel proud to share.
When it comes to your Small Business Branding Photography, we’ll guide you every step of the way to make sure that your branding images and business headshots look and feel like you, whatever industry you’re in.
We’ll Guide You Every Step of the Way
We know that feeling prepared is the first step toward feeling confident, and confidence is key in your professional headshots and branding images. We’ve carefully crafted our small business branding photography process to walk you through each step so there are no surprises and no pressure – just thoughtful planning and great results!
- Let’s Plan This Thing: We start with a planning call to talk all about your goals, style preferences, and how you plan to use your personal branding portraits. Whether you’re building a new website, giving a much-needed refresh to your LinkedIn profile, or updating your business marketing materials, this helps us create a branding session that feels like you and fits your business.
- What to Wear? We’ve Got You: If you’re not sure what to wear for your small business branding photography session, don’t worry. We have all of that covered in our design meeting! We will come to your home and help you choose from your own closet, to guide you through wardrobe options that align with your brand and flatter your features. Our expert style tips ensure that you feel comfortable, confident and look your very best on the day.
- Your Cheer Team (and Glam Squad) Awaits: On the day of your personal branding session, you’ll be welcomed with open arms into a relaxed, supportive atmosphere. From our professional hair and makeup artist to Teresa behind the camera, you have a team that is primed and ready to help you get the most out of your session – your own personal cheer squad! Teresa will direct you with gentle, natural posing that will give depth and versatility to your small business branding photography. Don’t worry though, you won’t be expected to know what to do – we’ll guide you the whole way.
- The Big Reveal – It’s Time to Pick Your Favorites: After the session, we’ll sit down together and help you choose the images that best represent you. From social media banners to LinkedIn profiles, and website bios to press kits, these portraits are designed to support your brand wherever your audience finds you. We help you select a well-rounded set that captures your personality and professionalism from every angle, and ultimately, you will leave with images that you love and will be proud of.
Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or a small team, our Small Business Branding Photography is tailored to your needs. We make sure that you leave with a collection of beautifully branded portraits that give you content to use wherever your clients find you.
Be You, With Us
We’re all about small business branding photography that’s fresh, fun, and feels like you. Entrepreneurs, realtors, coaches, lawyers, creatives and professionals from all industries come to us when they want portraits that highlight both their expertise and personality. With years of experience and a laid-back, collaborative approach, we make the whole process easy and (dare we say) actually enjoyable. If you’ve been dodging the camera or putting off new professional headshots, this is your sign to jump into a small business branding photography session that’s designed to fit you and your brand perfectly.
by Yasmin Bruce | Jul 29, 2025 | Featured, Headshots, Personal Branding
Meet our friend, Yasmin Bruce. For small-business owners, like Yasmin, having a collection of business headshots are essential for showing personality, confidence and the face behind the brand. Yasmin is a small-business owner from Durham, NC, who reached out to us at Teresa Porter Photography to join one of our Headshot Marathon sessions. She envisioned branding photography that felt relaxed, approachable, and true to her style: cozy, casual, yet refined enough to use for her website and professional platforms. Yasmin is The Business Solutionist, and provides tailored, executive virtual services to her clients, so we knew that we had to reflect her expertise and self-assured nature in her founder headshots, which showing her approachability, too. Yasmin also wanted to make sure that she could use her professional headshots in a variety of ways, such as using her photography for social media, and ensuring that there was enough difference in the images to feel refreshed throughout the year.
Crafting Portraits That Reflect Her Brand
Having taken the time to understand Yasmin’s vision and goals for her executive headshots during the planning process, we made sure to design her Headshot Marathon session with variety in mind, both in the backdrops and her outfit choices. Our goal was to ensure that every professional headshot reflected her bright personality while giving her a range of images that she could use across her business platforms.
We always advise our clients to bring three outfits with them to our studio for their professional branding sessions, and in Yasmin’s case, like many of our clients, she found it hard to choose. We told Yasmin to bring several choices with her to our studio in Downtown Cary for her Headshot Marathon session and we helped her select outfits that felt authentic to her brand while creating the down-to-earth yet professional aesthetic she was aiming for. With soft textures, warm tones, and comfortable silhouettes, that all complemented Yasmin’s skin tone and features, we crafted beautiful business headshots that felt relaxed without compromising on professionalism.
With a variety of backdrops, props and settings, we made sure that Yasmin’s business headshots showcased her versatility, while giving her a collection of branding portraits that can be used in a myriad of ways.
Building Confidence in Front of the Camera: Yasmin’s First Headshot Experience
Having never had a professional headshot session before, we placed an extra focus on putting Yasmin at ease and loved that she actually had fun during her portrait session. By being more relaxed in front of the camera, we were able to capture the same confidence that Yasmin brings to her work. During the session, we worked with multiple backdrops to create variety within an altogether cohesive brand look. From light, airy settings in our living room set-up with her coffee in hand, to highlight Yasmin’s approachable nature, to dark, richer backgrounds that added warmth and depth, each set provided a unique take on her brand, all while adding a refined touch.
What made this session stand out was how once Yasmin had adjusted to being photographed, her personality effortlessly shone through. Whether she was smiling warmly at the camera, laughing naturally (we promise you at least one good laugh before you go!), or posing more formally with confidence, every portrait captured the energy and authority she brings to her business; as well as the sense of trust that she wants every client to feel.
Versatile Portraits for Every Platform
The final collection provided Yasmin with a variety of executive headshots that work for every aspect of her professional presence. From personalization on her website, to photography for social media, and speaking opportunities, she now has a collection of personal branding portraits that not only look beautiful but also feel true to who she is.
Be You, With Us
At Teresa Porter Photography, we believe that the best headshot photographers should capture your professional side, the heart of your business and the personality behind it. Whether you’re a first-time business owner, a seasoned pro, or a creative in need of a professional refresh, we’re here to create professional business headshots and branding photography that shows the world who you really are.
by Yasmin Bruce | Jul 22, 2025 | Featured, Headshots, Personal Branding
For wellness professionals, authenticity builds the kind of trust that invites clients in and helps them feel supported from the start. Branding images help set that tone right away. The clients you serve, whether in therapy, yoga, nutrition, or holistic coaching, are looking for real connections with real people. While professional headshots are a great place to start, they only offer a glimpse of who you are and how you work. Lifestyle branding portraits help fill in the rest of the picture.
Why Lifestyle Branding Matters
Instead of traditional, posed photos in a studio setting, lifestyle branding portraits show you in action. These are the moments when you’re doing the work you love, in the spaces that reflect your purpose and mission. That could mean teaching a class, preparing a treatment room, meeting with a client, or simply enjoying a peaceful, reflective moment in a space that inspires you. Your branding images are the perfect opportunity to capture the real you, doing what you do best, in a way that feels natural and true to your brand.
When people visit your website or when they first click on your social media profile, they are looking for signals that say, “you belong here”. Carefully planned out lifestyle branding portraits are essential to your business because they help to communicate that message in a natural, approachable way. For wellness professionals, these portraits show what to expect from your environment, and how your approach, your wellness practices and modalities all come together to provide transformative support your clients. They give future clients the opportunity to engage with your work and envision themselves in your space, in a way that professional headshots alone can’t.
Whatever your modality or area of expertise, our lifestyle branding portraits will help you bring your brand to life.
How Lifestyle Branding Portraits Elevate Your Business
- Showcases Your Environment: The spaces where you work say a lot about your style and values. Whether it’s a light-filled yoga studio, a relaxed office environment, or an outdoor trail where you lead mindful walks, showing your environment helps your clients know what to expect and in turn, puts them at ease. We’ll go to your location to capture you in your element, for branding images that give context.
- Highlights Your Approach: Every wellness professional has a unique way of working. Are you calming and centered? Energetic and motivational? Lifestyle branding photography capture these nuances and help your future clients understand what it feels like to work with you.
- Brings Depth to Your Marketing: You need more than one good image to keep your digital presence updated. Your personal branding portraits provide a collection of images which can be used as content across your website, blog, Instagram, Pinterest, newsletters, and more. This makes your brand feel fresh and intentional, while giving your audience more opportunities to engage with your brand.
- Connects With the Right Clients: When your visuals reflect your personality and environment, they naturally speak to the clients who are aligned with your values and style. With thoughtful branding images, connection starts before the first appointment is ever booked.
Be You, With Us
At Teresa Porter Photography, we take a personalized and collaborative approach to lifestyle branding portraits. We specialize in working with wellness professionals who want their images to feel natural, sincere, and aligned with their work, but most of all, that feel true to them.
We’ll guide you through planning your wardrobe, choosing the right locations that reflect your business, and reflecting the personality at the heart of your wellness brand. The result is a collection of lifestyle branding portraits that you can use confidently across all platform to deliver your messaging.
If it’s time to refresh your personal branding portraits and bring your brand to life, we’re here to help.
by Yasmin Bruce | Jul 15, 2025 | Featured, Headshots, Personal Branding
Meet our friend, Kamini Wood. Kamini is a Human Potential Coach from Apex, NC and we have had the privilege of photographing Kamini and her family for a while now. We loved helping Kamini translate her business’ messaging in her personal branding photography and it’s a total honor. Kamini reached out to us when she needed updated headshots and branding portraits that felt true to her coaching style—gentle, warm, and approachable—while giving her versatile images to refresh her website, social media, and podcast marketing.
When you’re looking for a coach, making sure that you connect with them is everything. As a client, you want to know the person behind the brand – who are they? Are they trustworthy? Does their personality feel like the right fit for your journey? Those are the questions that Kamini wanted to answer when she reached out to Teresa Porter Photography. To make sure that she had refreshed branding photography that showed her clients who she is and how she can help them on their journey.
Personal Branding Photography is all about telling your brand’s story and letting us bring it to life. Are your branding portraits saying all that they need to?
Tailored Branding for a Personal Touch
To create the perfect setting for Kamini’s session, we rented a beautifully staged house in Raleigh, NC, that offered a variety of natural settings and backdrops. From cozy living room corners to a professional home office setup for posed podcasting portraits and a stunning patio bathed in natural light, each space provided the perfect canvas to reflect Kamini’s brand essence.
We focused on capturing Kamini in moments that felt authentic and relatable. Whether she was sitting at her laptop, recording a podcast with her microphone, or sipping coffee in a quiet moment, each image reflected the calm, supportive presence she brings to her coaching practice. Every branding portrait was carefully crafted to showcase her professionalism and warm personality.
One of the most personal touches was incorporating Kamini’s endearing family pet into her branding session. These candid moments of interaction with her dog added a heartwarming, down-to-earth layer to her small-business branding, and helped to remind her clients that the person guiding them through their personal growth is approachable, compassionate, and most importantly, real.
A Visual Story That Works Across Platforms
The final collection of branding images provided Kamini with a visual story that she could use across every platform, which is more than professional headshots alone could give. The cozy, relaxed personal branding portraits highlighted her nurturing coaching style, while the professional home office setup gave her polished options for her website, speaking engagements, and business platforms.
The natural light on the patio brought an added warmth to her branding photography, tying everything together with the calm, inviting feel that defines her work. Now, whether Kamini is updating her website, promoting a podcast episode, adding a blog post to her website, or posting on social media, she has images that not only look beautiful but also undeniably feel like her.
Whether posing for our camera or in a more candid moment, Kamini glowed in her branding photography.
Be You, With Us
At Teresa Porter Photography, we know that your small business shines when people connect with your story. Branding photography helps to visually tell that story in a way that reflects your personality, your business, and the uniqueness that you bring to it. If you’re looking for a personal branding photographer in the Raleigh area, look no further.
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