Over the summer, I had a surprising realization — for the two years that I’ve lived and worked in this home studio, I have never coordinated a photoshoot here! Sure, I’ve snapped photos here and there, but never before have I invited a photographer over to spend an afternoon capturing what a day in the studio looks like around here.

Enter Hannah Haston. I met Hannah through the TuesdaysTogether group I lead, and I was instantly blown away by not only her talent, but her kind heart and gracious spirit. This past August, Hannah and I put our heads together to capture a branded lifestyle shoot that showcases some of my favorite spots in the studio to work, sketch up logo concepts, and pour over client stationery proofs.

You’ve probably seen some of Hannah’s images pop up on Instagram and here and there on the blog, but work this beautiful deserves it’s one post, y’all! So keep on scrolling to check out a few of my favorites from the shoot.

For this shoot, I wanted to capture some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of my work as a brand designer and strategist that you don’t always see on social media. Pouring over paper samples, finding the perfect foil swatch for a client’s stationery, and putting the finishing touches on sketches for client logos are an almost daily occurrence around these parts! Plus, you can bet that there’s a cup of coffee in my hand until it’s an acceptable time of day to grab a glass of wine.

With each client, after I guide them through my brand development process where we dig deep to define their brand’s vision, mission, values, ideal client, brand voice, and more, I get started on creating the visual aspects of their brand. Because I’ve found that starting with the heart of each brand enables us to make truly informed design decisions that will authentically reflect their values, mission, and overall experience. Everything from the stationery pieces to the mood boards to the labels on that gorgeous Ara Collective throw are visual brands I’ve designed as a result of my signature brand development process, and I’m proud to have been able to play a role in their brand story over the years. Hannah did an amazing job of capturing all the care and thought that I pour into each client project.

After we got every shot we wanted, Hannah graciously humored me while I tried to corral my rambunctious pup Boone for a few photos. He never stands still for more than 5 seconds at a time, so the fact that she was able to capture these photos is nothing short of a miracle. I absolutely plan on printing these out and framing them all over the house!

Hannah, thank you so much for bringing my brand shoot dreams to life. You are a true gem, friend!