Use the power of pictures to tell your story

I love photographing people who come to me and ask for "more than just a headshot." They have realised the power of images to promote themselves, their brand and their story.

Sarah Pickles wanted to go one big step further and write her story about fighting stage three breast cancer  and as part of that process she wanted images that would show her personality and most importantly, inspire others to fight too.

Sarah's sense of style - fashion and beauty - are also key to her brand and how she promotes her beauty school and it was essential that the photographs captured that too.

The beautiful vintage decor at Violet's Vintage Teas

It was obvious from the start that we needed a unique venue for the shoot, somewhere with a strong authentic vintage look and we were very lucky to be able to use a beautiful private home that is the secret location for Violet's Vintage Teas. Aside from providing the perfect location for the shoot, it gave us our theme of a vintage afternoon tea (and of course cream cake and cups of tea to keep us going!)

Cake home made by Violet's Vintage Teas

It can be quite hard to be in front of the lens but Sarah was a natural and we also found that it helped to role play! I think we probably got a bit carried away with pretending that Sarah was a high society lady telling me all the gossip (made up of course!). Here are some of my favourite shots from the shoot.

This lovely photograph (below) is Sarah's official headshot and has been used on the front of Vita magazine - the national magazine for breast cancer care and is also on the back of Sarah's book.

CREDITS: Sarah's book "The Shock Factor - Sarah's Story: beating breast cancer one day at a time" is out now and available from Amazon. I love that a very good mutual friend of ours was editor, proof reader  and mentor to Sarah on this book: Sian-Elin Flint-Freel. Huge thanks also to Violet's Vintage Teas for opening up their beautiful home to us. 

Tell your brand story in pictures and stand out

I did a photoshoot for a client recently that gave me pause for thought and helped me to resolve a problem I'd been struggling with for a while. I knew I wanted to take my photography business in a slightly different direction but was finding it difficult to shape into a clear story.

In my head and, importantly, in my heart it's crystal clear. I want to work with people who are their brand - passionate individuals who have built up their businesses based on their love for what it is they do and out of values that guide them in their lives. I've made some progress already steering my business in this direction, working with artisan bakers, artists and florists, photographing not only their products but also their work place and them as the heart and soul behind the business. 

This is Emma, the driving force behind the Cheshire Flower School.

And this is Jenny of Parsley Pie Art Club Hale

(read more in my blog about this shoot)

These photographs can all be classed as commercial or business portraits but they are actually much more than that, incorporating clear signs of what the person does and also an insight into their personality.

When Naomi of Branching Out Online asked me to do a series of photographs of her that she could use throughout her marketing materials I was delighted. I know Naomi really well and am a big admirer of her ability to maximise businesses' online presence.

Naomi doesn't sell products that I could photograph beautifully for her, she sells her skill, knowledge, experience and passion for online marketing. She's certainly not alone in offering these services but she does stand out in how she "puts herself out there": she is her brand. She is bright, bubbly, friendly, open and insanely enthusiastic about what she does. That's her point of difference.

One of Naomi's trademarks is her use of vibrant colours and she put a lot of thought into how to make this come through in the photo shoot. All the way through we used props and colours that reinforced her branding and her vibrant personality.

Having a great online presence using apps like Snapchat, Facebook Live and Periscope.

Using appropriate props to allow you to get maximum use out of the images. This is how Naomi is using the images on social media.

Naomi also employs positive messages as a way to motivate and make images talk and I loved the props we used to convey this.

We were also very conscious of leaving space in the images to put marketing messages.

If I go back to the "light bulb" moment I had when I worked my way through these images, it was that I knew that I wanted to be more than a commercial photographer taking head shots for LinkedIn profiles... I want to tell people's story in pictures, capture what makes them and their business unique. Naomi knows the power of telling her story and uses it to build trust and loyalty, to make a powerful emotional connection with her target customer base.

She isn't afraid of sharing the low points as well as the highs and 2016 was a very tough year personally. We did some shots that reflected that and will allow her to share how she turned things around and has moved forward in a very positive way.

Have you thought about your brand story? It gives your brand a very powerful voice, makes it stand out, makes people want to connect with YOU. Why do you do what you do? If you can communicate this in words and then in pictures there'll be no stopping you!

If you are interested in booking your own photo shoot to tell your story get in touch. 

"It's Good" product photography shoot

"It's good to shop." Well, I'm certainly not going to disagree with that! Especially when you can shop with a clear conscience because this bit of retail therapy is going to help people who are less fortunate than yourself!

"It's Good" is the brainchild and hard work of Wendy Taylor. All the products in her beautiful range of bags, jewellery, scarves and gifts for the home are eco friendly, ethical and fair trade. 

I was thrilled to bits to be asked to photograph her new Autumn / Winter 2016 range for her new online shop. It was very tempting to get paid in throws, necklaces and bags, but common sense prevailed... just! I might still go back for one or two things near Christmas!

Here are a few of the photographs just to whet your appetite. If you'd like to know more hop across to the It's Good Ethical Boutique Facebook page.

A very big thank you to the beautiful Botanist restaurant at Alderley Edge, the location for the shoot. Its gorgeous interior was absolutely ideal for showing off these products to their very best.

Beautiful products deserve stunning photography that make your business stand out from the crowd! If you would like to find out more, please get in touch for an informal chat about your requirements.

When you love what you do... make sure your photographs say it too!

When you run your own business you pour your heart and soul into it and then throw in a large amount of blood, sweat and tears. It's impossible to separate yourself from the job, you are one entity. Its life blood is your personality, passion and commitment.

This is why I firmly believe that the photographs of you that promote your business and tell people about you should capture this. A static head shot against a white backdrop is going to be hard pressed to do this. I much prefer an editorial style that gives you much more freedom to be yourself and communicate via a single image your absolute passion for what you do.

When Jenny Bent from Parsley Pie Kids Art & Craft Club asked me to do a photo shoot of her to celebrate 15 years in business, we both had a very clear idea of what we wanted to achieve and I was so pleased and excited that Jenny was willing to inject her personality and love for teaching art into the images.

What followed was a lively, energetic, hilarious and messy photo shoot in Jenny's studio. She is a strong and striking character (I think you get that from the images!) and was a joy to photograph, willing to try anything and with lots of inventive ideas of her own.

We shot lots of different poses with a number of props so that Jenny has a good choice of images for her social media going forward.

To book a photo shoot that tells your clients how much you love your business get in touch!

Pub food photography to make your mouth water - at the George & Dragon in Holmes Chapel

We are so lucky to have so many great pubs in Cheshire - we really are spoilt for choice. But how do we decide which one to go to? If you're like us you take a quick look at some websites and go with one that catches your eye. And the way that smart thinking pubs do that is by having pictures that make it look like a lovely place to spend an hour or two, relaxing, chatting over a few drinks and some delicious food.

It's obvious really isn't that the photographs should be very attractive, projecting an ambience and standard that draws customers through their doors. Images of food should make your mouth water and encourage you to click on to the booking and "how to find us" pages.

This is exactly what I wanted to deliver for the George and Dragon in Holmes Chapel, a large and popular pub situated right in the heart of the village. I'd been there a few times and really like the fact that it has a cosy, intimate atmosphere in the bar, where you can enjoy a bar snack.  Part of the bar is dog friendly and there are some doggy regulars who enjoy a bit of a fuss as you walk by! There is a large conservatory for a slightly more formal dining experience. There's also a large outdoor terrace for warmer weather.

I spent the day with the staff at the pub, photographing their entire new Autumn / Winter menu. We had planned the day well together to ensure it ran as smoothly as possible. The food was photographed in different locations inside and outside of the pub, depending on the mood we wished to convey.

The team at the George and Dragon are very friendly and we had a really enjoyable and successful day. Managers Chris and Martin were on hand all day and ensured I had everything I needed and got chance to sample the dishes from time to time. I worked very closely with the chef, Billy, as it was, after all, he who had prepared, cooked and skilfully plated every dish.

At the end of a busy afternoon Chris' grandson came in for his tea and modelled beautifully for a shot to promote the George and Dragon as a family friendly pub.

I'm looking forward to going back to the George and Dragon to do some more photography in a few weeks time. I'm also going to teach some of the staff how to take photographs of the food for social media. Now that's what I call switched on! 

Tribes and Business Angels

Starting up and running your own business is a tremendously exciting and scary thing to do. Many of us are somewhere along the journey of doing just that and we have all got stories to tell, anecdotes to share and lessons we’ve learned. This blog is about the importance of having the right people around you to support you along the way, as it can be a very lonely and disheartening path, with lots of high and low points. You need a strong support network around you to ensure that you celebrate the good times, manage the bad times, move forward and make your business a success and your dreams come true.

I had the good fortune to meet a very inspirational woman called Catherine Connor who runs a very successful business training professional photographers (Aspire Photography Training). She has a way with words that resonates and lifts you up. One of her key talks is about the importance of making sure you have the right people around you to make you and your business flourish. I’m going to borrow two key labels from her and adapt them to my own experience and views.

TRIBE

The first term she uses is TRIBE – loosely a family or group that someone belongs to. She uses it mainly to describe your target customer. I'm going to steal another very good analogy from Naomi Gilmour now; she tells us, that even though there are plenty of fish in the sea, we don’t necessarily want to hook all of them and also they might not like the bait we are offering. So it’s important to focus all your efforts on the type of customers you WANT to do business with and who will want to do business with you. This immediately rules out a lot of people. If you get this formula right, you “gel” and go on to have a great business relationship. Many of my clients go on to become friends  because our interests, passions and values are so well matched. These people become part of my tribe.

However, my tribe is made up of more than just my ideal clients. My tribe is a group of people that I belong to who share some common values with me and somehow we give each other something. It might be support, love, advice, they lift us up when we need it and rein us in at other times, or are just simply there when we want them to be. They are in my tribe because they care about me and me about them.  We respect each other even though we may be very different.

Your immediate tribe is your family and your closest friends. Then you add people to your tribe because you want to know them, have their friendship, spend time with them, see them as a mentor,  meet them a networking group and realize that you can help each other, or just that you “get on”.

You will see some members of your tribe every day and others you will speak to on the phone once a year. But they are no less important members of your tribe. I love the role that social media has played in growing my tribe. I have people in my tribe now that I’ve never met in person but have built a relationship with over time on Facebook. I know they are part of my tribe because I can tell from their comments and posts that they “get” me, like me and want me to be happy and successful. I had a wobble on social media in August when someone who definitely wasn’t in my tribe made a very hurtful comment. But my tribe rallied round me, picked me back up, and were incredibly supportive during a difficult time. Many of the lovely comments came from people I’ve not yet met, but really hope too.

You need to know who your tribe are and make sure you value them too and look after them. Don’t take them for granted. Spend a little time working out who your tribe are. And when you don't get on with someone, you clash, you rub each other up the wrong way, don’t dwell on it, just accept that you belong to different tribes and that’s fine. I wish I could get my daughter to look at it like this and she’d save herself some heartache. But I think you need to get the ripe old age of 50 before you’ve had enough life experiences to do this.

BUSINESS ANGELS

The other term I picked up from this inspirational woman was Business Angels. These are very important people to you, specifically to your business. They are probably members of your tribe already but they also perform another important role: they are the people that whole-heartedly support your business. They believe in you so much that they readily tell other people about you and recommend you without hesitation.  I’m not talking about people who belong to the same networking and who might mention you, I’m talking about your biggest fans. And we all have them if we think about it. They might be existing clients, your best friend, your partner. Although more often than not, the closest members of your tribe are NOT your business angels. My dad, my brothers, for instance, aren’t. They respect what I do, but they would never rave about me. But my niece does and regularly sends clients my way. Her genuine enthusiasm for what I do convinces people that they need my services.

You need to identify who your business angels are and really take care of them. Reward them in whatever manner is appropriate – with my niece I take gorgeous photos of her baby girl whenever I see her and I support her business venture even though I’m probably not a true business angel to her. Some people don’t want to be rewarded but rather to know that you appreciate them. But know who they are and make sure they are the first to know about new offers, products etc. I have a closed Facebook Group for students and I regularly give them useful information and links for free. A good number of them are my business angels and get me new business. If you neglect them they might eventually fade away.

I decided to talk about this at my favourite networking group, because many of of the group are part of my tribe and have supported me, “got” me, played a positive role in getting me through highs and lows with my business and my personal life. A number of you are definitely my business angels and you’ll know who you are – Sue France sprouted her wings a long time ago and even though I know I’m not the only photographer she supports, I know she believes in me and helps me whenever she can. As I do her.

So take some time to think about your tribe and your business angels and nuture and take care of them.

Commercial photography shoots ARE fun!!! by Cheshire Photographer Jane Burkinshaw

Let's face it, most adults hate having their photos taken, especially as we get "older" and clients that come to me to have a commercial head shot or portrait done are usually dreading it. And I know where they are coming from, as I don't enjoy having my picture taken. Is that really me? Is that what I look like? I don't get how I can look so different from the woman I see in the mirror.

Of course I only see myself from one angle in the mirror and my face is in repose (or in my "mirror face" according to my husband!). At other times we are photographed from all angles and in mid sentence, mid frown, mid unflattering looking down - our faces and bodies frozen for  a split second in the most unforgiving light.

I needed some new shots of me recently and decided to invite some of my photography students to have a go. They loved it as an opportunity to learn and, surprise, surprise I really enjoyed it and was very pleased with the results. The secret was lots of laughs and jokes to make me relax and them knowing which poses and light and angles would work. There were some pretty dreadful shots of me where the light and my pose were wrong but we deleted them quickly and moved on.

Shots taken by my photography students

I use the same strategy of fun and laughs when I photograph clients - children or adults - and I love it when people tell me they are surprised that it was so much fun! Last weekend I met a lovely couple, Russ and Teresa, who wanted images for their businesses. Russ needed a very corporate shot and was dreading it! Teresa runs a successful garden design company and wanted pictures that reflected what she does. Fresh from the hairdressers she was also quite nervous before we began.

I always have a coffee and a chat with my clients before we begin and right from the outset I'm working to make them relax. Once the shoot starts I gauge how far I can go with being a bit cheeky, teasing and getting family members or colleagues to help make people laugh. On this occasion I had a great little assistant in 10 year old Ashley and then Russ and Teresa took it in turns. The sight of Russ wielding two enormous umbrellas and a pair of stepladders was enough to guarantee smiles.

Lots of laughs behind the scenes

Teresa's final images

I offer commercial photography services on an hourly, half day or full day basis. I can shoot in a purpose built natural light studio or on location. If you would like to have a chat about your photography requirements please get in touch.

By Jane Burkinshaw. Share this post by clicking on one of the Share buttons on the right hand side. I'd love to hear your comments too!