Intent Designs is a Toronto-based design firm. We photographed this cozy basement bathroom in Etobicoke earlier this year. The space features a floating walnut vanity, glass-enclosed shower, polished nickel fixtures, beautiful light fixtures and vertically stacked wall tile in varying tones of beige.

For styling, designer Angela brought in some minimal bath products for the shower niche, a simple floral arrangement and some solid-coloured textured towels to add some warmth. I love how the finishes and styling work together to showcase the elegant and contemporary space.

If you are an interior designer, decorator, homebuilder or architect and have a project you’re interested in photographing, let’s connect!

Product Photography for Slow Fashion Brand Central Standard Textiles & Apparel

Central Standard is slow fashion and accessories brand based in Saskatchewan. Designer Amy creates small batches of timeless pieces including clothing, accessories and home goods. Central Standard’s pieces can be found online, at local markets and through select boutiques.

We periodically shoot new additions to her collection producing a combination of lifestyle and flat lay e-commerce product images. Imagery captured is used for her website and online store, social media, in a wholesale catalogue for boutiques and other marketing materials.

Product photography for Central Standard is all about showcasing the quality, details, fit and colour. This includes wider shots on a model, and tighter detail shots of the construction to show unique elements on seams, pockets, sleeves and waistbands.

Part of Central Standard’s brand and mission is to encourage people to invest in timeless pieces that will last throughout many seasons. To do this, we capture several variations in the styling of the pieces to show the versatility. For example, pairing dresses or skirts that might typically be thought of as summer pieces with tights or other layers for cooler months.

We also capture some standard e-commerce flat-lay shots on white. This is helpful for accurately displaying the colour and texture of the fabric so buyers know exactly what to expect. Simple flat-lay shots on a white background offer a consistent and professional look.

Different types of products may lend best to different sorts of imagery. If you own a product-based business and are looking to capture your creations let’s connect! I’d love to discuss your marketing goals and how best to showcase your unique products.

Sarah Elizabeth Design + Interiors

Brand Portraits for Small Business Owners

While we all know we need a current portrait, it’s not always everyone’s favourite activity. But, the benefits really are immeasurable and are likely some of your most used images! People like to connect to the face behind the brand and having consistent professional imagery across the board helps instill confidence in you and your expertise.

Where you can use brand portraits:

• Your Website ‘About’ page.
• Across social media profiles including LinkedIn, Instagram, Houzz, and Pinterest.
  
• Social media posts - share about your business, what inspires you, your process, and even a few personal details. Followers love to get to know the person behind the brand!
• As you become an expert and leader in your field, you’ll likely need one for speaking engagements, podcasts, and contributor profiles.
• In your email signature, newsletter, presentations or other branded content.

Intent Designs - Angela Chu

How to prepare and what to wear!

While there are no set rules, I encourage you to consider the following when planning ahead for a portrait:

• Wear something that you feel fits you well, you feel comfortable and confident in.
  
• Wear something that reflects your personal style, brand and will suit the colours and style of the space.
• Solid colour clothing tends to be better than patterns.
  
• Tops with sleeves tend to be more flattering than sleeveless. If you are wearing sleeveless I suggest bringing a jacket or sweater to try both options.
• Bring a couple of clothing options as an alternate or if you want some help deciding.
• If you wear make-up, you can wear it heavier than normal. Bring some with you to do touchups if necessary.
• Or consider getting professional hair and make-up on-site or ahead. It helps take the pressure off and it’s a nice excuse to get pampered!
  
• Get a good night’s sleep the night before… if possible ;)
  

Kathlyn Shaw Interiors

Types of shots

There are a variety of different types and styles of portraits you we can achieve depending on the circumstances. If you are planning a full brand session, aim to get all of them. If you are on a project shoot and just want a refresh, there’s an opportunity to get a bit of variety as well.

Posed portraits - You can’t go wrong with a standard posed shot. These work across most platforms and are very versatile.

Headshot - Tighter shots, just shoulders and up can be great for small profile needs or when you need to send along a portrait for a speaking engagement. These are usually best on a simpler background or where the background is blurred out so the focus is just on you!

Candid or action shots - These are great for social media and websites. Getting you in action tends to help relax in a pose and can give you something to talk about in your post.

Shots in motion - While you will become a bit of a blur, if your potential client has an idea of what you look like, it’s likely they’ll still recognize you. This is a great way to add life to images and can be an easy way to get more content without having to be fully photo-ready.

Melanie Kushner Interiors

Portrait Poses

For posing, I like to keep it simple and walk you through a few different angles, actions and facial expressions. From there we can review and decide what suits you best and tweak your body and hand positions to get you looking your natural in front of the camera.

Amparo Findlay Interiors

Regularly updating your portrait keeps your content current and ensures your potential new clients will be greeted by a familiar face!

If you’re a small business owner looking to update your portrait, let’s connect!

Melanie Kushner Interiors