I’m so excited to showcase Eric’s fun photoshoot we did last fall. It was a collaborative experience and my first time shooting on a content set.
While this shoot did not originally begin as a branding shoot, it did produce branding images. This is how it started: I needed to stay the night in Los Angeles on the way home from a work trip in Mexico. I thought, why not throw in a fun photoshoot? LA is a 6-hour drive away or a 1.5 hour flight and yet, I’ve only been there a few times. I looked for sets on Peerspace and found an amazing one that had at least nine different sets. It is SO unique, colorful, fun, and certainly not for everyone. But for Eric, who answered an Instagram call for interest, it fits perfectly into their aesthetic.
Background info on the photoshoot for Eric, an HR consultant
Eric recently started their own consulting company called The Coffee Human Resource, as a solution to the specialty coffee industry’s immense need for specialized HR guidance. Many coffee companies, especially on the retail end, are small businesses that don’t have enough staff to justify a full-time HR professional. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a need for HR. Eric provides HR support in company handbooks, policies, hiring, and more. They also work remotely, so there was no office/studio to shoot in.
When we arrived at the location, we quickly saw how the posted photos did not do the space justice. Every part of the space was covered. Because it was a live-work loft, it had a working bathroom and kitchen. Props were overflowing. It was clear how much thought went into designing the sets. I rented two studio light setups, because the natural light didn’t reach too far in. I normally don’t shoot with studio lights, so this was also a chance for me to experiment at different temperature settings and get to play with color.
Here are some phone shots of the set itself:
The brand photoshoot itself
After walking around, we discussed shoot goals, must-have images, and whether other parts of the set were calling out to us. Eric had brought a big bag of outfits and props, which we talked through. They also had certain images already in mind and feelings they wanted to convey.
We began in the kitchen with a silky robe and their desired vibe of a “beleaguered coffee business owner starting the day.” Expressions were exaggerated and pre-coffee deadened eyes were deployed. We moved a lot of the props out of the way, but did take advantage of the yellow coffee maker and the neon sign.
After that, we moved on to the lemonade stand, where Eric wanted to relate to their client—a business owner contemplating their life choices. Running a coffee business can feel a lot like running a lemonade stand.
How hiring a brand photographer like me can help you in every stage of your consultant or coach business
Fun, colorful modern headshots
For headshots, we had two different approaches. There was one, a more “classic,” shoulders-up shot. The candy pastel striped wallpaper and bright frame added to the fun and personality-forward vibe (headshots don’t need to be boring!). I found a toy phone to use as a prop, a visual translation of calling an HR consultant for help. For the second approach, we went to the hallway that was glitterfied on one side and pink brick on the other. Eric used one of the pink fluffy fur coats that came with the set.
Lifestyle branding and personal photos
After all the branding shots were done, we moved on to some other fun personal ones, like using the roller skates in front of the bed, tossing a beach ball up (because why not), and I took a bite out of a giant macaron.
Saving the best for last, we recreated an image that had been in Eric’s mind for a while now: them wearing an all-white outfit while balancing a glass of iced coffee on their head. Being a business owner can be incredibly lonely, stressful, overwhelming, and like you’re precariously spinning a lot of plates. We took many test shots with and without an empty glass (they practiced before the shoot), and made sure to be on a tiled floor in case cleanup was needed. I set my camera to a high-burst mode and held my breath. Luckily, there were no spills, and they now have it set as their LinkedIn and Instagram profile photo!
In the end, about 25 photos were delivered from a 3-hour shoot (quick note: this was a unique, on-set shoot with a lot lighting setup and posing, which is not my usual brand shoot). I also edited the photos to be a little warmer than my usual, because they wanted a warm peachy tone. Throughout each scene, we reviewed shots and repositioned lights, props, and expressions. I spent a lot of time in post-production because I wanted to see how long it would take me to edit the photos to the high standard I wanted (17 hours!). I learned more editing techniques to enhance my future shoots and came away feeling much better about studio lighting!
