My approach to branding photography

My approach to branding photography

For many years I mainly specialized in wedding photography but I have done a number of branding sessions in between that. Being a creative wedding photographer actually lends itself very well to branding photography as I am used to working with ordinary people as opposed to models which means I can direct people to look their best. My Fine Art background is also a handy asset as I am able to tell stories with images which is perfect for a client who wants a branding session that tells their unique story as opposed to those typical branding shots you see with businesswomen and coffee cups!

I haven’t shared many of these images but life in lockdown has given me some time to catch up on blogging.

Here’s a few shoots along with a short write up about each person so that you can understand my approach.

Click here if you would like to read about some tips for getting the most out of your branding session


Chanelle Segerius Bruce is an online coach who specializes in teaching people to teach online and build their brands online in general. Her brand is centered around enabling women to free up their time and earn money from their experience and skill and her overall branding has the element of barefoot luxury to it. Hence the tropical vibes. Chanelle has used these images on her website and also across social media platforms. If you are a personal brand it is vital that you have a number of images of you to share.

Laid back KZN midlands wedding, shot by top South African creative wedding photographer Jacki Bruniquel at Corrie Lynn Farm

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Amy Down from Mommy Mojo is an online health and wellness coach from Australia. We shot these images in Bali and wanted to create the idea of well being and mindfulness which Bali is known for. It became the perfect location to communicate these ideas.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Ard Matthews is an internationally acclaimed and well known South African Musician who became famous with the band Just Jinger. I have photographed Ard many times over the years and he has used these images for PR and marketing.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Lauren Pinnoy is a Yoga teacher who runs the Yoga Studio in Ballito South Africa. We wanted to create striking imagery that would really have her standing out on her social media. These have also appeared in magazines.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Deborah Goode is a businesswomen who developed Free-Sweet, a sweetener that can be used as a sugar replacement amongst many other entrepreneurial endeavours. Deborah has created a personal brand around her product and these images have been used on her website and in various magazines and other marketing materials

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Frances Patterson is Obstetrician Gynaecologist. In these images we wanted to ensure that she looks extremely professional but also friendly, open and trustworthy. This collection of images have been used in her marketing material but also on presentations and papers.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Sharni Quinn is a yoga teacher, life coach, author and speaker. We photographed a collection of images around Bali, Indonesia that all speak of her brand which is about being the best version of yourself! She wanted a bright and airy feel about the photos to convey her message. She has used these images on her website, various training programs, online marketing and also in print media.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

https://jackibruniquel.com/blog/for-photographers/my-approach-to-branding-photography/

https://jackibruniquel.com/blog/for-photographers/my-approach-to-branding-photography/

https://jackibruniquel.com/blog/for-photographers/my-approach-to-branding-photography/

https://jackibruniquel.com/blog/for-photographers/my-approach-to-branding-photography/

Dylan McGarry is an academic, an artist, a teacher, an eco warrior and illustrator. He wanted something unique for his portrait so we used contrasty lighting and props. The images we made have been used on this website and various campaigns and academic papers.

https://jackibruniquel.com/blog/for-photographers/my-approach-to-branding-photography/

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Bretton Jones is an NLP life coach. The brief was to make some images that were modern and fresh and showed him as a working professional who is friendly, reliable and trustworthy. These have been used on his website and across all marketing platforms.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Ben Vos and John Van Der Ruit are both actors, play writers and comedians. John is famous for his series of books called Spud. This branding shoot was done before their show Mamba Republic and we wanted to create an element of drama, fun and humour hence the use of the red velvet to allude to a stage curtain and more dramatic lighting. These images were used on everything from lamp-post posters, in the newspapers and on social media.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Cathy Layzell is an internally acclaimed Cape Town based abstract artist and painter. Artists often need images of themselves for PR, exhibition artist statements etc.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Guy Buttery is an internally acclaimed South African musician and I have photographed him many times over the years. These images have been used across social media and print PR – some of them even appeared in the Rolling Stone magazine.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Shane Smith and Shaun Bebbington own West Coast Distillers which is a craft gin distillery who also make bitters and other beverages in the Cape. They are anything but corporate hence a more relaxed and alternative approach when it came to choice of outfits etc. These images have been used for marketing purposes.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Prasheen Maharaj is an entrepreneur who’s official title is Chief Executive Officer at SanDock Austral. These images needed to appeal to a corporate audience but also show Prasheen’s role as CEO of a shipbuilding yard. They have been used extensively for PR and marketing purposes and have even appeared on the front page of a business magazine.

Top-South-African-Creative-Personal-Branding-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

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Yoga Branding Shoot in Bali – Sharni Quinn

Yoga Branding Shoot in Bali – Sharni Quinn

Have you ever met someone and known that you will be friends in an instant? When I met Sharni Quinn for the first time it was like we had known each other for eons, past lives even! Sharni and I first connected at the Barefoot Luxe Retreat which is a business womens retreat run by Chanelle Segerius Bruce. I had been invited to speak at the Fearless Photographers Conference in Germany a couple of months after the retreat and was deciding whether to stay on in Europe for a week, or go to Bali and have a proper break. Sharni was literally about to move to Bali and so I asked her advice. Her answer was “Choose Bali – Always choose Bali!”

From that moment on we became great friends!

Sharni is a yoga instructor, an author, a teacher, a coach and an entrepreneur. She has a laugh which lights up a room and a spirit which is as free as a bird. Her mission in life is to help women find their bliss which she does via her 1:1 and online coaching If you are lucky enough to attend a yoga class with her I’m sure you will remember it for a long time to come! She doesn’t just teach asanas, she teaches you how to connect with your heart and higher self.

We have a lot in common, we both love beautiful things, meditation, yoga, beaches, swimming, and a good dance. Sharni has an adventurous spirit like me, and also has the tendency to push herself to the max which resulted in her going through burn out just like I did. Both of us have started businesses from scratch, traveled the world, and are on a mission to grow, learn and help other people find their truth. We just get each other! This made her the perfect travel companion and I can safely say that she was like an angel on my trip! We whizzed around on scooters, saluted the sun at the Yoga Barn, swam under waterfalls, ate all delicious vegan food, got massages, read our angel cards, drank bintangs on the beach and danced in circles in Ubudia. It was a very special time and one that will sit fuzzily in my heart till the end of my days!

I gifted her with a personal branding shoot for her business and so whilst I was with her in Bali she was my muse! We wanted these images to be bright and sunny just like her. We took these photos in Ubud, Nusa Lembongaan, Ceningan island and Nusa Penida and it was a great exercise for me to remember how to work simply. I had to use minimal gear as our transport was a scooter which meant no external lighting and no assistant! It was a challenge but it also made me fall in love with photography all over again!.

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