I had a conversation with a social media client that got me thinking about image, and I’d like to share part of it and carry on that conversation with you, too – whether here in the comments, via some message service or in person with a beverage in hand.

I am restarting one of her social media channels and starting another from scratch. That means I need to have something to post. Early on, there really should be a photograph that represents her as the owner and creator of her products. You’ve probably read or heard me say it before: people want to see the face behind the brand. I needed an introduction to the new page, and it should have a picture of her, too.

I asked why she was reluctant to show up for her business. Most people just give me a surface response. Hers was deeper than I expected, and it went beyond her own self-image to thinking about her business image.

She explained that she felt sharing a photo of herself was performative; her work should stand on its own, without putting a stamp on it that might affect someone’s perception. She opened up about feeling judged and a bit concerned about how it might affect her business. Sharing an image representative of her true self in the role of product creator is also a challenge. She is indeed one of those multi-faceted women I speak of, so what expression works best with her work when there is so much variation? "Serious" seemed cliché, but smiling seemed too personal.

We talked some more about personal and business representation and how they can overlap or separate. And we finally selected a few neutral-expression images that would work for her brand.

Pluviophon

Is this something that’s keeping you from showing up online for your business? Let’s chat about how we can create images that match your brand.

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Women are multi-faceted, and I love helping them share images that show their authentic, beautiful, confident shine! How do you want to be photographed? Let's meet over coffee and talk about it. Contact me: text/call 434-226-0365 or email [email protected].