One of the last branding shoots I got to do before going into the twilight zone of our collective COVID-19 experience, was with a very cool lady who is a Senior Director of IT Operations for a large organization based in Irvine.
Christine has been climbing her company's ranks since 2005. But felt she was hitting a ceiling in her growth, and was ready to push her career in a new direction in order to land a role as VP with a different organization.
Recommended to me by her executive recruiter, Christine wanted help creating her brand image in a way that would complement her job search by showcasing her as an assertive, engaging and team-oriented leader.
But she is also an busy professional who like so many of us, hadn't been photographed in a long time. In her case, not since her wedding day. So we decided that in addition to creating her new headshots for work, it would be fun and worthwhile to do some lifestyle portraits and a bit of golden hour glamour to round off her photoshoot experience.
We shot on location during a warm, windless Tuesday afternoon in one of my favorite locales in Playa Vista. My makeup artist found a spot under the shade and Christine braved the Coffee Bean restroom to get changed. Five outfits, two looks and a 4+ hours later, we had a beautiful mix of "brand" images that channeled different aspects of her personality, her professional and personal styles. And showcased her not only as a corporate leader but as a gritty, sexy and self-assured woman who is comfortable in her own skin.
Out of the dozens of images I culled from her session, Christine bought my 20 image portrait collection. Even though some are for work, every photo is a celebration of her life and the woman she is today. And though she could have asked for only digital prints, she understood the value of having tangible images she can treasure and look at for years to come. And because her portraits are printed on 8x12 lustre archival paper, matted and provided to her in my Marquee Collection Box, they will last and be passed down for generations.
I always advocate to clients who invest the time, energy and money into doing a photoshoot with me, that they print their images. I believe that when we invest in ourselves, we celebrate ourselves. And these beautiful prints are a visual legacy that lives on longer than we do. Besides, how often to do we get to play model for a day?
These are some of my personal favorites from her session and a little behind the scenes makeup prep with the wonderful, Taylor Latham.
For more information on booking a branding session or to learn about my portrait services and how we can design a session just for you, email nicolette@NJPphotography.com or call 310.622.4580.