Brand Photography Guide - Carla Watkins, Visual Magic Maker

Brand Photography for colourful, magical weirdos in business

carlawatkins.com

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what is a brand shoot?

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gallery

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what to expect

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things people ask

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investment guide

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things to know

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meet Carla

what is a brand shoot?

In an increasingly visual, online world, photos are currency - the best way to elevate your business, stand out from the crowd and appeal to your ideal clients. Not to mention showing up in your business and the world as who you really are.

Imagine spending a few hours being your most fabulous self, chatting about your business & visiting your favourite local places, safe in the knowledge that a few weeks later, you'll receive a beautiful gallery full of photos you're excited to share.

And how good would it be if you had your very own bespoke stock image library, tailored to you & your brand - so you never need to worry again about finding or taking the right photo for your website, a press feature, a social media post or an advert?

That's my magical brand photography!

I’m Carla.

Colourful, magical weirdos and their small businesses are my very favourite thing to shoot.

Capturing you doing your business thing, your surroundings, your tools, the way you work and the essence of your business is my speciality.

So you get to breathe a sigh of relief, stop trying to take weird-angled selfies on your phone, and get back to the reason you started your business.

My superpower is putting you at ease - so even if you hate having your photo taken, you'll come away with brilliant shots.

I promise.

what to expect (get the most from your brand shoot)

Brand photography with me really is more than just a photoshoot - it's a deep dive into your why, your branding and how you show up in your business and the world.

The more you put into the planning, the better the shoot and the resulting photos will reflect you, and the messages you are sending about who you are and what you and your business(es) stand for.

We'll plan out the stories you most want to tell, and include portraits, candid shots of you in action, details and more to give you a wide range of final images.

DEEP DIVE INTO YOU & YOUR BRAND When you book, you'll receive a shoot prep guide, and a copy of my exclusive Brand Clarity Workbook.

Brand Clarity is a process I've developed over twelve years of running and working with small businesses, and it's a brilliant opportunity to really think about your business, your brand voice, and what you're telling the world through your visuals and words.

TALK IT OUT Next up, we’ll have a planning call before your session, where we can have a cuppa (and cake) and really get to grips with your dreams, plans, and how you want to be seen. We'll also plot logistics & details at this stage.

ON THE DAY We'll meet at your first location, probably giggle a lot, and get started. Once we're shooting, I can direct you as much or as little as you like, and I'll almost definitely stand in weird places to get the best angles. A few minutes in, you'll feel yourself relax and stop noticing my camera - that's when the magic happens!

things people ask

All the things people ask me most - anything not covered, just drop me an email! hello@carlawatkins.com

LOCATION I'm based in Colchester, Essex, and cover the whole of the UK, so wherever you are, we can create a brand shoot there.

The best place for your session to truly reflect you & your business is wherever you feel most comfortable doing your thing. It might be your premises or it might be out by the lake. Maybe you work from home, and want some shots at your kitchen table, and also a quirky coffee shop for some of your photos.

If you're planning to use more than one location, please note that travel time is part of your total booked shoot time. Travel outside of a 30 mile radius from Wivenhoe is charged at 50p per mile, round trip.

WHAT TO WEAR & BRING We go into much more detail about this in your planning, but essentially whatever makes you feel comfortable and confident! Your wardrobe & props are a wonderful way to communicate who you are - think about how you want your ideal clients to see you, and go from there.

WHAT IF I HAVE MORE THAN ONE BUSINESS? Totally fine / very exciting - I'm also a multipod! Let me know this as early as possible in the process and we'll plan your stories accordingly.

IMAGE USE Your final images come with a full commercial licence for unlimited use anywhere.

I always include a good selection of both portrait and landscape images, and different crops including square to allow for all kinds of use, so don't panic if you don't have specific plans in mind yet.

If you do, for example a website banner or social media header, let me know before your session so I can shoot for these as well!

investment guide

Connecting with your ideal clients, helping them to know, like and trust you, positioning yourself where you want to be in your market and elevating your brand and message - all these things result from a brand shoot.

I bring all my experience in photography and business to each session, for you to take away more than just your final photos from the process - and so you love the experience as well as the end result!

Bewitched Perfect for a rebrand or annual refresh, with plenty of time to document all the different facets of what you do. initial consultation | Brand Clarity workbook | in-depth planning call full day session | multiple outfit changes & locations 150+ high resolution images | 20-30 second showreel of photos Your investment: £1495

Spellbound Ideal for nailing and building your brand, getting you noticed & showing your dream clients exactly how you help them. initial consultation | Brand Clarity workbook | in-depth planning call half day session | 1-2 locations | multiple outfits 50-60 high resolution images Your investment: £995

Looking for several sessions in a year, or regular top ups? I also offer brand photography as a subscription - Magic Through The Seasons. Give me a shout for details!

things to know (there is no such thing as a silly question)

WILL I BE ABLE TO CROP / OVERLAY / ADD TEXT / OTHERWISE FIDDLE WITH MY PHOTOS? The short answer is yes! The long answer is that I put years of experience, skill and a lot of love into creating consistent & beautiful images which fit your brand style and which you will love.

But ultimately, these images are yours, so if you need to crop to a different size, overlay some text or pop a gradient over the top so it works on your website, then by all means go ahead.

DO I HAVE TO CREDIT YOU? You don’t have to, particularly on website & shop images, but if you would like to on social media that would be super wonderful.

Tags & referrals are a much-appreciated way for me to get visible and help more brilliant humans like you!

WILL YOU USE MY PHOTOS? I will indeed! I love to shout from the rooftops about my gorgeous clients, and will sometimes sneak peek some of your shots on social media before the full gallery is ready. I also use client shots in blogs and other articles, and wherever possible I will link to you – backlinks ftw!

BOOKING & PAYMENT Ready to book? Yay! Drop me an email (hello@carlawatkins.com) with a rough idea of when you're looking for, and I'll send you my availability let the diary duelling begin!

If any of your shoot is outdoors, we will also schedule in a backup day because British weather...!

A 20% non-refundable booking fee secures your date, with the remaining balance due by two weeks before your session. Payment plans are available, and I accept credit cards and BACS transfers.

"Carla made it so easy to be in front of the camera, and the photos reflect me and my brand so well" LOUISE ROSE COUTURE, BRIDAL DESIGNER

meet Carla Hello! I’m Carla, photographer, colourful weirdo, night owl and lover of all things small business - and magic!

A proud multipod and experienced small business owner, with a few businesses of my own, I know exactly what it’s like juggling all those things on your to do list.

I work with you to create stunning images which fit with your brand and show the world what you do - and reflect who you truly are.

When I’m not photographing or editing, you can find me swimming in a mermaid tail, cuddling my silly kittens Luna & Clover (you can see them over there on the right – Luna is the black one, Clover is the tortoiseshell), roaming waterways in my glorious/ridiculous pink kayak, or with my nose in a book.

you're in very safe, magical hands!

I am rarely without a notebook & I have more fountain pens than is strictly necessary for one person…!

I firmly believe in the gorgeous rebellion of making your life absolutely your own.

And one of my very favourite things is hearing the stories of other business owners... like you!

@catalystcarla

Photographer. Mermaid. Multipod.

Spellbinding photography for colourful, magical weirdos With love & narwhals (because underwater unicorns, and a bit of magic makes the world go round) - I can't wait to meet you.

Any questions, just drop me a line!

carlawatkins.com hello@carlawatkins.com