I’ve known Rebecca Crawford for going on five years now. We met during a Rising Tide Tuesdays Together meeting in 2016. We hit it off right away, talking about everything from our shared interest in all things Southern and our faith.  Our friendship continued to grow until, in 2018, she gave me the greatest honor of all: she asked me to photograph her wedding day. It was a magical celebration held just outside Chicago, and I’ll never forget her mom and bridesmaids taking a moment to say a prayer over her and her marriage.  So, when Rebecca reached out to me three and a half years after her wedding to document the heart behind Willow + Bond Co., her Christian-based calligraphy and graphic design company, I was beyond thrilled to connect with her once again! Only this time as her branding photographer!

 

It was such a joy to help her with her rebranding session for her business. This session showed Rebecca as the mature and seasoned small business owner she is and not just “that one young girl who makes cute t-shirts” she used to be. Rebecca has become a leader on Instagram, openly sharing her love of reading her Bible and inspiring others with what she found. The inspiration then flows into the work she creates. The stickers, t-shirts, flags and devotionals are all based around her sincere relationship with her faith, which I feel is one of the reasons she’s connected so deeply with her audience.

 

Rebecca found the perfect location for her session – RNDR House in the Houston Station area of Nashville. The RNDR House is a photography studio with farmhouse white walls and industrial windows that bring in just the right amount of natural light. And the furniture in the studio was perfect for different stagings to add variety and depth to the session. 

 

But even the perfect location can’t carry a session without the kind of in-depth pre-session planning I do with each of my clients. Together, we made a list of all the essential props she needed to bring, including all the tools of her trade, like her laptop, iPad, Apple pencil, and even her sewing machine. She also brought her mailing supplies, since filling orders is a massive chunk of the way she spends her time. 

 

Rebecca is at ease in front of the camera and super easy to direct. Her bubbly personality was the star of the session, and she kept that signature smile of hers glowing the entire time. Since I knew she needed a lot of headshots for content on her website and social media, we started with those and slowly pulled in different props like the chairs, framed photos, and desk. I also wanted to show Rebecca in action, so showing her sewing a flag made so much sense. We then transitioned into modeling the flag and putting it up on the wall, bringing the story of a single product full circle!

 

Once we finished her session for the day, I could not wait to get home to edit up and send out a few sneak peeks. And now that she’s had her full gallery for a few weeks, you can clearly see the way it transformed her entire website and social media presence. Filled with cohesive imagery (instead of the random professional photo mixed in among the iPhone snaps) you feel like you’re stepping right into her world each time you visit. Telling stories with Rebecca is always such a treat, and I can’t wait to do it again soon!

 

If you’re looking to tell a brand story of your own, I’d love to share more with you on how we can bring your vision to life!