Using Pinterest to make an inspiration mood board for your next brand photoshoot is a common step in a lot of brand photographer’s workflows.
For good reason! Pinterest is a powerful tool. And…it’s FUN!
An effective mood board can help your photographer understand your vision, connect with your brand, visualize your aesthetic, and help you stay organized on shoot day.
HOWEVER!!
Pinterest has got some major red flags:
🚩 It can lock you into the trap of unoriginality
🚩 It can limit your imagination and stifle your creativity
🚩 It can make you focus on what you “should” capture versus considering the photos you actually need
🚩 It can invite comparison and influence you to dilute your unique magic
That’s when it stops being helpful and starts being dangerously unhelpful.
We want you to stand out, not blend in!
But don’t worry, I got you!
Here are my favorite tips for creating an effective brand photoshoot mood board on Pinterest
Turn to your journal to get more clarity
Be ultra CLEAR on what you want to say about yourself, your brand, and your offers.
Clarity in your message will make every other choice simpler and more straightforward. And journaling is my favorite way to find clarity!
Play around with a mix of introspective prompts and playful ones to get a well-rounded and imaginative look at your brand.
Here are a few journal prompts for you to explore:
- What is one thing you wish you could change about your industry? Why? How can you implement this change?
- Review your 5 star reviews or client testimonials. What are people saying about you?
- What do you wish your clients would say about you when you’re not in the room?
- Think back to a recent project that you were proud of. Where does that feeling of pride come from?
- What makes you different from your competition? Consider things like identity, opinions, age, style, and vibes along with processes, deliverables, and other more practical differentiators.
- Imagine your brand as a ___. What would it be like? Describe in as much detail as you can.
- Drink or meal
- Living room
- Outfit
- Vacation home
- Restaurant
- Scented candle
- Amusement park
- Animal (real or mythical)
Journaling tips:
- Use candles, incense, music, and lighting to set the mood and avoid distractions
- Get your FAVORITE, juiciest pen. The pen that makes you want to write lots of words. Good pens = good writing!
- Set a 2 minute timer for each prompt and just let the words flow without judgement
- Don’t overthink it! And don’t censor yourself! You can always pull the wisdom out of it later. The most important thing is to get the words out.
Don’t let the trends suck you in
The main problem with Pinterest as inspiration is that it is algorithm-based.
Once you’ve pinned a few things, it just feeds you more of the same, since it guesses that you’ll “like” it.
And it’s creating really limited visual stereotypes for industries, setting expectations of what things should look like.
Which is why when you search “brand photos for coaches,” you get an onslaught of identical photos of thin women with blowouts and blazers laughing at their laptops.
It’s all the same, and it’s all forgettable.
At first glance, it’s a lil’ depressing. But this is such a golden opportunity!
If you do something visually different, you’re INSTANTLY recognizable by your audience and much more memorable. THAT’S exactly what we’re going for!!
There’s nothing wrong with starting with your industry-specific searches, but focus on pinpointing the trend.
What is everyone else doing? What low-hanging fruit are they all content reaching for? What is missing?
THOSE are the ideas we note, pin, and add to our shoot plan!
If you can find ways to stand out visually in a way that’s authentic to your brand, you’ve hit the jackpot!
Search wisely and creatively
Sometimes the key to finding inspiration is being more intentional with our search terms.
1: Try searching within a few degrees of separation.
What industry does similar work, uses similar tools, or promises similar results that you can take inspiration from?
For example, instead of searching for website designer brand photos, you search for architect or engineer photos. Instead of searching for wedding planner brand photos, you search for interior designers or brand designers.
They’re not the SAME industry, but there may be some overlap that inspires you and helps you think outside the box.
2: Consider adding brand adjectives to make your search more specific to YOU and YOUR brand.
Choose words that resonate with your brand to ensure you’re getting results that work for you.
Some ideas: quirky, unconventional, unique, luxurious, bold, colorful, vibrant, minimal, refined, feminine, masculine, queer, energetic.
3: Be sure to also pin things that AREN’T brand photos or headshots.
Pinning things like textures, locations, products, and vibey shots can help round out your board with the emotions you want to convey, not just the poses you want to copy.
You can also search on other search engines, design magazines, or other digital publications and then pin to Pinterest to avoid falling into Pinterest trend traps!
Also, a key tip: avoid the “more like this” or “more ideas for your board” features!
The algorithm will just feed you more popular pins that match what you’ve already searched for, which will move you further and further away from original and innovative ideas.
When you want more ideas, just start a new search!
Refine, refine, refine
Once your Pinterest board is full, you might think you’re finished.
BUT!
The magic comes through refinement.
Give yourself a break from the task to refresh your eyes, then take a holistic, birds-eye view of your Pinterest board.
Look for anything that seems random, out of place, or that just no longer resonates. Unpin it if it is entirely unhelpful.
Then, add NOTES with each pin. Why did you include it? Did you like the pose? The outfit? The colors? The composition? The props? Be specific!
Maybe you don’t like the editing on a photo but you love the pose! Or maybe you like how a photo reflects an emotion and you want to jot down ideas for how to emulate it.
If there’s value to the pin, be clear about what that value is.
The more specific you get in your notes, the more helpful it is for you and your photographer to identify how it plays into your vision.
This refinement process might take some time, and that’s ok! It’ll be worth it!
TL;DR
- Use introspective journal prompts to get more clarity
- Watch out for trend traps
- Search and pin strategically
- Refine, refine, refine!
Pinterest can be your best friend or your worst enemy when planning your brand session.
But if you follow these tips, you can leverage this amazing inspiration tool and plan the brand session of your dreams!
Want to work with me to plan the brand session of your dreams! Get in touch!
How to curate the perfect brand photography mood board on Pinterest
March 13, 2025
