I'm a brand photographer and strawberry lover living in  Charleston, South Carolina ☀️🍓 I help business owners plan and pull off their brand shoots with confidence and strategy.

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If you’ve landed here, you might be wondering: “how can I brand myself as a realtor?” Maybe you’ve been stuck with the same, boring headshot for years. Or maybe you’re looking to differentiate yourself from the sea of fellow realtors in your town. Whether you’re new to the real estate game or you’re looking to rebrand yourself, I’m here to get you started.

In this post, I’m sharing the top 3 essentials of real estate branding photography: location, wardrobe, and process shots. These are the keys to elevating your personal brand, attracting your ideal clients, and exploding your real estate business with your brand photos. To illustrate what each of these components entails, we’ll look at my recent shoot with real estate agent Maggie Lux!

About Charleston Real Estate Agent Maggie Lux

First, a little background on Maggie! Maggie is a realtor with Carolina One in Charleston, South Carolina. She works with clients all over the tri-county area, helping them buy and sell homes in a fast-paced market. Charleston is no stranger to real estate agents, considering Travel + Leisure names it a top city in the country every year. There are literally thousands of agents working in the area. No matter where you work, I’m guessing you can relate!

To avoid getting lost in the shuffle, Maggie came to me to expand and elevate her personal brand. She had one headshot and a small collection of stock graphics and real estate listing images to start out with. But, she wanted her marketing efforts to go beyond cookie-cutter collateral. Keep reading to see how location, wardrobe, and process shots took center stage in the planning process of Maggie’s shoot.

Close up photo of a woman sitting on a beige couch. She has blonde hair and is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a pink top with orange flowers on it.

1. Select 1-2 client-centric locations

My best advice for real estate agents looking to rebrand is to focus on your location first. Spend time finding the perfect location before outfits, color scheme, or even your shot ideas. Location is everything in real estate, so it should be the main focus (besides your beautiful face, of course!).

One of the first things Maggie mentioned in the planning process was, “we can always use my office, but it is just bland and not fun!” I immediately had her take a look at home rental sites and rack her brain for available client listings. We settled on a gorgeous condo rental in downtown Charleston. The rental company had already styled the rental with modern furniture and accessories that we could utilize for the photos (and it had amazing light)! The condo also had all of the rooms we wanted to shoot in, including a kitchen.

The style of this particular rental was the perfect mix for Maggie’s goals as well. It bridged the gap between her current clients’ budgets and future higher-end listings she hopes to work with. Consider your ideal client and what type of homes you love selling to them to guide your decision-making process about your shoot location. Be sure to ask (or have your photographer ask) the property owner if it’s okay to do a photoshoot in their space before booking and you’re golden!

Woman walking in the front door of a house. She is wearing a black dress, black heels, and is carrying a beige bag.
Two women sitting at a table on tall stools. They are deep in conversation, and both looking down at a notebook. There is a laptop off to the side. One woman is wearing a dress and heels, and the other is wearing jeans and a sweater and heels.
Two women standing in the kitchen and toasting with two champagne glasses. They are smiling and clinking glasses. On the counter is a bottle of champagne, and a basket with flowers and a tea towel in it
Woman sitting outside on a green bench. She is sitting in a shaded area with trees all around. She is wearing a floral dress and nude heels.
Woman standing outside in front of a sidewalk that is shaded by trees. She is looking off to the side and smiling. She is wearing a hot pink top, grey blazer, and jeans.

2. Hire a wardrobe stylist

My second favorite piece of advice for real estate agents (or any small business owner!) looking to rebrand is to hire a wardrobe stylist for your shoot. One of the most difficult parts of the shoot planning process for my clients is deciding what to wear, and I get it! While you might know what you love wearing in your everyday life, you might not be unsure of what looks great on camera. 

Maggie was totally unsure of what to wear for her shoot, so I connected her with a local stylist, Carissa Hamblin of Ensemble Consignment. Carissa asked Maggie to provide examples of the styles she’s into, and the types of looks she was hoping to have for the shoot. In just an hour together, Carissa helped Maggie find 4 complete outfits that worked not only for the shoot but also for her everyday life!

Your photographer may already work with a stylist, or you can seek one out on your own. There are so many affordable virtual styling services out there now as well. Book one for your shoot, and you’ll show up on shoot day feeling confident and in control of your real estate branding photography.

Woman standing in front of a distressed brick wall with blue windows. She is wearing a floral dress and nude heels.
Woman sitting on a beige sofa. She is leaning her chin on her hand and smiling at the camera. She is wearing a pink top with orange flowers and distressed jeans.
Woman standing on a cobblestone street in front of a gate. She is wearing a hot pink top, grey blazer, distressed jeans, and nude heels.
Woman sitting at a round table in front of her laptop. She has a notebook and a pen in front of her. She is wearing a black sleeveless dress.

3. Include your process

What makes you unique? This question is especially important for real estate agents to consider when rebranding. It’s true that most of the time, the real estate process can be repetitive across the board. Dig a little deeper as you plan your shoot to discover what makes you different. Ask yourself:

  • If I were working with my ideal client, what would the entire process of working together look like?
  • In what ways do I provide my clients with support or education beyond what other agents might be doing?
  • What parts of the process do I enjoy the most?

Let these questions guide you and your photographer as you plan your brand shoot.

Before Maggie’s shoot, we mapped out her client process and brainstormed process shots to illustrate it. First, Maggie brought along a co-worker that was willing to stand in as a client. She also brought props, such as a welcome basket, champagne bottle, and “Preparing Your Home for a Successful Sale” guide that she might give a client as a resource. 

Even if a part of your process with clients seems commonplace, highlight something that makes you unique. It could be the resources you provide, a congratulatory bottle of wine, or the blue bag you wear to every meeting.

Woman sitting on the floor in front of her sofa. She is sorting through some papers and has her laptop next to her. She is wearing a pink top with orange flowers and jeans.
Two hands paging through a book that says preparing your home for a successful sale.
Two women standing at a kitchen counter. One is writing something down and the other is pointing at the paper.
A bottle of champagne resting on the corner of a green velvet sofa.
Woman holding a gift basket with a bottle of champagne, some flowers, and a tea towel that says home sweet home.
Two hands pointing at a packet on a kitchen countertop.

There you have it! My top three essentials for real estate branding photography: location, wardrobe, and process shots. You now have the tools to book and plan your branding shoot with confidence! If you’re looking for more branding shoot inspiration, check out my posts 4 Essential Traits to Look for in a Branding Photographer and How to Pose for a Photoshoot. Until next time, I’ll be cheering you on along the way!

Free Download: Brand Photoshoot Shot List for Any Industry

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    Through my brand photography services and online education offerings, I aim to share your superpower with the people who need it most (with a dash of strategy and structure!).