I meet so many brilliant small business owners here in Edinburgh and across Scotland who put off booking a brand photographer because they think feeling confident and ready for it has to happen before they take action. But what does ready even look like - and, yikes, what if it never actually comes?
The myth of feeling ready for brand photography
A few years ago, I spent three whole months “getting ready” to launch my first Facebook business page. Three months of tweaking, rewriting, changing my mind, then changing it back again.
I fiddled with wording. Rewrote the same sentence twenty times. Decided my headshot was awful. (It really was!) Changed my mind about my offers at least twice a week.
At 4.23 am one random Tuesday, I accidentally hit “publish” while meaning to save it as a draft.
I swear I could feel my own soul trying to crawl under the duvet and hide.
But what I learned the next day is that nobody, not one single person, felt I should have waited. They were just happy to see what I was up to. People liked the page. Friends cheered me on. Nobody noticed the half-finished bits I’d obsessed over for weeks.
That’s exactly what I see so many brilliant small business owners doing with brand photography. We think we’ll do it later, when we’ve lost weight, nailed our “signature style”, stopped feeling awkward in front of a camera, or finally found the mythical confidence fairy who’ll sprinkle self-assurance over us overnight.
But all too often, that day just doesn’t come. Not on its own. While we’re waiting to “feel ready”, our businesses lose clients and opportunities that could be showing up right now.
In reality, waiting for that "perfect" version of yourself only pushes the moment further away. All the while, your business is quietly missing out on being seen, trusted, and chosen by the people you most want to work with.
If you’re not sure what brand photography actually involves, my ultimate guide to brand photography and business headshots in Scotland walks you through the whole process step by step, so it feels a lot less daunting than you might think.
The cost of staying invisible
The trouble with waiting to “feel ready” isn’t just the lost opportunities you can count – like the client you never heard from because your website didn’t catch their attention, or the podcast host who moved on to someone else when they couldn’t find a decent headshot of you.
It’s the invisible cost of what doesn’t happen. The connections never made because your audience didn’t see you. The credibility you quietly lose every time someone compares your DIY selfie with your competitor’s polished, professional images. The hesitation you feel every time you go to post on social media and think, “I don’t have anything I want to share.”
Every day you stay out of sight online, it becomes that little bit harder to build momentum. You know you’re brilliant at what you do – your clients rave about you – but if your visuals don’t reflect that, strangers don’t get the chance to believe it too.
Professional photography isn’t just a “nice to have” for later. It’s the foundation of being recognised as the expert you already are. And it’s much easier to step into that role when your images are working hard for you, creating trust and connection long before you say a single word.
Studies show that website visitors make snap judgments about credibility within just 50 milliseconds, based solely on visual design elements like image quality, layout, and typography. This research on first impressions in web design shows that those early impressions often form before visitors even read a word you've written.
Good brand photography makes you visible, credible, and easier to trust before you even say a word. If you need help in being recognised as the expert you already are, my Soar brand photography package is designed exactly for this – giving you months of polished, professional images that help you show up consistently without any stress.
Confidence doesn’t show up on its own
One of the biggest myths about brand photography is that you need to feel confident before you do it. As if confidence is some kind of entry ticket you present at the door before you’re allowed in.
In reality, it’s the other way round. Confidence rarely arrives first – it shows up because you took action, not before. Psychologists have long found that taking small steps is one of the fastest ways to build confidence, even before you feel ready. As this Psychology Today article on confidence and action explains, confidence is often the result of doing the thing you’re nervous about, not the prerequisite for it.
I’ve lost count of how many clients have told me, “I was dreading this. I nearly cancelled.” And then halfway through the session, they’re laughing, relaxed, forgetting there’s even a camera in my hands. By the end, they’re saying, “I actually really enjoyed that… I'd never have guessed!”
You don’t need to be "a natural" in front of the camera. Whatever THAT is anyway ... You don’t need to have your outfits perfectly figured out, or know your best angles. You don’t even need to like being photographed. What you need is a willingness to show up, and a photographer who knows how to help you feel comfortable. The confidence you’re waiting for tends to turn up somewhere between the first click of the shutter and the last.
What you do need instead
Feeling ready isn’t a requirement for great brand photography. What matters far more is clarity – knowing roughly what you offer, whom you help, and the kind of impression you want to make. That’s it.
You don’t need to lose weight, perfect your wardrobe, or suddenly discover a love of being in front of the camera. You don’t even need to know exactly what kind of photos you want. My job is to help you figure all that out as we plan your shoot together.
What you really need is a willingness to show up for your business and a photographer who knows how to guide you through the process. Someone who can help you choose outfits that work, suggest locations that feel natural, and make it all feel structured rather than overwhelming.
That combination – your expertise and my planning – is what creates images that work hard for your business. Not a mythical feeling of readiness that may never arrive.
If you’re not sure what kind of photos would be most useful for your business right now, my free brand photography shoot planner is a quick way to get clarity before you even book a session. It’ll help you see what you really need – and what you definitely don’t.
How the process helps you with feeling ready for brand photography
Almost every client I’ve worked with has started out nervous. Some tell me outright that they hate being photographed. Others quietly hope I won’t notice how tense they feel when the camera comes out.
That’s why I don’t just turn up on the day and start clicking. We plan it out together. You get a clear, simple prep guide so you’re not left wondering what to wear. We talk through the kind of images you need, where they’ll be used, and how you want people to feel when they see them.
On the day, I guide you gently the whole way through – posing tips, where to look, when to relax and just be yourself. We take breaks, we laugh a bit, and before long it feels more like a chat than a photo shoot.
By the time we’re done, the “I’m not ready” voice in your head has usually gone quiet. You’ve seen the difference good direction and thoughtful planning can make, and you leave not just with photos you’re proud of, but with a little extra confidence to match them.
You don’t need to feel ready to start. You just need someone who knows how to make it easier than you thought it could be.
That shift in how you feel about photos doesn’t stop when the session ends. When you see your final gallery, you’ll have more than images you’re proud of. You’ll also have a little more confidence in yourself – because you’ve seen how good you can look in photos designed to tell your story. If you’d like to dip a toe in the water with a simple, one-hour session that takes away the pressure, my Elevate brand photography package is a brilliant place to start.
The new definition of ready
You don’t need to wait for a bolt of confidence to strike before you can book brand photography. Sadly, that moment rarely arrives on its own if that's just not the way you're wired. But, all is not lost!
Being “ready” isn’t about having the perfect wardrobe or finally loving every photo ever taken of you. It’s about making a decision: that your business deserves to be visible, even if you’re feeling unsure about stepping in front of the lens.
"Ready" can be as simple as this:
That’s all there is to it. No crash diet, no hours spent in front of the mirror rehearsing poses, just a willingness to take the first step – and let me handle the details from there.
If you’ve been delaying for months (or even years), you might enjoy my post on 6 reasons you’re putting off a brand photo shoot. You’ll see you’re not the only one who feels this way – and you’ll pick up a few ideas to help you finally move past the waiting stage.
Let’s make showing up a wee bit easier
If you’ve been putting off brand photography until you “feel ready”, you’re so not alone! Many brilliant business owners tell me the same thing – they’re waiting for confidence to magically appear before they step in front of a camera.
But your clients aren’t looking for perfect. They’re simply waiting to see you – the real, capable expert they want to work with. Great brand photography makes that connection for them, even on the days you still feel a bit uncertain.
If you’d like some reassurance before you take the leap, my blog post on how to feel confident in your photo shoot is full of practical tips to make the whole experience feel easier. And if you want a quick, focused session to get you started, my Elevate brand photography package is a simple way to refresh your images or even give you a basic starter package without a huge commitment.
If you’re a small business owner in Edinburgh or elsewhere in Scotland and are ready for a friendly, no-pressure chat about what brand photography could do for your business, just get in touch. I’ll help you think through what you really need and make sure the process feels structured, supportive, and a lot more fun than you expect!
