Tumbling Birds Product Studio and Location Shoot with Models
These adorable products and cute wee model sessions were shot over a few mornings a while back in preparation for Jodie's new company commerce website Tumbling Birds. The site was designed and developed by Northern Lab in Berwick.
Jodie uses lovely bright colours in her designs so we produced some simply styled product shots on a grey background to show off the vibrant clothing for eye-catching product descriptions. We spent a fun picnic afternoon at the farm with all the babies to illustrate how these lovely items could be used. These photographs have been used in the banners and galleries on Jodie’s new site.
Written by Sarah
Spylaw Farmhouse Interior and Exterior Photography
these lovely renovated Farmhouse and Self Catering Cottages are located in North Northumberland, nestling between the Kyloe and Cheviot hills.
Some interior and exterior property photography for this beautiful Northumberland Farmhouse which is having a website re-design.
Susie at Rejuvinating Solutions, Quayside, Berwick upon Tweed
An interior and headshot session for Rejuvinating Solutions recently, I worked with Susie to make sure her branding colours came through in her headshot and the salon interior shots. These photographs will be used to show what is now available for professional skin care in Berwick on her website and social media.
Carter's Family Butchers and Holiday Home in Bamburgh, Northumberland
Last week I went out to Bamburgh to photograph Carter's. The Carter family have been the village butchers for over 100 years and have built up a great reputation by providing a personal service and top quality produce. Each time I'm in Bamburgh I make sure I pick up a couple of scotch pies, totally yummy!
I love the fact that all their meat comes from local farms holding the certificate of Farm Assurance. Their cattle lambs are grass fed and they obtain the meat from their prime cured bacon, hams and sausage from free range pork. In addition R Carter & Son makes a variety of pies, black and white puddings and they also roast and boil their own meats.
I had to go out to the Bamburgh shop really early in the morning to avoid the queues! Seriously, this is a popular village shop, with locals and holiday makers alike. Sue and Mike were really kind to me and made me a coffee and bacon sarnie which was utterly delish! After photographing the shop I went up to their holiday accommodation and took some interior shots for brochures and website marketing. The pictures from the shop are to be used in a new website designed by Northern Lab in Berwick.
Carter's is the home of the 'Bamburgh Banger' and has even been endorsed by Rick Stein as a Food Hero. It's easy to see why Carters is so popular, as someone famous once said (who's name escapes me) 'You get the business you deserve'.
Pier Road Development 'The Maltings' Berwick upon Tweed
Today I photographed a new development on the old site of William Leith Marquees, these houses are finished to an amazing standard and the views are rather outstanding too - they nearly had me signed up for one!
Website Content for Hutton Stone
This week I spent 3 days at Hutton Stone Co. documenting their operations and systems to give clients a broader sense of the size and extent of what goes on.
Products I photographed include paving, walling, rockery, and masonry. Services I shot included bespoke carving, sawing, and delivery. Cutting-edge heavy machinery and the stringent health and safety at Hutton Stone featured heavily too.
Below there are a couple of examples of the stone samples on a plain white background with colour matching for e-commerce and brochure purposes. I also shot some key staff members to bring across the craftsmanship and welcoming personality of the company; I also feel that it's quite nice to see who you are dealing with over the web!
The website will be getting a fresh new look in the near future, keep a lookout for www.huttonstone.co.uk.
Written by Sarah
Kezie Adventurous Foods Styled Food Photography Scottish Borders
It's amazing what is hidden away in the borders, I was really excited when Kezie Foods commissioned me to shoot the packaging and a range of serving suggestions for their 12 new exotic, gourmet ready meals.
After taking the booking over the phone, the next morning a large white package arrived with a range of meals in for me to have exactly the same experience as their customers would after placing an order online. It was a chance for me (and the kids!) to sample the foods and play about with ideas for styling the shoot.
I had a really helpful meeting with the designer and printer of their booklets to see exactly how the images were being used in the new booklet and what formats they were required to be in.
We collected a multitude of props for the shoot and came together in a large room with great light for an entire day of cooking and shooting.
Here are some of the shots from the day, they make my mouth water!
Should you use a Logo as your Profile Image?
Should you use a Logo as your Profile Image?
Guest Blog by Helen Barlow, Ethical Graphic Designer
From a designer who loves designing logos, you'd probably think I'd say "Yes", but I love designing brands even more. Your profile image, like your logo, is simply one element of your brand in its entirety.
Like all elements of your brand, it needs to work for you. We like to think of social media graphics as a tool in your brand tool kit, which also contains, at a minimum: your brand promise, mission statement, colour scheme, typography/photography style, brand language, and graphic devices.
Therefore this tiny little square is part of a much bigger picture and needs to be thought about in terms of your business, marketing and brand strategies. It would be wrong to assume it should be a logo or a headshot without thinking about how you can make that free advertising space useful for you. If you had to pay fifty bucks for that ad space you'd think more about what you wanted it to communicate.
Use your brand as a tool, a visual salesperson when you're not there. You'll save a lot of time and be able to fall in love with the things you like doing in your business on a day-to-day basis.
So when it comes to profile images, how can you use them as a tool? Well, the obvious answer is if you have your headshot on social media then those awkward networking events become a lot less awkward. People you've been tweeting on the run-up to it know what you look like, so no more fumbled first interactions!
Seriously though, people buy from people. Think of your brand as a person and design a logo with that in mind. Give it its own voice and story and your customers will be able to resonate with it on an emotional level.
As the digital landscape grows, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned with trust. If they can't see the person behind your brand, how can you expect them to engage?
A headshot is the perfect way to start building that personality behind your brand (and no Sarah didn't pay me to say this.) I can speak from experience. In 2013 when we changed the One Line profile images to my face rather than our logo the engagement and follower levels jumped right up within moments.
For businesses who are trying to reach a wider audience and make themselves more visible and recognisable online, a headshot will resonate far better with people who don't know you than a brand logo that they've never heard of. It's a great way to build your profile.
You could even do both at the same time. We did this with The Little Fair Trade Shop's social media graphics. Sabeena was well recognised online and had built a great following using a headshot. Working with us on a rebrand she wanted to push the brand identity a bit more. This was all part of a bigger strategy because the logo was about to be the single visual used on the packaging; we needed to connect her packaging with what people also saw online without losing the personal touch. So that company mug does come in handy after all.
Of course, if your logo is everything about your brand, then yes, use it as your profile image. If you're Nike or FedEx we're probably not going to want to see a photo of your CEO but actually, a shot of real-life people on your team would be quite interesting and it lets us know you're not a team of robots. Don't forget you have that huge banner behind your profile image to use as free advertising space. So if your strategy dictates that you have your logo in the square, then have a team shot in the banner. If it's a headshot in the square then use your logo in the banner. Think about combinations of photography and logo or key messages that will work hard for what you're trying to achieve with your digital marketing.
Like, follow, connect and check out my website at http://www.onelinestudio.co.uk/
Cashmere Scarf Design with Sinclair Duncan and Radio Border's 'Cash for Kids'
Cashmere Scarf Design with Sinclair Duncan and Radio Border's 'Cash for Kids'
In February I was commissioned by Radio Borders to photograph various models wearing a pretty cashmere scarf. I was intrigued by why the radio station was promoting scarfs for Valentines and Mothers Day so when I heard that Sinclair Duncan had been making limited editions, designed by a local school girl, and that all the profits were going to the Cash for Kids charity, I was very keen to be involved.
Here is the story behind the scarf.
In late 2015, Sinclair Duncan invited 70 Primary and Secondary schools in the Scottish Borders to enter a competition. They asked them to design a scarf for a local charity, Cash for Kids. The scarf would be 100% cashmere and it would be made in Scotland by Sinclair Duncan.
Sales and Marketing Director at Sinclair Duncan, Debbie Paterson, announced the winner live on the radio at the winner's school assembly: “The entries received were of such a high standard, but there was one that stood out for all of us. The careful choice of colour and contemporary design shows talent beyond her years.” Little did the winner (9-year-old Eve McKenzie from Knowepark Primary School in Selkirk) know what an impact sales from her scarf would have on her community:
All profits from the scarves would go to charity and the profits ensured that:
7 children snuggled up in their own bed for the first time
3 autistic children can play in specially adapted safe places
1000 children woke up to gifts at Christmas of 2015
45 children will have warm clothes and shoes
A family can sit down to warm cooked meals
Here is Eve getting ready to model the scarf.
CLICK HERE to watch the video showing some of the manufacturing processes of the winning scarf and also. Proud Eve showing off her amazing talent.
These scarfs are limited edition and are bound to sell out fast, remember all profits from every scarf in this design go to local children's charity Cash For Kids, CLICK HERE to buy now!
Even Lorraine has one. (Not my photo, Lorraine took her own selfie.)
Here is one of the Valentine-themed and some of the Mother’s Day-themed photographs.
Remember, the scarfs are limited edition and selling out fast, ALL of the profits from every scarf in this design goes to local children's charity Cash for Kids, CLICK HERE to buy a lovely scarf.
Well done Eve!
Written by Sarah
Ginger Duck Soap and Cosmetics Product Photography
Some product photographs for The Ginger Duck's etsy and not on the high street page - we wanted to keep the images consistent but needed to illustrate the different fragrances in each soap and candle.
We used an old wooden door as background to keep the photographs looking natural and warm.
Rooms and Gourmet Food at Redhall Cottage Restaurant in Eyemouth
Rooms and Gourmet Food at Redhall Cottage Restaurant in Eyemouth
Redhall Cottage Restaurant was having its old website updated by Northern Lab and needed new photographs of the interior and exterior as well as some shots to showcase the mouth-watering food that they offer. I got to taste the dishes after the shoot and I must say the food was delicious!
Check out Northern Labs and Redhall Cottage’s new website via the links below!
Written by Sarah
David Wightman Artist - Fellow of Berwick's Gymnasium Gallery
I photographed some artwork by David Wightman who is a fellow at Berwick's Gymnasium Gallery. The detailed and fascinating landscape image shown consists of collaged wallpaper on canvas.
The painting was lit in the studio with flash to accurately record the colours for large scale reproduction and use in brocures and online.
For information on David’s work please visit http://www.davidwightman.net/index.html
High End Scottish Tartan Fire Bellows on The Coast
High-End Scottish Tartan Fire Bellows on The Coast
Today was a great day to photograph some top-quality tartan fire bellows. Ruth, the maker, was looking to create a strong theme to reflect these unique products so there was nothing else for it but to use the beautiful natural environment which surrounds us as a backdrop.
We started the shoot in the countryside. However, after a brief but slightly scary encounter with a large herd of cows and some barbed wire, we retreated to the calm of the coast.
We also shot some exotic skin bellows and hair on hide bellows. The fabric and natural photography give these traditional products and their marketing a contemporary twist which must be working well because Ruth has recently had some fantastic press and PR in magazines such as House and Garden, Country Life, Living North, and Scottish Field, mostly featuring my photography.
Ruth is mad but in a fun kind of way. She has amazing creative ideas and we had a great time working together, bouncing ideas around and drinking cups of tea.
People have been nagging her to put a portrait of herself on her website as she makes all the bellows herself. Reluctantly she obliged and after a lot of giggling, I think you'll agree we got a lovely natural shot of her.
Check out Ruth’s website www.firebellows.co.uk for more information or to purchase one of these fine objects.
Written by Sarah
Interior Property Photography, Ingram Northumberland National Park
Photographs from a recent shoot at some 5* holiday cottages.
Holiday cottage photography in Ingram, near Wooler - Northumberland
Many of our clients run guest houses, holiday cottages, hotels, bed and breakfast accomodation and restaurants within the Northumbrian tourism market. Whilst being able to successfully light and photograph a room to show it at it's best, Sarah understands that an exceptional holiday or dining experience is judged on the details.
Sarah is able to produce a set of images that tell an inviting and interesting story - to really show your business off.
Eduardo Paolozzi Exhibition and Berwick’s Burrell Collection
Eduardo Paolozzi Exhibition and Berwick’s Burrell Collection
I've recently been doing a bit of work for Berwick Visual Arts; firstly documenting the 'Eduardo Paolozzi' exhibition and then the latest exhibition 'Berwick's Burrell Collection'. The work is currently in The Granary Gallery in Berwick and is very much worth a visit. I purposely haven't included many images from the exhibitions so you can go and see all of the artwork yourself!
Berwick's Burrell Collection runs from the 1st September to 16th December and The Granary Gallery is open 11am - 5pm, Wednesday to Sunday with free admission.
Written by Sarah
"Berwick's Burrell Collection is the most important art collection in public ownership in Northumberland.
Berwick Visual Arts and Woodhorn Trust have come together to display a selection of the collection's wonderful artefacts with a series of free exhibitions over the next three years, as well as other work collected by and for the people of Berwick.
With a fortune made in shipping, Sir William Burrell purchased art and objects from around the world. Most of his collection was donated to his home in Glasgow, but around 50 paintings and 300 decorative items were given to Berwick when he moved to nearby Hutton Castle.
The collection features work by masters such as Degas, Boudin and Maris, ancient Roman and Venetian glass, Japanese imari pottery, and Ming porcelain, which will be displayed over the next three years.
Sir Roy Strong who opened the exhibition first exploded onto the national stage as Director of The National Portrait Gallery and won subsequent acclaim as a revitalizing, crusading Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Having spent much of his life at the helm of two great national cultural institutions and with a reputation as a quick-witted, fearless observer of the wider cultural scene, this rare visit by Sir Roy to Berwick is bound to spark a lively debate."
James Lowther, Head of Berwick Visual Art