Sometimes if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you have to create it yourself. When Shannon LeBlanc was ready to rebrand her photography business, which started as family portraiture and lifestyle photography in 2012, she struggled to find a brand photographer with the same perspective. She realized there was a niche that needed to be filled in the area, so she taught herself and expanded her business to offer brand photography her way.
Investing in quality photos is a smart move for any business. No one likes to look at stock photos, selfies, or blurry or outdated photos on websites and social media. Shannon likes to tie in the lifestyle photography aspect to the brand photos. She explains, “I knew I didn’t want to just focus on what they do, but also what makes them who they are.” Tastefully incorporating the person’s interests and individuality in photos makes them stand out and be more relatable when people are researching the business. Clients will always get more than a standard headshot.
Shannon continues, “I’m more than just my camera. I’m a mom. My husband and I own businesses. I’m multi-faceted and I want that to be depicted in still photos. Normally I have a 44 oz. of unsweetened iced tea from Sonic. So for my most recent brand shoot, I took photos with that 44 oz. iced tea because that’s just who I am.” Shannon is a mother to 10-year-old Eloise and 9-year-old Oliver. Her husband, Daniel, is an entrepreneur whose latest venture is Hayes Street Fitness in the Broadwest building in Nashville. He bought Shannon her first camera when she was pregnant with their first child, and has been her biggest supporter.
Shannon offers multiple types of packages based on the client’s needs that result in a gallery of their own personalized, professional photos. She says, “I have super new clients who have no idea what branding is, and clients who have already gone through a full brand design and have a logo, all of their fonts and colors, and know the audience they’re reaching.” She walks
them through the entire month-long process, working as a team from the start. The first step is completing a detailed questionnaire to figure out their story and what needs to be accomplished. Then they are sent a PDF guide of outfit and boutique recommendations, contacts for makeup artists and hair stylists, and anyone else they could need to make them feel their best while
being photographed. She also provides a checklist and tips the clients can use throughout the month to make sure they’re prepared and can simply enjoy themselves on photoshoot day.
Shannon makes everything stress-free and sets clients up for success. She says, “For my bigger packages, they also receive an Instagram mockup, so I take nine of their photos and put them on a faux Instagram layout with caption ideas for each photo so I can give them that jumping- off point.” By the end of the session, she and her client are basically best friends.
Shannon’s photography has been published nationally for projects with people such as fitness guru Erin Oprea and local influencer Jenny Reimold. She photographed the content for Jenny’s Instagram page for a while and partnered with her for several Home Goods ad campaigns.
Her goal in the next year is to have her own studio in Franklin. She says, “I’m excited because it’s going to have designated spaces like a faux office space completely furnished, a faux kitchen, a living room with fun backdrops, and a full-prop closet. "So I’m crossing my fingers on that - I got a big ole vision!" She currently rents a bright white studio perfect for headshots. Depending on the package, they’ll also choose locations that complement the business such as downtown Franklin, co-working spaces, coffee shops, or model homes.
Shannon LeBlanc does everything she can to make her client’s brand photography experience a magical one. Also a Disney vacation planner, she likes to say she’s the “Fairy Godmother of brand photos,” ready to give businesses a glow-up.
lifestylebyleblanc.com
