I had the pleasure of working with the owner of Blooming Bounty Custom Kitchen Gardens, Jenny Walker, for a branding session. In need of images for her new business, we set out to create a variety of photos for her to use for social media, her website and other marketing needs.
Photoshoot Location: White Gables Garden House in Cochranville PA
Meet Jenny:
Operating out of Pottstown PA, Jenny designs, installs, and assists in maintaining organic edible “kitchen” home gardens of all shapes and sizes for those who wish to be more self-sufficient, have more control over their food supply, or want to learn a new skill. Jenny specializes in “raised bed” gardens, “in-ground” gardens and “patio” or “potted” gardens that serve the function of providing sustenance while also being beautiful and ornamental.
The Process:
A successful brand photoshoot includes upfront prep work. By doing so, I am able to collaborate effectively with my clients based on what their needs are for their business. Every photoshoot is custom to the business and their marketing needs/goals.
Discovery Call– During my discovery call with Jenny we talked about what her exact needs were for her business. She required images now to launch her marketing and website and waiting until Summer would delay her ability to launch. We decided that getting images for her to use now with a second shoot in the Summer was the best option. Opting for “The Essential” package, we began planning for a 2-hour session.
Client Onboarding– After I received the signed contract and retainer, it was time to start the onboarding process. I sent over my “Welcome Guide” which includes everything from what to expect working with me, a timeline, location suggestions and more. She also received her “Pre-Shoot Questionaire” to fill out so I could better understand her and her business. Jenny was also added to a joint Pinterest board so we could both collaborate on ideas for her photoshoot.
Zoom Planning Call– Before our Zoom planning call I reviewed everything on Jenny’s “Pre-Shoot Questionaire”. This questionnaire helps me to fully understand the business I am working with as well as their overall goals and needs for the photoshoot. On our planning call, we decided on a location for the photo shoot, date & time, as well as reviewed the joint Pinterest board together. After our call, I contacted the location rental to secure our date.
Day of Photoshoot Guide– After the Zoom planning call, I take everything discussed on the call and put it into a guide. Photoshoot location, timeline, shot list, and props are all included in the guide. After the guide was completed Jenny was able to use it to gather all props needed for the photos as well as adjust anything before the shoot. This guide makes all the difference on photoshoot day because it helps keep everyone on the same page. Especially when there are a lot of moving parts/different stories to be told.
Photoshoot Day:
Of course the day of the photoshoot it decided to snow, but shooting in December in PA, there is always that chance of precipitation. Luckily for us, we had already planned for the majority of the photo shoot to be indoors, with just a few outdoor shots if the weather permitted. Jenny and I arrived to the location a few minutes early to ensure we were set up and prepared. Being organized has a huge impact, and Jenny nailed it. She used the photoshoot planning guide and organized her props into specific boxes that went along with each storyline. This helped us expedite the setup process between stories as we were trying to get a wide variety of shots in a short amount of time.
This photo shoot was rather prop-heavy as we were trying to tell a few different stories of working with Jenny. We decided to cover 4 “stories” during Jenny’s photoshoot: Headshots, Farm-to-Table, Planning/Consultation, and Seed Starting. White Gables Garden House was the absolute PERFECT location for Jenny’s photos as we were able to use various areas of the garden house to create a variety of images.
Post-Processing:
After the photoshoot, I returned home and immediately backed up the images from the shoot. (I always shoot on 2 memory cards as well as a “just in case”) I culled and edited the images and delivered Jenny’s gallery to her within 2 weeks of her photoshoot. She also received the “How to Use Your Photos” guide after she downloaded her gallery. I love providing my clients with this resource so they know how to put their investment to use. The last thing I want is for someone to receive their gallery and have no idea how or where to start implementing their new photos.
It was an absolute pleasure working with Jenny, I can’t wait to work with her again. And, if you’re looking for someone to help you design, create and maintain custom kitchen gardens, reach out to Blooming Bounty Custom Kitchen Gardens! Jenny has an abundance of knowledge and designs beautiful gardens!
Do you think you might be ready for a brand shoot for your business? Check out this blog post “7 Signs You Need A Brand Photoshoot”.
