I recently wrapped a founder portrait shoot that I’m really excited about, and it got me thinking about what makes these kinds of shoots successful. 📸

As you move from building in private to leading in public, spend more time thinking creatively about how you express yourself, not just through your content, but through your brand assets. Beyond a headshot, a founder portrait shoot is about creating visual tools that communicate who you are and how you put your spin on things.

I’ve been art directing my own founder shoots for years, and for this one, I had the chance to work with the incredible @racheldavisphotography. Her portfolio is full of color, energy, and personality, which inspired me to lean into something a little more expressive and story-driven than usual.

Here are three things that helped make the shoot a success:

📌 Build scenes, not mood boards.

Instead of creating one giant inspiration board, I created separate mood boards for each scene. Think in terms of stories, not outfits or backdrops. A scene helps you make decisions about props, lighting, posture, expression, and energy.

📌 Collaborate with your photographer early.

Rachel and I were exchanging ideas for months before the shoot. We shared references, tested concepts, and refined the creative direction together. Make the creative process a dialogue with your photographer for the best results.

📌 Customize your props.

One of my concepts called for a newspaper, so I designed my own. I filled it with references to upcoming projects, favorite phrases, and little easter eggs. If you’re using props, make them work harder than decoration. Used effectively, they become central storytelling devices.

Do your founder portraits paint the picture you want, or you still settling for boring ahh headshots? Lmk!