INSIDER GUIDE

Commissioning photography - what you need to know.

Hello, I hope you have had a great week. I have been working in Scotland with Banchory Farm this week - working on the completion of a new cottage that will be finished very soon, and the start of a very exciting new development there. It was gorgeous to be remote in the middle of open countryside, looking out to sea, and it reminded me of how lucky I am to get to work with clients in such wonderful locations.

My letter to you this week is on commissioning photography and the ability it has to raise the awareness and authority of you and your business. Imagery can be transformative but the process of commissioning a stylist and photographer can be confusing. There are many things to be aware of when commissioning imagery and many areas of risk with copyright and rights usage. With 20 years experience in the industry integrity is everything to me, but there are lots of ways that you can get caught out if you are not informed properly about what you are signing up to. This post is for my paid subscribers and there is the opportunity to ask me any questions on our chat if you have an issues or queries about anything to do with this topic.

This letter will cover:
- What to know before commissioning
- Enhancing your brand
- My experience
- 8 steps to commissioning a successful shoot (research, stylist vision, selecting a photographer, creating a brief, lighting considerations, seasonal considerations, shoot day consideration, copyright).

I hope it helps. In my opinion it should all be much more transparent so please do reach out if you have any questions. Ali x

“Photography is the art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” Elliott Erwitt

Have a great week ahead. I hope this was useful and don’t forget if you have any questions at all ask away on the chat and I can answer any queries or worries you may have. Dream big with your business no matter how large or small, and keep top of mind that great imagery is worth the investment. It will stand you apart from your competitors and raise the anti on all your communication.

With love Ali x x

My new Substack, For The Curious - is a place for all those who are curious to learn more and keen to bring their own creativity to life. I hope signing up and coming on this journey with me will encourage you to seize your dreams.

As a lover of storytelling, words and images, I am excited to be able to communicate and share with you in a longer form way, as an extension to my instagram feed, and am grateful for those supporting me with a paid subscription. After having worked in interiors and many related fields for over 20 years, since leaving the corporate world, I am looking forward to sharing many of the valuable things I have learnt, and have helped me pivot since starting my own company; along with insights, learnings and creative direction, that I hope will inspire you too.