Branding Photography
Branding Photography with Nickie Elenor
I originally talked to Nickie Elenor about her branding photography a couple of years before but the timing wasn't quite right for her. The next time I caught up with her, her business and brand had changed significantly. It was clearly the right time to refresh her branding photography and to make her some strong visuals/photos for her to use through her website and online socials.
Nickie had also just launched a new business services company. She had also rebranded 'Guardian Law'. Her business brand could now be defined by two clear strands; the HR law side, working with blue chip entrepreneurs and medium sized companies and also her business services company supporting the same business avatar. We shot her personal branding photography at the end of July, 2020, at the end of a lockdown period. The streets were eerily quiet.
I think we were both a little concerned to know how we would feel out and shooting branding photography together but it immediately became easy within minutes.
Part of my ethos is to understand your brand with a more in-depth view to how I can best represent you more accurately in brand photographs, via an initial business Q&A. Then we discuss' how it will look' and problem solve locations for visuals and backdrops. For Nickie's branding photography shoot in Nottingham, we really crammed in as much visual variety as we possibly could.
We decided upon a number of home style office brand shots to illustrate home working and delivering from home. These photos would support future articles and podcasts that Nickie would launch and deliver online. We chose three office scenarios (because we could find three that were close by and all relevant for her brand and business).
Branding photography on the street
Secondly we took to the street for further branding photography and business portraits. The streets we chose were purposeful. They were streets where Nickie's business was located. They were also streets full of law companies and so we placed her in an environment where she would be recognised by contemporaries and potential clients. Our back drops were often blank but natural white washed walls. These types of walls and buildings suggest wealth as they were beautiful town houses of some considerable standing.
Branding Photography Office 2 & 3
We then drove to Nickies home to shoot meeting shots in her home office and also to a further location and to another office that she sometimes works from close by. All of these locations add variety and photo-narrative to her images. They tell personal branding stories of how and where she works. Who she is. They illustrate her personality and in a natural way. A couple of her clients on LinkedIn, post photoshoot, have stated that , 'These shots are so definitely Nickie'! This is the greatest confirmation of completion on brief and an acknowledgement that the shoot has captured my client correctly. If Nickies clients clearly feel the warmth of her personality through her images then these images are accurate in representing her online.
Branding Photography with space
Many of the photos taken for Nickie were made with considerable space around them. This was totally intentional. The space allows greater flexibility of usage on her website. It also allows her to use these images to drop text onto them, to start articles, posts, make statements on social media. Images she could rotate and reuse time over. They will last her well over a period of 5 years.
To date (2023), Nickie has taken 4 branding shoots with me (over 3 years) as she, her team and business progresses, reshapes and redefines visually.
Why not consider using a stylist pre-shoot?
I always highly recommend Suzanne Suthers , style consultant, to discuss wardrobe options pre-shoot. She can review personal colours and shoot outfits, can shop for clients online and create style boards. It is so important to dress accurately and with impact for your business. This will better help to attract the right clients in life and through your photos online. The ‘shop’ and ‘shoot’ is usually just the first part of this transformational service. The lessons run on afterwards. Most of my clients ,using a stylist for a shoot, will continue to transform sartorially throughout all parts of their lives. Stylists have a wonderful ability of body balance perception. They understand how to make you commercially more charismatic. Suzanne is brilliant. She will change how you dress going forward. She will change how you shop. She will change how you feel about yourself.
Photographer: Suzanne Fells
Client: Nickie Elenor @ Guardian Law
Date: July 2020
Location: Nottingham - The Ropewalk
Styling for Nickie Elenor Suzanne Suthers
