How to Choose a Killer Nashville Location for Your Branding Session

If you’re planning to update your branding portraits this year, a really important decision to make is your location. As they always say: “location, location, location”, right? But, in all seriousness, the location you choose for your branding portraits can truly make or break your portrait session. So today, let’s talk about how to choose a killer Nashville location for your branding session.

branding portraits in Nashville TN

Think about your brand.

Ask yourself a few questions about your brand. Is it casual or formal? Do you do your work in a coffee house or office? Are you a real estate agent & do you have access to model homes? Are you a fitness coach who can shoot anywhere outside or do you need a gym? Those factors can help you pinpoint your ideal location. There’s no right or wrong answer here. You just want to try and be true to who you and your brand are!

Don’t choose your home.

As much as we all like to think our house would work, most of the time it will be cluttered and life will get in the way. Even the tidiest person finds that being at home for branding portraits… really doesn’t work. You don’t want to spend your time in your session moving dirty dishes or your kid’s homework out of the way. That’s why I suggest thinking of other locations like renting an Airbnb or a hotel room for your portraits.

Is your ideal location also a hot spot for tourists?

If so, it may not be ideal after all. I get it, Nashville has some really cool locations that you may love, but guess what… so do the tourists! Keep in mind that you may not feel super comfortable shooting in front of an audience if you’re determined to shoot in a location where everyone goes to get their Instagram images. If you’re at all nervous in front of a camera, I would opt for somewhere that is more private like renting a room at The Graduate hotel or an Airbnb that matches your branding. That’s not to say we can’t grab a few images at that spot – but the majority of your session should probably be somewhere more private!

No matter what your brand is like, make sure to look for a space with lots of windows for the pretty natural light. It’s a bonus if there are blank walls for your headshots and images where your photographer can leave empty space for you to have text overlay in your finished products. Of course, I’m always here to help you decide which locations might be best – so don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations!

Killer Locations for Branding Portraits in Nashville, TN

Personally, my favorite places to find locations are Airbnb or VBRO. If you’re local to Nashville another great resource is Avvay, where you can find various locations that are rentable by the hour or sometimes half day or full day rate. Hotels also make great locations, just don’t expect to shoot there for free. I always recommend renting a room so that you are a guest at that hotel and feel more freedom to use their public facilities, if that’s the route you want to go!