You are more than pretty pictures.

You are a vault of knowledge, life experience of stories. You are the heart of the business.

Pretty pictures will catch your target audience's attention. The STORY a photograph is telling will capture their interest and draw them into your world.

People are ready to fall in love with your story. Show them!

Brand photograph created for Winston-Salem small business owner, Rachel of Next Level Communications. | Winston-Salem on location brand photographer | Jasper & Fern

I remember years ago, when I first decided to pursue photography as my career and business, staring into the vast blankness of every possibility, avenue and opportunity in front of me. Everything I was about to do was fresh, excited and would be specially crafted by me. It was thrilling and I lived every moment invigorated by the decisions and even the mistakes. It was a precious time that now, as a branding photographer, I get to live with each of the new businesses I work with. It’s so wonderful to see a new business at the start, forming its existence and intent and finding its place in the world.

With so many places to go, it’s pertinent that a new business and I are on the same page when it comes to their branding - and there’s a lot of work that goes into doing so!

Here’s a sneak peek of some of the fruits of our labor and collaboration for Mama Mpenzi Doula.

If you asked my husband to describe my organizational skills, he’d chuckle lovingly and tell you I don’t organize like most people. I’d have to agree. Most of the time, in fact, if you see me behind the scenes I’ll be covered with dog hair, stray hairs spraying out of my braid, my bangs every which way, muttering to myself while standing in front of an overloaded table or sitting at a cluttered desk. (Tidiness is truly not one of my virtues.) It may surprise you to know, however, that in my cluttered mind I’m intensely detail oriented.

I’ll get a concept in my mind and hunt down the pillar elements that give foundation to the idea. Then, I’ll allow the space for the other elements to happen organically - as art should be. In my own mind, this process works well. On the outside, however, this process more than likely looks like disheveled clutter. I’m partial, sure, but I think it’s a beautiful mess.

Just like in my own mess, I love to get a raw look behind the brands I work with. I like to see their turning wheels and the structures (or lack there of) that work best for them. I like to see how the business owner’s brain works.

It’s in this observation behind the scenes that I get to jump into the inner workings of a small business. I get to examine the cogs, study the blue prints of why there were places where they were and how they connect to everything else. Every detail has its reason, after all, and every element has its story. A story I love to tell through beautiful brand photographs - organized chaos and all.

A peek behind the scenes of me as I prepare for a branding session. | Winston Salem Brand Photographer | Jasper & Fern

“A mom needs love too!”

— Emily, Mama Mpenzi Doula

Brand Photograph for Mama Mpenzi Doula | Winston-Salem Branding Photography | Jasper & Fern

I wonder if you could guess the story behind this brand photograph we did for Mama Mpenzi Dula. It seems like an odd image to come across your screen, does it not? Does it make you curious to know what it's about? If you are someone who is drawn to nature and natural elements, who likes calming imagery and soft feminine tones, I can almost guarantee that you would stick around to read this story - and that is what a good brand photograph should do.

So what is the story behind the photograph? (I’m going to go ahead and put out there - it’s super sweet!)  

As a mom herself, Emily was inspired to give other first-time moms what she needed during her own first child’s birth and pregnancy. Her biggest needs were Community and Support.

Emily is a strong believer in surrounding yourself with good people who are wise, love you purely and respect you. From this value, she created the Birthtual.

“Mom needs some love too,” Emily said to me while explaining the ritual.

A Birthtual is a designated celebration that’s all about the pregnant mom.  It’s a time where all the women in that mom’s life who’ve had children and are who she depends on (aka - her rocks), come together for a time of community and support. The expecting mom sits in the middle of a room while the experienced mothers come together in a circle around her agreeing to creating a safe, non-judgemental space. The mom gets to share her fears, her joys and ask all the questions she wants answers to and, in turn, the experienced mothers share their own wisdom.

(I’m taking a moment to relish in the peace of what a setting like that would bring... *deep breath*)

Our goal was to bring that supporting atmosphere into a photograph that was rooted in her branding; a soft feminine brand that values the naturalness of birth, support and community. In the end, we created an image that mimics her brand values while simultaneously incorporates elements of her logo, uses her brand colors and provides Emily the platform to talk about a service that makes her unique.