The possibilities of a branding session at House of 301

I am so glad you asked! When you think of a branding session, where does your mind go directly to? Okay, good. Now, if I have you figured out, I am going to say your thoughts aren’t wrong, but they aren’t 100% right either.

If you are thinking you’d like to book a Branding Session, let’s dive into what it entails from House of 301, POV.

Portraits, Details, Candids.. yes, it is not just one piece of the puzzle, but all pieces of the puzzle. You come to us because you want to do it right the first time.

Portraits:
This is cover story quality. Portraits of YOU, your face, your energy, your style. These photos are about, well, YOU.

Portrait image ideas for your branding session, not our images*

Details:
What do you do? What props and tools do you use everyday in your business? Think books, computers, phones, glasses, jewlery, shoes? What are you selling and marketing? You need to be bringing the items that relate to your brand to the session so we can capture flat lays, and what we call, ‘filler photos’ for your website and social media. I get it, you don’t want to share your face in every post and that is EXACTLY why these are so important! Be intentional. We want these to feel high end, not cheesy.

Detail imagery ideas for your branding session, not our images*

Candids:
Every ones favorite word. When you hear candid, you hear natural, effortless, authentic. Yes, it means all of these things but it also means YOU in your element, combining portraits with your details. You walking with your swatches if you’re an interior designer, you holding albums or hanging a framed photo you took if you are a photographer selling albums and prints. These are images caught in the act of doing what you do everyday but in a way that makes your client feel something. It isn’t just a snap, these take intentional direction to create and that is why I am here. To help guide you to create your dream images for your brand.

Non-traditional portrait ideas for your branding session, not our images*

So, a quick recap. Branding is not only headshots of you, they are intentional and well thought out images including details and candids to create a versatile gallery that can grow with you and promote your brand from all angles. A branding session should be able to give you a whole instagram feed of verstality where the images flow but are not the same. Someone should be able to go to your website and either know what you do, or want to know what you do.

It is time to start investing in full branding, not just headshots. Start thinking ‘big brand’ minded. You know what they say, you dress for where you are going, not where you are. Are you looking to grow and get the recognition you and your brand deserve, or stay in fear of nothing changing? It is time to start thinking outside the box for your next Branding Photoshoot and we can help.

You know what else is fun? We provide professional makeup services and wardrobe styling in-house. Things never got easier for you to make the right decision when booking your creative house and photography studio.

You can contact Jules at jules@houseof301.com to book your complimentary consultation call. If you would like to check out some galleries from past sessions, check out our portfolio page.

What you wear matters in your photos, and here’s why.

When you step in front of the camera, your wardrobe becomes more than just clothes— it’s storytelling. Think of it like curating a cover story; every piece you wear sets a tone, whether it’s effortlessly cool, bold authority, or refined elegance— it’s to amplify who you are while making choices that translate powerfully on camera.

This is not to stress you out but to shift the script in your head that it is a fun opportunity to GO FOR IT. If your look was a headline in the magazines, what would you want it to say?

The last thing we want is for you to look like you are wearing a costume. Wearing what feels true to your personality is a good rule of thumb but don’t be afraid to push the boundary. I can come in and make sure it feels and looks good for the camera. The last thing I want is for you to look silly. The sweet spot is, you would absolutely wear it if there was some place you feel you could wear it. I am there to remove or add what is needed to make the photos feel cohesive.

An editorial eye means clean lines, standout textures, and movement in fabric. This helps elevate the image, but has nothing to do with you, but remember YOU are wearing it, so you will own it.

We work together. You help me understand what you like and I can help style you from head to toe. I help choose colors that will photograph well for you, layers and accessories for polish and let’s not forget about the shoes and small details that will help tie your looks together. I will come scour your closet and add in pieces from my client closet where needed.

A great wardrobe isn’t about playing dress up— it’s about stepping into the version of you that commands the attention of a cover story in a magazine. Are you ready to finally stand in confidence, be the face of your brand, and start getting the attention you deserve?

If you are looking for someone who knows photography, good light, great angles, and can help style you from head to toe, inquire about a styled photoshoot. This can include professional hair and makeup. If you are looking for a studio that checks all your boxes, this is it.

jules@houseof301.com
@houseof301tc

French Countryside Interior Design

I was able to have my european summer while galavanting off to the French Countryside where we stayed at the beautiful Chateau de Lartigolle where we celebrated love in it’s purest form, a 4 day wedding celebration of course! Shout out to our friends that spoiled us and wanted to celebrate with their closest friends and family at the most quaint chateau located an hour outside from Toulouse.

As a photographer and someone who has grown fond of interior design since starting the renovation of my artist and photography studio, I had to capture some images of the beautiful interior design and decor. I was only able to capture our bedroom, and the downstairs but I must say, every room had its own unique features and European detail.

*Not pictured was the beautiful pool setting overlooking the sunflower fields. The sunflower fields showed off for all of us, blooming early this year.

Enjoy xx, jules

Photos: @thejulesbrown
Chateau: @Lartigollelife

Whose Entering the Chat…

When I first realized I wanted this space, House of 301, it was to provide my photography clients with a quality service from start to finish. Even more importantly, as a girl who has moved around her entire life and never really felt like she had a sense of belonging anywhere, I have always craved a place of my own, to call my own, and this is what I was holding onto to be honest. I wanted this space for myself and my clients only. HONESTY HERE, SAFE SPACE. I was getting a lot of interest and questions about whether I was renting the space out to others, and clearly, from my original mindset, I was like, no it’s mine, finally something that is mine and I did it BUT now that I have been with the space for 3 months, I have had a lot of time to think. Is it always a good thing? No, because I tend to spiral after a while, but it is what comes AFTER the spiral.. and in this case this time has been good for me.. I have uncovered something I knew but needed reminding and now with this revelation it is so good for you!

I have been thinking about ways to make this space bigger than just ‘my’ photography space. I want it to be a beautiful, well-designed and elevated space, yet welcoming and a place for anyone to feel inspired to do their best work. I realized maybe it wasn’t just about me and my clients, but what anyone could create in this space if they wanted to. For someone who always felt a lack of belonging, I realized I was kind of shutting myself off from that belonging from the beginning and now I say, no longer! I want that belonging not just with this space but with other people! Duh, how have I been so blind? Creatives, business owners and like-minded individuals like me, this is for you, for us!

This is the birth of, House of 301 Collective.

While I don’t have everything figured out and will never pretend I do, we are moving forward and I am super excited about it, especially with contractors in place and things are starting to move forward with construction! It has been months of preparation and uncertainty and while the there still is uncertainty, I KNOW how I want to share this space and grow it here in Northern Michigan because we all know there is a large wonderful, creative market here of talented business owners and creators.

What kind of memberships are these Jules? So glad you asked, we will be rolling out more details soon BUT a preview looks like this:

Brand Builder, Muse Series, Studio Insider, and the 301 Collective for founding VIP’s only with monthly, quarterly, and annual options! I know what you’re thinking, sounds so fancy! Well because it is, and the space is. We are creating a beautifully curated space here and we want the opportunity to share it with you, the ones that feel it in their core that this is the space for them to feel empowered and inspired to be the best they can be!

Welcome to, House of 301 Collective. If you’d like to be a part of our founding VIPs, limited spots are available so contact me sooner rather than later. I am excited to see who wants to be a part of this growing community of bad ass, confident, high end creatives doing amazing things in the area.

With that, I will leave you here with your mind wandering of all the possibilities. If you have any questions or want to sign up, you know where to find me!

Instagram: @julesbrownphotography
Facebook: @julesbrownphoto
Inquiry form on my Contact page or email me at info@julesbrownphoto.com with subject ‘membership’

A New Season is Here for Your Business, Your Portfolio, YOU.

Happy Spring, officially (kinda of)! It feels like that here in Northern Michigan, although the trees are still bare, we are seeing the sun. The little things, am I right? A new season always brings excitement for the year, for ourselves, goals, puts a pep in our step, and that also can have an impact on even our style! It is time to put you, your goals, and your business first.

I want to talk a little bit about updating your modeling portfolio, rebranding your business, and rebranding your season of life, really! Because when we get out of our seasonal slump into warmer days, we get a little more motivated in everything, and we want to show up in the best way possible for ourselves.

SO, no more gabbing, let’s get to the meat of the situation!

I recently had a shoot in my studio, House of 301 and it was for an updated model portfolio and we had both chatted back and forth about wardrobe and looks. I had brought some dressier options from my rental program that I offer with all my styled sessions (any client can book a styled session!). It just really made me think, you don’t have to be a model to LOOK THIS GOOD. People get hung up on not feeling like they are not photogenic enough, or “I can’t get photos like that, I am not a model!”, and I am here to break that sterotype once and for all. What I have to say to not feeling like you are photogenic enough, I am not here to toot my own horn but toot toot. I need to because that comment is just not true. It is so easy to not make someone look good, it is much harder for someone to do the opposite especially if you aren’t, ya know, a supermodel. Lucky for you, I am really good at making people look good. Call it natural ability, call it my decade of experience in modeling, or I have truly perfected my craft and know how to find your angles on any body shape, face shape, and so on. So how do we make you look and feel your best? Glad you asked, let’s dive in..

Wardrobe is number one, we want flattering pieces on you that accentuate the right things. But lets be honest, not everyone follows my advice and brings what they are comfortable with and that is okay. Lucky for you, I can still help with the right angles to make it look the best it can. Professional makeup is number two but let’s be honest, it is probably number one. I have had so many makeup artists on my face and I will say once again, it is harder to find someone that can enhance you without overdoing it. If you are someone that is terrified because you have had bad experiences I GET THAT COMPLETELY., if you are someone who has never had it done and doesn’t know if it is actually worth it, I get that too. I am here to tell you I have had makeup done where I liked what I looked like better without makeup, eeshh yeah not good, that is not what we want. I am here to give you peace of mind, who I choose to work with are the best of the best and I have personally had them work on my face to be sure. I say that because I have a strong face and it can easily go masculine or too heavy real quick. It is easy to accentuate the wrong things, it is easy to go way too heavy on my eyes when I am meant to have softer eye makeup. These are things we approach, specifically catered to your face. It is not a one size fits all for anything here. I take an individual approach to each person I am photographing and so does my makeup artist, because we know from personal experience, not everything is going to look good on everyone. That is a fact and if you don’t believe that, you can stop reading. Well, you might already have because we are getting lengthy at this point! The third most important is choosing the right photographer and hey, that might not be me and I am okay with that. Some people value different things when booking a photographer, whether it is budget, style, quality or personality.

I am here to say, my work speaks for itself, I love what I do, and I care about making my clients look and feel their best. I represent quality, fun, and overall experience. Experience is my top priority. If you can trust me, it will be successful 100%. I am detail-oriented when it comes to my photography and every piece of the puzzle matters to me, and for good reason. It is how I am going to capture photos of you, you have never received before or could have imagined you were able to create yourself. I want this experience to flow into other parts of your life so you can show up like the baddie you are. I am done preaching, you can take a look at some images I was able to edit from a recent session we shot. So many more from this one, it was THAT good. Fun fact: the studio still has not been renovated yet (it is happening soon!) and we were able to still capture magazine-quality images with natural light, amazing wardrobe and makeup, and well me as the photographer. ;)

I hope to see you in the studio soon and can’t even explain how excited I am for all the sessions and the cool people coming to House of 301 this year.

You can check out more bts (behind the scenes) and updates on IG @julesbrownphotography no pressure!

Here is to finding your circle of people who want the best for you, reaching your full potential, looking and feeling your best, and to not letting anyone or anything hold you back!

Much love, Jules

Jules Brown Photography - photography

Janelle Marie Artistry - makeup

Abby Baudry - model

Endless Management - agency

How To Know if a Styled Session Is Right For You

Do you second guess your wardrobe choices or worry that your clothes won’t photograph well or express the right message?

Do you feel uncertain about coordinating accessories, outfits, and makeup to create a cohesive and polished look?

Are you intimidated by the idea of pulling off a ‘high end’ or ‘editorial’ style without any guidance?

Do you struggle with the lack of confidence in your appearance, fearing you won’t look “good enough” in your photos?

If you feel one or all of these things, you may have found yourself in the right place. I am happy you are here!

Let’s dive in a little further.

If you feel overwhelmed and unsure about what to wear for your photoshoot or how to style yourself to match the vision you have in your head, that is exactly what I am here to help with. Collaborating is such an awesome way to bring your vision to life. I offer styled sessions because i know it’s super helpful and I want you to Utilize Every skill I can provide you! I want your session to be as successful as possible because if I am not helping you look your best I am not doing my job.

Before and After professional makeup

Before and After professional makeup and hair for fine hair

Before and Afer Professional makeup and light hair styling for curly textured hair

Before makeup and After with Professional Images from photoshoot

If you are still reading, with all this being said it is one of those times you should ask for help if you need it. Ask questions. Know that effortless takes effort and fore thought. A little pre-planning results in a successful session and we do it together. We will talk about styles, colors, and mood of your session to make sure it aligns with your ideas and the goals of your session.

When I say styled shoot’ I mean coordinating accessories, outfits, makeup and hairstyles that will look best on you, with the outfits we Curate for you. Everything is intentional and chosen specifically for you and that will result in creating a cohesive and polished look.

You will be happy you did it right the first time and we will have fun every step of the way.

If this helped you feel a little more at ease, that’s a good sign you might be in the right place and I look forward to connecting with you!