Show Who You Really Are: How Personal Branding Photos Build Trust

A good headshot is important. But if it’s the only photo people ever see of you, they only get a tiny slice of who you are.

Many professionals still rely on one safe, tidy headshot to do all the heavy lifting for their brand. Neutral background, neutral smile, neutral energy. It looks acceptable, but it doesn’t really sound like the person your clients meet in real life.

Your clients don’t just buy your qualifications. They buy you – your energy, your way of thinking, the way you explain ideas, how you show up day to day. That is what personal branding photography is for.

Instead of one image, you build a small collection of photos that show different sides of you: focused, relaxed, thoughtful, confident and even a little playful. Put together, those photos feel much closer to the person your clients actually meet.

In this article, I’ll walk you through how that works in real sessions, and how showing more of your personality in photos helps you build trust, connection and credibility.

What “showing personality” actually means

Let’s get one thing out of the way first: showing personality in your photos isn’t about gimmicks. You don’t need costumes, props or wild poses. You don’t have to become someone you’re not.

Instead, personality comes from quieter, more human things:

Your expression and body language
The spaces you choose to be photographed in
The clothes and small details that feel like you
The moments you choose – not just polished, but in-action and in-between

Get those elements working together and your photos stop looking like “generic professional image” and start looking like you on a good day.

Headshot vs personal branding – what’s the difference?

A headshot is usually one image on a simple background. It’s perfect for LinkedIn, company websites and speaker profiles. It needs to be clear, current and confident.

Personal branding photography goes a step further. You still get that key headshot, but you also add:

In-action photos of you doing your work
Relaxed lifestyle moments – the “coffee in the kitchen” side of your day
Environmental portraits in your real working spaces
Images that show how you think, teach, help or lead

A headshot says: here’s what I look like.

Personal branding photos say: here’s what it feels like to work with me.

Expression – the heart of a trustworthy image

Expression is usually the biggest shift people notice when they move beyond a single headshot. Many professionals arrive with their “photo face”: a tight smile, slightly tense shoulders, eyes that don’t quite match the mouth.

With a bit of guidance, that melts away and something more genuine appears.

Personal branding photo of a professional at a laptop, smiling with warm eye contact — A clean, approachable portrait at the desk – perfect as a main profile image that still feels relaxed and real.

In a good headshot, the eyes do most of the work. Clear, engaged eyes, a slight lean towards the viewer and a smile that feels like it might turn into a laugh. That combination says, “I know my stuff, and I’m easy to talk to.”

Personal branding photo capturing a genuine laugh during a conversation — Genuine laughter is one of the quickest ways to move beyond the stiff “corporate portrait” feel.

These are the expressions that clients remember. They feel like moments from a real conversation rather than something forced for the camera.

Environment – let your world speak for you

Where you’re photographed matters. Your spaces tell people a lot about how you work, often before they read a single word on your website.

Consultant writing key points on a flip chart during a personal branding session — In-action images show you doing what you do best, rather than simply standing in front of a backdrop.

Here, he isn’t posing at all – he’s absorbed in solving a problem on the flip chart. Straight away, you understand what he does and how he communicates.

Relaxed personal branding photo in the office kitchen holding a coffee — Everyday spaces such as the office kitchen can be perfect for relaxed, human images.

This is the sort of moment you rarely see in formal portraits – yet it is exactly the side of you that clients often respond to most.

Professional in discussion across a table with a client during a meeting — Open body language and modern meeting spaces help people imagine what it will be like to sit down and talk with you.

Details – clothes, posture and props

Clothing and small details aren’t about dressing up. They’re about consistency. If you spend most of your working week in a navy polo shirt, it makes sense for that to appear in your photos. If you switch to a blazer and shirt when you speak on stage, that deserves its own image too.

Professional leaning against a glass wall with folded arms in a relaxed pose — Relaxed posture and simple clothing choices can project calm confidence without feeling stiff.

Personal branding photo of a video call, with the professional smiling on a laptop screen — Including remote-working scenes, such as video calls, shows how clients are most likely to interact with you.

Professional sitting on a sofa reading and making notes from a folder — Quieter, reflective images add balance to the more energetic, in-action moments.

On their own, each of these images is helpful. Together, they add up to a fuller picture of who you are and how you work.

Planning personal branding photos that feel like you

If you’re thinking about updating your images, here’s a simple way to plan a session that shows your personality without feeling forced.

1. Decide who the photos are for

Are you mainly speaking to potential clients, event organisers, employers or your own team? Each group needs to feel slightly different things from you – calm, inspiring, steady, creative. Knowing this shapes the mood of your images.

2. Choose the roles you want to show

Most experts wear more than one hat. You might be a speaker, consultant and mentor. Or a founder, team leader and technical expert. Aim for at least one set of images for each role so people see the range of what you do.

3. Pick locations that match your world

You don’t need a huge office. One simple, clean area for headshots and one real working space is plenty. Meeting rooms, co-working areas, studios, clinics or home offices all work well if they feel believable.

4. Plan two or three outfits

Think about the different situations you work in and choose clothing that matches each. One more formal, one relaxed and an optional third look is usually enough.

5. Remember you don’t need to know what to do

You’re not expected to turn up knowing how to pose. My job is to guide you, show you images as we go, and adjust things until it feels right. Most people are surprised by how quickly they relax once they see photos that look like the person they recognise in the mirror.

A quick self-check on your current photos

Before you book anything, take a moment to look at your existing images with fresh eyes. Ask yourself:

Do these photos still look like me now, or like a past version?
Would a friend say, “Yes, that’s exactly you”?
Can someone who doesn’t know me get a feel for my energy from these images?
Do my website, LinkedIn and speaker bio all feel like they belong to the same person?
Do I have any images of me actually doing my work?

If most of your answers are “no” or “not really”, your visual story is probably ready for an update.

Ready to show more of who you are?

Showing personality in your photos isn’t about being louder or more dramatic. It’s about letting people see the person they’ll actually meet on a call, in a workshop or at an event.

When your expression feels genuine, your environment feels honest and the details match your world, something shifts. People move from “Is this person suitable?” to “I think I’d enjoy working with them.” That’s where trust begins.

If you’re ready to create a set of images that feel true to who you are – whether you’re an expert, founder, consultant or senior leader – we can plan a session that feels comfortable, straightforward and tailored to your work.

Book a Personal Branding Session

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