Brand Photography & Video for a Book Launch
Wendy Valentine
Wendy Valentine came into this session at a turning point in her brand. As a coach, podcast host, and now author, she needed more than updated photos: she needed strategic visuals that could support her across platforms, from her website to her upcoming book launch. This session included both brand photography and a promo video for her book launch, designed to capture not just how her brand looks, but how it feels to experience it.
Key Words
Warm
Approachable
Relaxed
Fun
Friendly
Engaging
Neutral so not to clash with Wendy's hot pink brand color
Client Objectives
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 3
The main focus was Wendy's book launch coming a few months later, and she needed a promotional video that she could use everywhere, to go along with her US national book tour. The video needed to showcase her backstory, and the why of her book, in under one minute. It was to include video footage and Wendy's voiceover.
Since Wendy was coming to Chicago just for this shoot, we decided to also take the time to update her photos. I've photographed Wendy twice previously, but she needed some refreshed photos that were more aligned with her book release, and her new podcast cover.
Wendy also needed B-roll for her website and frequent social media use. Since we were already creating footage for the book promo video, this was an easy ask!
The FRAME Method
Since I was so familiar with Wendy's brand from our previous work togther, my research work fell mostly to planning and scripting the video.
Shot List
One of the most important things I had to do before the shoot was create a storyboard. This helped us know exactly what we were shooting, with what voiceover Wendy was going to create later. Creating small clips of video during the shoot also helped me immensely in the editing process!
On top of all our planning, I also created a brief shot list of photos, so we were sure to get everything we needed during the short time we had scheduled in the studio space.
Location
Before we chose our locations, we knew we needed a studio for the audio recording, as well as the photos and some of the video footage. But we also wanted to do get some photos in a nearby coffeeshop that we loved. So we set out to find a neutral studio space that was nearby the coffeeshop, and voila! We also shot a good amount of footage in the small downtown area of the coffeeshop.
Research
The Results
Find Wendy at:
This is what strategic brand photography looks like when it’s designed to support more than one moment: it helps coaches, authors and podcasters like Wendy build a brand that grows with them.
The Results in Action
Your marketing feels more reactive than intentional. Or maybe you’re showing up consistently, but it’s not translating into connection, or clients.
What you actually want isn’t more photos.
It’s a brand presence that feels like you… and makes your audience feel it too—so they trust you before you ever say a word.
What Wendy Says...