Your Summer Brand Photos Are Either Going to Slap or Put People to Sleep — Here's How to Make Sure It's the First One
A guide for Berks County women-owned businesses who are ready to actually show up online
Let's be real. You've been putting off brand photos since roughly 2021. You keep saying "I just need to lose ten pounds" or "I'll do it when I rebrand" or "maybe in the fall when the leaves are pretty."
It's summer. The light is golden. Your business deserves better than a blurry selfie in your car. And honestly? So do you.
Here's everything you need to know to walk into your summer brand photo session like the CEO you are — and walk out with content that actually makes people stop scrolling.
For the Love of All Things Holy, Think About Color
Summer is not the time for beige. I will say it louder for the women in the back who think "neutral and professional" is a personality.
Bold colors photograph beautifully in natural summer light. A burnt orange dress in front of a terracotta wall? Iconic. A cobalt blue blazer against a bright white brick building in downtown Reading? Chef's kiss. A hot pink sundress at golden hour? Your Instagram is going to need a moment to recover.
When you're planning your outfits, think about:
Your brand colors — if you're a Berks County business owner with a defined brand palette, lean into it. Your photos and your website should feel like they belong to the same person.
Contrast — light outfits against dark backgrounds, dark outfits against light ones. Don't disappear into your setting.
Pattern with purpose — a fun print can add personality, but keep it contained to one piece so it doesn't compete with your face.
The goal is for someone to see your photo and immediately feel something about your brand before they read a single word.
Take Off the Apple Watch
I'm going to need you to hear this with love.
If your session is outdoors — and it should be, because summer light is free and it's gorgeous — take off the Apple Watch. I know it tracks your steps. I know you have three unread texts. It will survive an hour without your wrist.
Here's why this matters: a digital watch reads as "off duty." It competes visually with your hands, and it dates the photo faster than almost anything else. Every time I edit a beautiful outdoor photo and there's an Apple Watch staring back at me, a small piece of my soul leaves my body.
Dainty gold watch? Yes. Stack of meaningful bracelets? Absolutely. Fitness tracker with a notification bubble? We're going to pretend this conversation didn't happen.
While we're at it — do a full accessories audit before your session:
Earrings that show up on camera (studs disappear, statement earrings tell a story)
Clean, simple nails or a fresh manicure in your brand colors
Shoes that match the vibe, even if they're not in every shot
Use Your Location Like a Set Designer Would
Berks County is genuinely beautiful and criminally underutilized for brand photography. You don't need to drive to Philadelphia to get a cool backdrop.
Think: the murals in Reading, the historic architecture in Kutztown, that stunning farm property your client has been posting about for two years. Summer means outdoor options that feel alive — lush greenery, wildflower fields, patios with string lights, farmers markets.
And if you have a pool? Call me. Immediately.
I'm completely serious. A pool session with the right styling is some of the most memorable brand content you can create. We're talking about you in a chic swimsuit or linen cover-up, lounging on a flamingo float, holding an obnoxious cocktail like you have absolutely nowhere to be on a Tuesday afternoon.
Because here's the thing — people hire people they want to be around. If your brand photos look fun, they'll think working with you is fun. If your brand photos look like a LinkedIn headshot from 2016, they'll assume your emails are equally exciting.
Show them who you actually are.
Plan Your Shot List Like a Content Strategist
You're a business owner. You need content for:
Your website homepage and about page
Instagram posts and reels covers
LinkedIn (yes, LinkedIn — don't skip it)
Email marketing headers
Pinterest if you're using it
Press features and speaking bios
That's a lot of real estate to fill, and one vibe isn't going to cover it. A summer brand session should include at least 2-3 different looks and locations so you have variety — something polished, something personality-forward, and something that shows you in your element doing what you actually do.
Before your session, we'll talk through exactly what you need so nothing gets missed.
Stop Waiting for Perfect
This is the part where I get a little real with you.
The women-owned businesses in Berks County that are growing — that are landing clients, getting referrals, showing up in local press — they have one thing in common. They're visible. They've invested in how they show up online because they understand that perception is part of the product.
Your potential clients are Googling you. They're checking your Instagram. They're forming an opinion in about four seconds, and right now you might be handing them a photo that you took in your bathroom mirror because you "needed something quick."
You don't have to wait until the rebrand. You don't have to wait until you've lost the weight. You don't have to wait until fall.
It's summer. The light is good. The pool is open. Let's make some content you're actually proud of.
Ready to Book Your Summer Session?
If you're a women-owned business in Berks County — Reading, Wyomissing, Sinking Spring, Ephrata, all of it — I want to work with you.
Summer sessions are filling up fast, and I only take on a limited number of clients each month so that every session gets the time and attention it deserves.
Summer content for Salute Ristorante in Sinking Spring, PA