MELODY SMITH PORTRAIT
Headshot & Personal Branding Photographer Serving Richmond, Petersburg, and Central Virginia
Professional Headshot and Business Portrait Photography in Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia
Your professional image does more work
than you realize.
If you are a creative professional, executive, entrepreneur, or medical expert, the right portrait builds trust, authority, and connection
before you ever say a word.
I specialize in magazine-style headshot and personal branding photography at my private studio in
Historic Old Town Petersburg, Virginia, with your professional image and message at the center.
The studio serves Richmond, Chesterfield, Midlothian, the Tri-Cities, and Central Virginia
with sessions available
Monday through Friday at 10:00 am.
Whether your brand leans polished and powerful, warm and welcoming, artistic and edgy, or minimal and chic, I help you create a gallery of portraits
that connect and convert.
You will leave with a dynamic collection of images perfect for LinkedIn, websites, social media, press features, and more.
Are you building your audience, launching a project,
or updating your presence?
These portraits ensure you always make the right impression.
What's Included in Every Headshot and Personal Branding Session
✦ Brand Analysis and Style Consultation Before booking we will connect via Facebook or Instagram Messenger to discuss your industry, audience, goals, and current visual brand, reviewing colors, tones, and the message you want your portraits to communicate.
✦ Wardrobe Styling and Outfit Review You will receive detailed guidance on what to wear so your wardrobe supports both your brand and the camera. Before your session we will review outfit options together and you will receive access to style boards to help sharpen your vision.
✦ Professional Hair and Makeup
Hair and makeup are included with every headshot and personal branding session at our Historic Old Town Petersburg, Virginia studio. My approach is refined and natural, camera-ready without feeling overdone or unlike yourself. The goal is to look like the best version of who you already are.
✦ Expert Posing and Direction
Posture, expression, energy. Everything is guided from start to finish. You do not need to know how to pose.
That is my job.
✦ High-End Retouching
Every selected portrait is professionally retouched to enhance your
natural features while staying
true to who you are.
✦ Zoom Reveal and Ordering Appointment
One to two weeks after your session we will meet via Zoom to view your fully retouched portraits and place your order. This is the only time photographs are available to view or purchase. Photographs are not included with the session fee and are purchased separately.
Who Are Headshot and Personal Branding Session For?
Before anyone reads your bio or hears you speak, your image introduces you.
Your headshot and business portrait are the face of your digital identity.
Make sure they are saying the right thing.
✦ Executives and Corporate Leaders
CEOs, consultants, and professionals featured in press, speaking events, or internal brand campaigns, serving Richmond, Chesterfield, and Central Virginia.
Your image says: "I am a leader. I inspire confidence. I mean business."
✦ Entrepreneurs
and
Small Business Owners
Coaches, consultants, and founders who need versatile imagery to support marketing, social media, and web presence.
Your image says: "I am my brand.
My portraits should tell my story and attract my ideal client."
✦ Realtors and Sales Professionals
Real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and advisors in Richmond, Chesterfield, and Central Virginia who rely on
relationship-based branding.
Your image says: "I am approachable, knowledgeable, and a trusted
expert in my field."
✦ Creatives, Artists, and Performers Designers, authors, speakers, and influencers building a visual brand that reflects
their unique voice.
Your image says: "I am bold, original, and ready to make an impact."
✦ Healthcare and Legal Professionals Doctors, surgeons, therapists, and attorneys in Richmond and Central Virginia
whose presence must convey both
warmth and authority.
Your image says: "I am experienced, trustworthy, and deeply committed
to those I serve."
✦ Career Professionals and Job Seekers Anyone updating their LinkedIn, changing industries, or stepping into a new chapter. Your image says: "I am professional, confident, and ready for what is next."
✦ Intuitives, Healers, and
Metaphysical Practitioners
Tarot readers, astrologers, palmists, energy healers, spiritual coaches, and consciousness guides who need portraits that communicate depth, trust, and the particular kind of presence their work requires. Your image says: "I see clearly. I hold space with intention. You are safe here."
What to Expect at Your Headshot and Personal Branding Session Day
in Petersburg, Virginia
✦ 10:00 AM — Arrival
You will be greeted at our Historic Old Town Petersburg studio and together we will organize your looks to make sure everything aligns with your brand goals.
✦ Professional Hair and Makeup
Relax and get camera-ready with professional styling that enhances your features while staying true
to your personal style.
✦ Your Guided
Headshot and Branding Session
We will move through each look with full direction, adjusting lighting, backdrops, and posing to align with your brand personality. You will never be left wondering what to do.
✦ Leave Feeling Confident
By the end of your headshot session you will feel confident, grounded, and ready to show up in your business
in a whole new way.
✦ Portrait Reveal and Ordering Appointment
One to two weeks later we will meet via Zoom to view your fully retouched portraits and place your order. This is the only time to view and purchase your photographs. Photographs are not included in the session fee and are purchased separately.
Headshot and Personal Branding Session Investment
Creative Fee – $489
(per person)
Includes:
Online Brand Analysis and Wardrobe Consultation
Professional Hair and Makeup
Fully Guided Headshot and Branding Session
Up to 3 Outfit Changes (client-provided)
Full Retouching Included
Portraits are not included in the creative fee and are purchased separately during your
Zoom Reveal and Ordering Appointment
within two weeks of your session.
Individual digital files from $389
Portrait collections from $2,250
In house financing available for all collection purchases. Ask during your consultation.
A note about GROUPS:
At this time I do not photograph groups.
If you have multiple staff to photograph, they can each be photographed individually on different days with a maximum of 2 per day.
For groups of 6 or more:
There is a minimum purchase
of my 20 image collection.
How to Prepare for Your Headshot and Personal Branding Session
in Petersburg, Virginia
Getting ready for your headshot or personal branding session at our Historic Old Town Petersburg studio should feel exciting, not stressful.
Wardrobe: Choose outfits that reflect your industry and personality.
Need help?
I will guide you through every step.
Grooming: Hydrated skin, clean nails, and styled hair go a long way
toward a great portrait.
Mindset: You do not have to be photogenic. My job is to bring out the best in you.
Once you book, you will receive a detailed prep guide with tips, visuals, and everything you need to arrive feeling confident and ready.
Want to learn more about
preparing for your personal branding and headshot session?
Why Choose Melody Smith Portrait for Headshots and Personal Branding Photography in Richmond and Central Virginia
Melody Smith is a Triple Master Photographer based in Historic Old Town Petersburg, Virginia, with over 30 years of experience and more than 100 international awards, including recognition from WPPI, the ICON Awards, and Gold and Platinum Photographer of the Year from Professional Photographers of America.
She knows what it takes to build a visual brand that actually works because she has done it herself.
For decades she has developed her own online presence from the ground up, working through every challenge that comes with putting your face at the center of your business.
She understands the resistance
and the vulnerability of that decision.
And she knows exactly
how to move through it.
Every headshot and personal branding session is personally directed by Melody from start to finish at our private studio in Historic Old Town Petersburg, Virginia.
There is no assistant,
no second shooter,
no one between you and the work.
Just a private, focused headshot and branding experience designed entirely around your brand, your goals, and the impression you want to make.
This is not a volume headshot studio.
Every client is treated as an individual with attention given to their
specific needs, goals, and vision.
Hi, I am Melody Smith.
I have spent decades learning how to translate who someone truly is into a portrait that makes people stop and pay attention. I know what it is to wrestle with putting yourself front and center and to wonder if your image is saying the right thing, or anything at all. That experience is exactly what I bring to every headshot and personal branding session at our Petersburg, Virginia studio.
I would love to help you create portraits that represent you with clarity, confidence, and complete honesty.
Frequently Asked Questions About Headshot and Personal Branding Photography
in Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia
Do you provide wardrobe?
Personal branding is highly individual and your wardrobe should reflect your industry, personality, and professional identity. Whether you are a corporate executive in tailored suiting, a creative in jeans and statement jewelry, or a realtor in polished business casual, your clothing plays a key role in telling your story. I will guide you in selecting pieces that photograph beautifully, flatter your body type, and align with your brand. After booking you will receive
access to my inspiration boards to help sharpen your vision.
Is hair and makeup included?
Yes.
Professional hair and makeup are included with every headshot and personal branding session at our Historic Old Town Petersburg, Virginia studio. Even if you prefer a minimal look in your daily routine, professional styling matters for photography. The camera often flattens features, washes out skin tones, and picks up shine that is not visible in person. My approach is refined and natural. You will look like the very best version of yourself.
Can I do my own hair and makeup?
You are welcome to arrive with your hair and makeup already done if you strongly prefer it. However I do recommend taking advantage of the included styling. Clients who use the professional hair and makeup consistently feel more confident and prepared when the session begins, and that confidence shows in the portraits.
If you choose to come camera-ready, please let me know during your consultation so we can plan accordingly.
Is styling guidance
really that important?
Absolutely. Styling is more than wearing nice clothes. It is also about creating harmony between your wardrobe, body type, coloring, and brand message. There is even a whole field of psychology about this. I know what photographs well and what does not, how to create cohesive portraits across multiple looks, and which colors, fits,
and silhouettes will strengthen your personal brand image.
Every detail is intentionally curated.
How do I get started?
Reach out using the button below. We will connect via Facebook or Instagram Messenger to talk through your brand goals, the full headshot session experience, and pricing before anything is booked or paid.
Recent Work
Your image is already making an impression.
The only question is whether it's the right one.
When you're ready — I'm here.