Branding Session: Cassandra Ott
Cassandra Ott in her studio in Buffalo, NY
Cassandra Ott is a visual artist and designer living in Buffalo, NY. She already has an incredible social media presence, sharing her processes in her gorgeous studio. As she grows her business in new directions, she wanted professional photographs to share a welcoming and beautiful window into her studio and creative practice that reflects on her journey as a business owner. She wanted to be seen working in her space alongside her colorful work, cats and plants, embodying the same joy and optimism that her work conveys. Needless to say, she is an incredibly inspiring human.
To create a brand library for Cassi, we brainstormed ideas of all the ways she would use the photographs, which aspects of her work she wanted documented and what story she is telling through her social media, website and marketing.
The collaborative process prior to the photo session is so crucial. After visiting her space (it’s amazing and a photographer’s dream come true) and looking at her props (art work, products and endlessly delightful things) we made a master list of ideas. From there, I let her know what we could realistically photograph in the first of her quarterly sessions. Her dedication to the process was so important, and she did a great job communicating her needs and ideas to me.
All these photographs were made in one hour at one location! By planning ahead, we knew which outfits would work with certain activities and props. From experience, preparing for a photo session is slightly stressful for the subjects and after 60 minutes it gets exhausting. So, my goal is to keep them dynamic and fun. By photographing once every four months or so, my clients get fresh imagery that reflect the season: of life and their businesses.
Check out Cassi’s amazing work here.
(Click on each image below to enlarge.)
