PR & Lattes

A latte with Leah Smith

July 27, 2023 Matisse Hamel-Nelis Season 1 Episode 7
A latte with Leah Smith
PR & Lattes
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PR & Lattes
A latte with Leah Smith
Jul 27, 2023 Season 1 Episode 7
Matisse Hamel-Nelis

Send us a Text Message.

In this episode, Matisse chats with brand photographer Leah Smith about the importance of self-branding, owning your visual brand, and her top tips for a great headshot.

Leah, who used to be a corporate HR recruiter, started her business, Leah Smith Branding Photography, following the birth of her daughter. She wanted to show her that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. When she started her business, she had the desire to make a meaningful impact on other women.

Her mission was simple - to empower clients to unleash their inner badass and go after their wildest dreams. Using the power of branding photography, she helps her clients build their confidence while establishing their brand identity. 


Connect with Leah:
Instagram: @LeahSmith.Branding
Website: LeahSmithBranding.com

Let's connect PR & Lattes:

Website: PR & Lattes
Instagram: @PRAndLattes
Host: @MatisseNelis

New episodes every Thursday

Show Notes Transcript

Send us a Text Message.

In this episode, Matisse chats with brand photographer Leah Smith about the importance of self-branding, owning your visual brand, and her top tips for a great headshot.

Leah, who used to be a corporate HR recruiter, started her business, Leah Smith Branding Photography, following the birth of her daughter. She wanted to show her that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. When she started her business, she had the desire to make a meaningful impact on other women.

Her mission was simple - to empower clients to unleash their inner badass and go after their wildest dreams. Using the power of branding photography, she helps her clients build their confidence while establishing their brand identity. 


Connect with Leah:
Instagram: @LeahSmith.Branding
Website: LeahSmithBranding.com

Let's connect PR & Lattes:

Website: PR & Lattes
Instagram: @PRAndLattes
Host: @MatisseNelis

New episodes every Thursday

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Hello, and welcome back to another episode of PR & Lattes, where you can fill up your cup on everything PR and communications. I'm your host, Matisse Hamel-Nelis, and I am so happy to have you join me here again today. Before we get started, please make sure to subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening to it now, to get notified each week when a new episode drops.

You can also subscribe to our weekly newsletter by visiting our website, prandlattes.com. On the website, you'll find our podcast episodes, plus our amazing blogs with new ones being uploaded every Monday morning. And of course, make sure you're following us on Instagram @PRAndLattes and on LinkedIn, PR & Lattes.

On today's episode, I'm chatting with brand photographer, Leah Smith. Leah, who used to be a corporate HR recruiter, started her business, Leah Smith Branding Photography following the birth of her daughter. She wanted to show that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. When she started her business, she had the desire to make a meaningful impact on other women. Her mission was simple to empower clients, to unleash their inner badass and go after their wildest dreams.

Using the power of brand photography, she helps her clients build their confidence while establishing their brand identity. As a longtime fan and now client of Leah's, I can speak firsthand about the incredible impact she has on our clients with her work, and with the final product. It was an absolute joy getting to chat with her about the importance of self-branding, owning your visual brand, and her tips for a great headshot. So grab your latte, sit back and enjoy.

Hello everyone, and welcome back. Leah, I am so excited to have you on the show.

Leah Smith:

Yay, me too.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

This is going to be so much fun talking about photography and all that fun stuff. But before we dive into all the goodness, can you tell the listeners a little bit about yourself and your journey into photography?

Leah Smith:

I would love to. It is a little bit of a longer story because I didn't start out in photography. Honestly, I never even thought I would be an entrepreneur. I actually started in the corporate world. So in human resources, I watched my mom grow her career to become a VP of HR, and I just fell into human resources that way. So after university, I started as an HR assistant with an insurance company. I got my degree. I got my corporate job. I stayed there for 10 years, worked my way up to an HR business rep, which is where I'd be responsible for recruiting and employee relations.

And then I had my daughter, and man, my perspective just changed. I immediately lost all passion for what I was doing. I could no longer see myself staying in that job, or really, I was lost. I did not know what I wanted to do. But obviously we needed to pay bills. I needed to figure it out. I couldn't just leave my career or so I thought. So I stayed there trying to work it out for about a year. And to make a longer story short, I ended up falling into major depression, and we decided it was just the best decision for me to leave my career.

So it was one of the hardest and best decisions I've ever made. So there was definitely a few years of unknown where I stayed home with my daughter, which time I cannot get back. So I'm very grateful for that, while I was also working a network marketing job. So I was selling skincare while staying home with my daughter. And as I grew my networking marketing, sorry, my network marketing position or business, I decided to get some brand photos done for Instagram, for my Instagram account.

I actually didn't know a brand photographer, so I reached out to a family photographer and ended up planning my brand shoot and really enjoying the planning process of it. And then I saw the engagement that I got, new clients. It made it easier to post on Instagram, and I just gave me so much confidence. So I was enjoying that part. But then it was about that time my daughter was starting to go into junior kindergarten.

So I wanted to get back into working full time. I wanted to start my business, my own business, but had no clue what to do. So at first, I was thinking of doing something with HR. It was my background, it's what I knew, maybe helping people with resumes. But honestly, that lasted, that thought lasted about five minutes because I knew it was just not something I wanted to sign back up for, even if it was me doing it on my own.

So as I was home with my daughter, I was networking with a lot of business owners in my area at the time, and I just came to this realization that I could be a brand photographer. Knowing I could be creative, I could make my own hours, I could make an impact by helping others grow and market their businesses. It excited me. So that was it. I took a course on how to learn how to use my camera. I DYID my website and I just went for it.

So that was about three and a half years ago. It has been an amazing ride. It's taught me a lot. But yeah, definitely didn't think I would be starting my own photography business, but a lot of, I guess experiences and decisions this came to be and I couldn't be happier.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

That's wonderful. And as a client of yours, for the listeners who follow us on Instagram and on LinkedIn, all those incredible photos, they are from Leah. She's an absolute delight to work with and really brings out the best sides of you. She is absolutely phenomenal. I mean, you can actually find a bit more information about her on our website at prandlattes.com, under Latte Loves. Because she is one of our loves, what can I say?

So you mentioned how photography came in later, I guess, later in life. It wasn't necessarily a hobby from the get go. Where did that love stem from? Was it that moment where you did your own brand photography shoot, or did it come in later on?

Leah Smith:

So I've always loved taking photos. Even when I was younger, I had the disposable cameras and I had photos all over my wall in my bedroom, and I used to make these collages with, I'd go get some big picture frames and I would cut up all the photos of me and my friends and paste them in this big picture frame. There was photos everywhere. But I really did think becoming a photographer was something that just came out of nowhere a few years ago.

Then I was looking through some old boxes last summer. We were thinking about moving, and I found my grade eight yearbook. And there's a spot in there where they ask you different questions about yourself, and they asked, "What your future ambitions were." And my answer in grade eight was I said, "I wanted to be a photographer." And that made me take a step back, first of all like, this is all meant to be, but was I... I don't know what happened.

I don't know if that was something that I know for me personally, starting your own business, becoming an entrepreneur, it really wasn't something that was, I don't even want to say talked about. It wasn't really brought up. I didn't even see it as an option. I saw my options being go to school, go to university, get a secure job. I don't know if it just fizzled away or it was just something I happened to write because I didn't know anyone else to write.

But I definitely went in in another direction for a bit with my HR career. And again, something I definitely don't regret because I've actually taken a lot of what I learned in my recruiting career to my business today, even just in order to help my clients feel comfortable, listening to their stories, taking their stories and turning them into visuals. So there's a lot that I've taken from that career. Again, I don't regret anything, but it's been interesting.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

I absolutely love how it was back in grade eight that you saw this for yourself without realizing that you saw it for yourself.

Leah Smith:

Exactly. Yeah.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

And then you go back and it's like, "Oh, it was fate. I didn't even realize that fate kicked in."

Leah Smith:

Totally. Yeah. It was a really cool discovery, I think.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Amazing. I actually really like that story. The fact that grade eight you was like, "Yeah, this is what I'm going to do." And then older you was like, "I'm going to go back to this without realizing."

Leah Smith:

Exactly.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Now, you focus on branding photography, which is something that people tend to think, it's just my headshot, but it's so much more, and I can speak to that from experience myself. Can you explain where you see the...

PART 1 OF 4 ENDS [00:09:04]

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

... experience myself. Can you explain where you see the differences being from a corporate versus branding photography?

Leah Smith:

First off, it used to be. I do agree that brand photography used to really just be a headshot in a way. Before social media, I feel like that's really what people would get brand photography for, corporate headshots, whether it was for a business card, it was for maybe a real estate sign, some kind of print material. But I feel like social media changed the game to have a platform for business owners to create that first impression, to market themselves, to show their personality and connect with their clients or future clients.

So for me, brand photography, yes, it's definitely not just a headshot, it's about showing personality, but more it's about telling stories. So that's probably the easiest way. We can use visuals and brand photos to show what goes into making a client's product or how they meet with or interact with their clients to show their personality, so the right people connect with them and engage with them and want to work with them. The photos really, again like I said, tell stories of your brand and your business and they can be used anywhere, so not just like a headshot that, again, you can't just plop your headshot everywhere, but you can use brand photos, especially when they tell different stories and there's lots of variety. Your website, social media, email newsletters, it totally elevates your brand and gives that professional kind of cohesive look, so definitely more than just a fancy headshot.

You could, 100%. Yeah. 100%. And I like doing it. To be honest, a headshot, for some reason when I say it, I need a new word for it or something like that. Because when I think headshot, I do think old-school, stuffy, arms crossed kind of feel where it does not have to be that. Your headshot or your profile shot can show you in so many different expressions, it can be you laughing, it can be you by the beach. It depends on the brand. It depends on how they want to present themselves and the vibe of their business, but it doesn't have to be so...

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Rigid.

Leah Smith:

Yes, exactly. Thank you. Yeah.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

It's more like a personality shot versus a headshot?

Leah Smith:

Yes, I like it. Yeah, exactly. But that's it. And also the whole, when I think of headshot too, I think of stiff and awkward. And again, it's just that kind of old-school feel where it doesn't have to be that at all. In fact, it's much better, I feel like, when people can see the real you.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Mm-hmm. It adds a bit of trust, I think, when you have that, I'm going to call it a personality shot, where you're seeing somebody's authentic laugh and posing and just-

Leah Smith:

I love laughs.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

... loving the camera, if you will, in that moment. You're seeing who they are, so it's building that trust, like, "Okay. That's somebody I want to work with or partner with," or whatever the case is.

Leah Smith:

Yup. Yeah, exactly.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Yeah. So with photography, I consider it a great medium for storytelling. The old adage, a picture's worth 1,000 words, right? And PR is all about storytelling and we use photography for events and product launches and you name it, we always try to incorporate photography, because again, it saves us 1,000 words from writing, right?

Leah Smith:

Yeah.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

But we tend to forget to tell the story about ourselves. Particularly as PR practitioners, we're always focused on our clients, but not ourselves. How do you feel a proper brand photography could help someone build their brand who's either just starting out in their career, looking to pivot in their career? That sort of thing.

Leah Smith:

I think good brand photography can definitely help you build your brand, but first you need to know who you're marketing to. So I think first starting with your dream clients, what they value, what they need, how you can help them. Then looking at yourself, especially if you are a personal brand, but people want to work with people, and you've probably heard this before, but they know, like, and trust. And they can't do that if you're not sharing your face or telling your stories or sharing about you, sharing your personality shot, whatever that may be. Brand photos are just something that you can add that are intentional and use to tell stories to build that connection.

I think it also just gives your business that legit feel from the start. So compared to only using personal photos or stock photos, not only can brand photography help you build your business or possibly pivot, but I think it can also help you build your brand faster.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

[inaudible 00:14:09].

Leah Smith:

Oh, fair enough. Yeah.

For sure. Yep.

Yeah, no, I agree. And definitely people starting off, you can just use selfies or whatever that you want to do, but it is your first impression. And I do think that, again, that legit feel right from the start, if you can, and it's an investment, if you can invest in brand photography or try and really take the time and intention to create them yourself so that you have good lighting, whatever that may be, honestly I'm biased, but I think investing in them from the start is something that can truly help you. Because no matter what, you have a brand.

If you're putting yourself out there, whether you're using selfies, whether you've got professional photos, someone stops on your account, and I'm using Instagram, but someone stops on your account, that's their first impression, you're already giving them a perceived brand. So you almost have the opportunity to curate, and when I say curate, I don't mean in a being fake, but you can decide how you want your brand to look, feel, how you want to be, I don't know if perceived is the right word, but you can curate your own brand and that's marketing. You'll have such a headstart, rather than just starting with selfies, because then someone falls on your account, it really does look, to me, more like either a personal type of account or someone who's maybe not as invested or not "there yet" in their business. Yeah.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

It's an investment on yourself. That's how I look at it. It's a total investment on yourself and what you're trying to create and what you're trying to portray.

Leah Smith:

Yeah. I fully agree with you there because I think in business there's so many different things that are, I didn't even realize how much personal growth comes from starting your own business and being an entrepreneur. It's actually crazy how much, again, personal growth and mindset comes into it.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

I know there are some folks, when it comes to personal branding, it's not so much a matter of, "Okay, yeah, I'm totally fine being in front of a camera." It's, I said about investing in yourself, but sometimes folks have that imposter syndrome, and like, "I'm not really worthy of it," this, that, the other. Where do you think the misconceptions or barriers are when you are dealing with a client who's maybe, "I'm not really sure this is for me?" And how do you get around that to really show them, you are worthy of this and you deserve to brand yourself in such a great way?

Leah Smith:

Yeah, it's definitely a mindset thing, for sure. I do think, first off, there's some people who don't think brand photography is even needed, so maybe that's a misconception that they have. They already have maybe their headshot, even if it's 10 years old.

PART 2 OF 4 ENDS [00:18:04]

Leah Smith:

... they have. They already have maybe their headshot. Even if it's 10 years old, they have it and they just don't understand the value. But then there's the other side where I think people do see the value and want it, but it can be uncomfortable in so many ways. It's not easy to put yourself out there, whether it's on social media, even just photos on your website, let alone getting in front of the camera, in front of someone maybe you don't know, right? So I think for that reason, it's a lot easier to hold off and maybe continue using that old headshot. But for me, I guess personally, I try my best even on my Instagram, to try and share a little bit more about myself, to try and point out that yes, it can be uncomfortable, that yes, showing up and showing your face as your brand can be hard. But my god, is it worth it? And you are worth it.

A lot of times it truly is that imposter syndrome. That's going to come at so many phases of your business, but it's just pushing through that. Unfortunately, there's not something... Until a client is a client for me, that's where I will do everything in my power to make sure they know that they're worthy, that they're enough right now, that they so deserve this. And we really try and look at... I know my clients' dreams for the future. I know where they want their business to be in five years. And I know that because first of all, I ask, but so I can use it to remind them.

Because a lot of times, even at the shoot, it's hard. I know, right? I do my own brand shoot, so when a camera comes in front of my face, I don't know what to do with my hands, I forget everything. But it's important to remember what you've built so far. Or even if you're just starting your business, that's a huge accomplishment in itself, where you want to go and step into that mindset instead of just the camera. But again, like I said, that's something when a client has already signed up. I do sometimes talk in DMs to prospective clients or people who are interested, but if they're just not ready, unfortunately, it's something that-

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

I think it's just something that comes with trust.

Leah Smith:

For sure.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Building that trust with the photographer and knowing that you're not there to get the quadruple chin shot. You're there to make them look great.

Leah Smith:

Exactly. Well, honestly, and I've said this to my clients before, if they don't like the photos, they're not going to use them. So my goal is 110% to make sure they look good and they feel good. But a lot of that is, again, helping them be comfortable. I work with so many business owners, and as a business owner myself, I get vulnerable with my clients to let them... I share stories of myself in terms of challenges or imposter syndrome. They're not alone.

Literally everyone, like I said, I work with so many different business owners, 99% of them, I would say, maybe 90, but I would say at a shoot have something that they're insecure with, whether it's their physical appearance, whether it's their business, or just showing up in more of a confident form, whatever it may be. So it's definitely something we work through together at the shoot. And that's why I do think it's extremely important to pick the right photographer who makes you feel comfortable because that is going to not only make it a more enjoyable experience. I think a brand shoot should be a lot of fun. I'm trying my best not to curse, which should be a lot of fun.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

So thinking about brand and photography and it being a fun component and embracing that authentic personality side of somebody and their brand, what would you recommend for somebody who is starting to plan or think about planning their own branding shoot? What are your tips, if you will?

Leah Smith:

Oh, there's so much to think about. But first, I think going back to who you're marketing to, how you want your brand to be perceived, knowing that is extremely important. Brand photos are going to look a lot different, let's say, for a realtor, realtor telling me that their brand is high-end or luxury feels compared to another realtor who says their vibe is more fun, want to show personality or quirky, whatever that may be. So knowing how you want your brand to be perceived and who you're marketing to, number one, is a good thing.

What your marketing needs are. So, how you're going to use your photos. Is there a certain crop we need for your website? A lot of times websites need that hero shot with the horizontal banner and them on the side and some blank space for text. So definitely how you're going to use your photos.

Location. Location makes a huge difference where you choose to have your brand shoot, whether it's just the aesthetic of the location, or if you want a desk, if there's something you need. So knowing location. But there's a lot. Outfits, right? Outfits, for sure, to think about. Crops, colors. There is so much to think about when planning your brand shoot. It's one of the reasons why I do a planning call with my clients to make sure that we are being intentional, strategic, that we know what we want to achieve going into the shoot. Again, taking that time because as a business owner, we are all so busy. So actually stopping and having that time to think, "Okay, where do I need to use my photos again? How do I want to use them? What's coming up in my business? Is there anything coming up that I want to celebrate or tell people about?"

And then curating your brand photos to that, we create a shoot plan. But also making sure that you leave room for fun and leave room for creativity. I always tell my clients when we plan our shoots that it really is a guide. Again, we want to be strategic, but we want to get to the shoot, know what we're doing so that we can put some music on and, like I said, have fun. But leaving that space to be creative, to feel things out, not be too rigid and sometimes just go with the flow because that's when some of the best photos come about, whether it's me or the client saying, "Oh my god, can we do this?" It might not be something we've even discussed, but they're just in the moment. And I love when that happens.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

That's the time when the magic happens.

Leah Smith:

Right? Totally. They're feeling it, they're feeling themselves, they're comfortable to just try new things. Again, another thing I tell my clients all the time like, "I take a lot of photos. I would way rather try different things. If you have an idea, try it out. If it doesn't work, who caress?" Or if I think it works and I give you the photos, it doesn't mean you have to use those specific ones, but we tried it. Because those, more than likely, are the ones that will be something that you love or stands out because it's usually, again, in the moment, they're being their authentic selves or it's something that they actually want to do. But maybe they weren't thinking about it before. But now that they're in the moment they're feeling comfortable, they're feeling safe to be themselves, they throw out that idea, that's usually the best ones.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

It's true. I speak from experience. It's true. It's very, very true. When people have signed up and saying, "Okay, I want to do brand photography," and then you say, "What ideas do you have?" and they're kind of just stare at you and go, "Yeah, about that. I don't know," what do you recommend in those situations where it's like, is it Pinterest, is it Google? Is it competition?

Leah Smith:

Yeah, no, it really depends. It goes either way, right? Some clients come with somewhat of a vision, some clients come with "I know exactly what I want" and some clients really aren't sure. So for me personally, we start with a little bit of a questionnaire so that I can see if they have any ideas. If someone has no idea at all, for me personally, the questionnaire helps because I ask specific questions about what they do, their brand, who their target market is, what's coming up with their business, those types of questions that I can then come back with some recommendations of maybe what we could do. Again, I'm a big believer in going with your gut and-

PART 3 OF 4 ENDS [00:27:04]

Leah Smith:

Again, I'm a big believer in going with your gut and what feels good. So I like to just throw some recommendations of what we could do and see what sticks, see what feels good for them. But again, that's a lot of the reason why I personally do a planning call so that I can connect with my client. It's not just about planning the session. It truly is just for them to even feel me out a bit. I can get to know them, they can already feel a little more comfortable, and a lot of times it's just a discussion. It's a brainstorming. What's going on in terms of your business, your brand. I have asked, is there anyone, whether it's in your industry or out that you're drawn to their photos? This is not a copy, but it helps me get an idea of, again, even the brand, if they are sending me more photos that are going back to the realtor, more of a luxury type of high-end feel, or if they're sending me photos that are more of a, I don't know, down to earth, approachable, very casual, I can then get some more ideas to help out.

So a lot of times it's that; if they want to send me some photos, that's always very helpful. But another thing we do is after we have our planning call, I create a mood board for them so they can visually have an idea of the types of photos. That is also a great thing because then they can actually look and say, "Oh yeah, that feels good to me," or, "You know what? Can we include some photos like this?" And they can send me some more. So taking a look at what you're drawn to, whether that's on Pinterest, whether that is, I know you mentioned competition, it could be someone in their industry or someone even outside their industry. Sometimes I've even used Pinterest and taken ideas for a product, but moved it into ... just changed up the way we use the photos, but maybe use that idea in just a different way for a different brand. So sometimes it can just be for inspiration as well.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

How often do you think someone should get branding photos taken?

Leah Smith:

That depends on the business. I feel like that depends on the business, how often someone is using their photos. A blogger, let's say posting a lot of photos on Instagram, will probably need more frequent shoots because they use a lot of content and they might have new products or whatever that they need to include. A realtor might only sprinkle in some brand photos on Instagram between their housing photos for new listings or sold posts. So they might be able to go a little longer. So it really depends on marketing needs for the business and also how many photos you get from your shoot. So if you do a shoot that's maybe only an hour and you get 40, 50 photos, whatever that may be, or if you do a shoot that's three hours and you get over a hundred, that's probably going to carry you a lot longer. So it depends. On average, I would say every three to six months.

This can keep your content fresh. It can keep it in season as well. So if you do a summer shoot and you want to post some stuff in the winter, that can help by doing it again more frequently. But it totally depends on how they're using their photos and again, how much content they need.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

No, that makes sense. That makes sense. From your experience and all your wonderful photography, what would you say have been some of the best branch shoots you've done for a client and what made them stand out for you?

Leah Smith:

There's a lot. To be honest, I really do feel so grateful for what I do and sometimes I love all my shoots because of ... This sounds very cheesy, but the connections I make with my clients. Even like we talked about mindset and getting over imposter syndrome or whatever that may be. Talking about personal stories. When I see photos from any of my shoots, yes, I see the photos, but I honestly see my client, I see the relationship that we made. I see the conversations we had. So I love all my shoots, but I guess the best ones are the ones where the clients really didn't hold back from expressing themselves, where they are just 100% stepping into who they are now but knowing where they want their brand to go with that confidence. Whether that is more of a confident empowerment type of shoot or fun ...

I've had people roller skate, I've had people eat a huge bowl of spaghetti, sit down on the floor and eat cake. There's the most random things, but those sometimes are ... First off, they're so much fun because people are just being themselves. So I love that. But if I'm to think of some of the ones that really stand out, I was lucky enough to have a client hire me for a retreat she was hosting in Cabo last September. So I did some shots of the event itself, but then I did mini shoots with the different guests. So first of all, they all had different businesses, they all had different personalities. So we really worked with each brand at each personality. But I was able to shoot around this beautiful resort, the beach, having them in the pool. So that was just so awesome because of the location. The clients were just amazing as well. But the location was just something that was really exciting.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Oh, I can only imagine. And I've seen some of the photos and they look stunning. Stunning. So do you have any final tips for somebody in public relations or communications who's looking to get brand photos, maybe what they should look for in a photographer, that sort of thing?

Leah Smith:

Yeah, I would say first look for photographers that you're drawn to in terms of their photos, their editing style. Every photographer has a different creative eye for sure, but a different editing style. So you want to first look for a photographer that matches the editing style that you would like. Then try and check out their Instagram or their website to get a feel for them. Like I had said before, I think the best photos come when you're working with a photographer that makes you feel comfortable and allows you or helps you feel like you can be yourself. That shows in the photos. So I would say first make sure you like their editing style and you could see that for your brand or your headshot, whatever you want to get. But make sure that you can ... maybe there's something that you connect with that if you check out their Instagram, maybe you connect with the post or something that they've shared, just to make sure there's a good fit that way as well, or reach out to them to get a feel for them as well.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Wonderful. And my last question as we wrap up, this is PR & Lattes, so I have to ask, what is your go-to favorite caffeinated beverage when you're on the go?

Leah Smith:

I'm pretty simple. I love myself an Americano with a little slash of cream. That's it. Yeah, I like a good cappuccino. I like a good coffee. Nothing fancy. I like my iced coffee. But yeah, nothing too fancy over here. Just caffeinate me. Just give me the caffeine and we're good.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Well, thank you so much, Leah, for being on today's podcast. If people want to get in touch with you and learn more about your business, where can they go?

Leah Smith:

Instagram's probably the best place. You can find me @leahsmith.branding, and I would love to connect.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

Amazing. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you spending the time with me today.

Leah Smith:

Thank you. It was fun.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis:

You've been listening to the PR & Lattes podcast. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you can get notified each week when a new episode drops. You can also subscribe to our weekly newsletter by visiting our website, prandlattes.com. On the website you'll find our podcast episodes as well as amazing blogs with new ones being posted every Monday morning. And of course, make sure to follow us on social, on Instagram @PRAndLattes and on LinkedIn. I've been your host, Matisse Hamel-Nelis. Thank you so much for listening and we'll see you next week with a new latte and guest. Bye for now.

PART 4 OF 4 ENDS [00:35:40]