What comes to mind when you think of lifestyle coach branding images? I am sure you have seen many coaches sharing their wisdom on social platforms. It’s a profession on the rise for so many great reasons. But the most important reason is - we all need them! How many times did you complain that your life or business did not come with instructions? How many times did you wish for someone to hold your hand while navigating difficult circumstances, change, and the journey of discovering who you are? Luckily, we now have these beautiful people who make their life mission just that - to guide you.

When I think of branding images for a lifestyle coach, the first thing coming to my mind is PERSONALITY. A coach’s personality is the first thing, I, as a client, will be looking at. Are we compatible? Can we connect? Will I be comfortable getting vulnerable and sharing my most secret thoughts, my darkest side with them? Do they feel like my best friend from just seeing their content or website?

Working with Amanda was a dream come true.

We have connected at a Women in Business gathering a while before. Her warmth and amazing energy are magnetic. She is the kind of person you will want to be around again and again. I have followed her growth for about a year and it was nothing short of inspiring. Amanda was on a journey of healing and self-discovery. She worked on becoming the best and happiest version of herself while also showing up for her audience, sharing her wisdom and glimpses into her own journey, and the most beautiful part of it all sharing her amazing energy. It’s always amazing to see how someone grows their business and works on discovering their new better self. But it’s 10fold better when you can see they do it all with an immense amount of joy.

Makes you want to follow suit and do the same.

Amanda’s photoshoot was one of the puzzle pieces in her self-discovery journey. It was also a building block of her growing and improving her business presence. She was ready to step it up and conquer new heights.

She was worried about looking too “portraity “, too polished. She wanted to look raw and vulnerable. It had to be candid and not feel too posed. She wanted to show her femininity while also showing confidence and keeping it fun.

Amanda’s moodboard shows all the points we have discussed at her design consultation, the keywords for what the final images had to show, and some rough ideas for the setups and poses we were going for. Afterall, nothing speaks more in portraits than body language and expressions. I love creating a mood board for each photoshoot - a solid idea and a good plan are key to amazing images in the end.

Amanda was committed to her new image and her new improved, brighter self and worked with a glasses stylist - Tracy, The glasses lady, and a personal stylist - Ryah from Flair by Ryah. Their work was outstanding and the final images speak volumes. It was so important for Amanda to know she had professional support in making the best choices for her photo shoot wardrobe. She felt confident and taken care of, you can see and feel it in her images.

THE FIRST SETUP

To start the photoshoot, we chose the most relaxt of the setups. It’s always a great idea to start with lifestyle like images - it gives you time to relax, loosen up and see how being in front of the camera isn’t scary at all. First half an hour of a shoot is a warm-up phase, but it’s great to be able to still create good images while also getting in the mood of being a “model “ for the rest of the day.

This setup was designed to show the warm and friendly side of Amanda. It was meant to feel like a bright and warm afternoon lounging with a cup of tea and having a heartfelt chat with a close friend. Relaxed and welcoming. The outfit was entirely picked and styled by Ryah - an amazing choice of colours and contrast.

When you get to know her, she does feel like a long-lost friend and it’s such an important asset of her as a coach. Her warmth and nurturing personality will show how you can trust her, you can open up to her.

THE SECOND SETUP

After having some time to warm-up and get into the photoshoot mood with the first setup. we were ready to complicate things a little and get the camera closer to Amanda’s soul (aka eyes )

This setup was designed in Amanda’s favourite clolour. These portraits were designed to get up close and show Amanda’s spark and create connections. You can see her glow, her beautiful and magnetic smile, and her eyes. All things to create a connection with her audience. A good range of expressions to give Amanda options in using her images in multiple ways, on multiple platforms. But all true to who she is.

We went with the colours of the ocean and pearls as her jewelry of choice - with some more added layers of pearls to create a sort of symmetry, empathize with Amanda’s femininity and elegance, and also show her connection to the ocean - which is a big part of her day to day routine and also of her social media content.

Portraits don’t have to be uptight or generic. They can be fun and show tons of personality. They are also going to be your best tool in showing your audience who you are and connecting with them without having to speak any words.

THE THIRD SETUP

This was one of the most creative setups I have created for a branding photoshoot. The idea was born out of inspiration found in a fashion campaign. And it spoke volumes, it went so well with Amanda’s services and brand personality. She was on a journey of shedding her former self and stepping into a new and improved self. She also helps her clients break through their own challenges and blocks. The colours inspired Amanda’s new branding and these hero images were the base for her all-new brand image.

Her outfit creates a beautiful contrast with the background and the bare feet are a nod to her fun and free spirited nature.

Do I have to explain how fun it was to create? And yes, the paper background was ripped and she steppted through it.

These images are a scroll stopper and sure to create an impact wherever Amanda chooses to use them in the future.

See how we have created these images here: INSTAGRAM REEL

THE OUTDOOR LOCATION

I absolutely adore studio photoshoots. The controlled environment will also allow for a better connection between my client and me. There are no distractions, no busy backgrounds and there’s also the best controlled and flattering lighting. But sometimes all that may not be enough for telling a business/brand story. And then we move on location.

As I told you at the beginning of this post, I have known Amanda before we got to work together and couldn’t imagine her visuals without the element of nature. We needed to create some images near the water. Somewhere that had sand and vegetation, had the sunset but was easy to get to from the studio. We chose to use my favorite riverside location in the City of South Perth and never regretted our choice. We went with outfits fitting the location and Amanda’s brand. We kept them looking elegant and relaxed at the same time.

What a way to finish off a full-day photoshoot!