If you’ve been curious about brand photography but keep talking yourself out of it, you’re not alone. I hear the same concerns over and over again from photographers who want to work with brands but feel like they’re somehow “not ready yet.”

So let’s skip the sugarcoating and talk honestly about brand photography for photographers, what brands actually care about, and what’s really holding most photographers back.

“Don’t brands only hire photographers with huge portfolios?”

This is one of the biggest myths in brand photography.

Most brands are not searching for the most famous photographer with the largest following or the most impressive client list. They’re looking for someone who understands their product, their audience, and their goals and who can make the process easy and stress-free.

Clarity beats clout every time.

Brands want clean, usable images that fit their marketing needs. When you can clearly communicate how your work helps them sell their product, you immediately stand out, even without a massive portfolio.

“What if I don’t have space to shoot brand photos?”

You do not need a professional studio to start brand photography.

I have students successfully shooting brand images in kitchens, living rooms, spare bedrooms, dining rooms, and even tiny corners of their homes. Brands care far more about the final images than where they were taken.

If the photos are clean, well-lit, and usable for marketing, the location becomes almost irrelevant. Learning how to see light, style simply, and create variety in small spaces is far more important than square footage.

“Do brands even pay well?”

Yes. And often, they pay consistently.

Brands are constantly investing in photography for websites, social media, ads, packaging, and email marketing. That’s where recurring revenue comes in.

The photographers who struggle with low pay usually aren’t underpaid because brand photography doesn’t pay well. They’re underpaid because they don’t know how to price, package, and position their work. Once you understand how to structure your offers, you stop relying on one-off trades or lowball jobs and start building ongoing relationships with brands.

“What if I hate pitching?”

Pitching does not have to feel like cold-selling strangers at a mall kiosk.

When done correctly, pitching brand photography is about starting conversations with brands that already want what you’re offering. You’re not convincing them they need photography. You’re showing them why you are the right person to create it.

This is where confidence and strategy matter. When you approach brands clearly and professionally, you’ll be surprised how often the answer is yes.

Why brand photography requires more than just good photos

If you want to succeed in brand photography, you need to understand both sides of the business:

• How to shoot brand photos that brands can actually use

• How to book brand clients consistently and confidently

Knowing how to take beautiful images is only half of the equation. Learning how to communicate your value, price your work, and build relationships with brands is what turns brand photography into a real income stream.

Ready to avoid the most common beginner mistakes?

If you want to shortcut the mistakes that about 90% of brand photographers make when they’re starting out, this is exactly what I teach inside my six-week live course that opens January 26th! And if you miss the course, you can take advantage of my free Brand Photography Masterclass here.

This approach is designed to help photographers move from uncertainty to clarity, with both the creative and business skills needed to book brand clients with confidence.

If brand photography is something you’ve been wanting to pursue, learning it the right way from the beginning can save you years of frustration.

Kylee Maughan

Kylee Ann Maughan is a family and international brand photographer based in small-town Northern Utah. She has been a business owner for 13.5 years, and also runs a successful and award-winning associate team. Kylee hosts semi-annual retreats, speaks at conferences and teaches online courses about running a small business and marketing. Her niche in coaching is helping moms turn their passion into profit, while being the mom they dream of. 

kyleeannphotography.com/kylee