For this artist’s Accelerator Brand Photography Package, I wanted to showcase Karah’s adorable home painting space in her cozy Oakland apartment. She typically paints with natural light pouring in through the open windows, surrounded by succulents and cacti, the chicory smell of fresh-brewed coffee wafting through the room.

So I simply recreated a typical painting day for her brand photography shoot, minimal re-arranging required.

I’ve been friends with Karah since we were 14, and it’s been such a joy to watch her grow as an artist over the years. Even as a freshmen in high school, Karah would create the most beautifully decorated notes for her friends and fold them into intricate, delicate shapes. Each letter she passed me in Western Civ felt like a unique treasure made just for me.

Karah continues to spread her love through her unique vision, making each recipient of her work feel special and joyful. She played a big role in my decision to pursue my passion for painting, and I continue to be inspired by this beautiful artist and friend.

To learn more about Karah’s inspiration, read my brand photography Q&A with this artist below! And be sure to follow her on Instagram.

1. Tell me about you and your beautiful art! What is the inspiration behind your watercolors? What do you hope your customers feel when they display your work in their homes?

There is something very hopeful to me about painting and drawing. I love the way that it can be used in various ways to express the artist’s story or perspective.

In spite of the challenges I have faced as a woman living in a city far from where I grew up, I feel a sense of being at home when I paint which has allowed me to face things I am afraid of and feel safe. I really revere the home because it is an extension of the self.

Another benefit to me is how art connects me to my family. My mother and sisters are interior designers and visual artists, so it’s fun for us to talk about our work and share our visions and insights.

Ultimately, my goal as an artist is to create a safe space on a page. I hope my art can bring light to the spaces that need it and be a point of connection for those who view it.

2. What was your motivation or vision behind your brand photography session? What did you want to communicate with your pictures?

I wanted to create an online space which could be another extension of my own physical home but then felt pulled back to school and have been busy being a student, so haven’t used them in that way yet.

3. What did you feel when you first saw the photos?

I felt a lot of joy when I first saw the photos because they are like a diary of our creative play. I love spending time with Courtney and she put me at such ease, which I think you can see when you look through them. As an artist you can really see the technical skill and craftsmanship, crafts-womanship that Courtney brings; that is why she is the only one I would hire to shoot my wedding (and did back in 2015!)

4. What was it like to work with me in your brand photography session? Feel free to write anything about the preparation process and the shoot itself!

Haha, what is it like? Well, it’s super laid-back, casual, I think there was tea at some point…? Courtney brings so much energy to her work that I felt like I could follow her lead. I think I also made a couple of requests for set-up and was delighted that she let me be a picky artist and agreed to try new things.

5. How have you used the photos I created for you (or how do you plan to use them?) In what ways has your brand photography helped your business (or in what ways do you hope they’ll help your business?)

I’m excited to launch a blog and a business with these photos. Even though I’m in school now and not using them just yet for marketing, they are a good reminder of my hopes.

6. What is next for you as an artist?

I am inspired by so much of the fantastic art I see in the Bay Area. I plan to visit a few local exhibitions such as the upcoming show at The Long Weekend Store and at the SF MOMA and hope to get connected with other artists in my neighborhood as a way to build friendships with other artists.

Are you an artist, musician, or maker looking for photos to show off your unique vision? I’d love to collaborate with you to help you visually communicate your brand! Check out my professional brand photography services for creatives and give me a a shout! Get ready to flaunt your work and elevate your brand!

The post Karah Leibovich | Oakland Watercolor Artist | Brand Photography for Artists and Makers appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

After meeting together to clarify her vision and branding goals, we came up with a game-plan and started building our creative team for her session. Erin found 2 models and brought along a stylist, and I brought my fab creative assistant Veronica to help the session run smoothly.

We settled on the Haw River Ballroom for our location– between the ample natural light upstairs and the dreamy river nearby we would have a variety of backdrops for the photos. The session lasted several hours and included several outfit + styling + backdrop changes. By the end of the night, we were all happily exhausted and energized from a productive session of creating! Erin answered a few questions about her experience in the Q&A below:

1. Tell me about you and your beautiful art! What is the inspiration behind your jewelry? What do you hope your customers feel when they wear your pieces?

My jewelry is made of hand painted glass. Each glass pendant is painted by me using a variety of techniques: freehand painting, stamping or blowing air. Due to the unique nature of each piece, the painting is one of a kind work of art and cannot be duplicated. I then set the glass inside my handmade wooden necklaces that are designed, cut, and finished in my North Raleigh studio. The inspiration behind my jewelry is my love of color, which is a big focus in my fine art painting. I hope customers feel emboldened by wearing my jewelry; that it raises their confidence level and makes them feel as though the jewelry helps to express who they are on the inside to the outside world.

2. What was your motivation or vision behind this photo shoot? What did you want to communicate with your pictures?

My jewelry is composed of primarily statement pieces that are one of a kind. My vision was to show my potential customers what the jewelry looks like on a woman-what she might wear with it, how it might enhance her outfit, and how a woman might feel in my jewelry. I also wanted to show women who embody my target audience and Amber and Michelle, who graciously agreed to model for the shoot, absolutely do that.

3. What did you feel when you first saw the photos?

I was really excited to see the photos. Courtney has a great eye for composition and lighting, and those talents along with the talents of the models just really came together to create several wonderful shots. 

4. What was it like to work with me? Feel free to write anything about the preparation process and the shoot itself!

Courtney was very professional at the shoot. She knows the photo site well and what times are best for lighting and mood to help capture the shots that she knew I wanted. She told me what to expect as far as when I would receive the photos and organized all the photos into folders for use in different places-website, social media and print. She is very organized, anticipating questions I might have and I felt confident that I had hired the right person throughout the process.

5. How have you used the photos I created for you? In what ways have they helped your business?

Yes, I have used the photos a lot. I use them on social media to promote my brand and my individual listings. I also printed a few pictures to have on the table in my booth set up at craft fairs and even had three favorites printed as banners to hang in my booth. They are a great attention getter and really help show who my “girl” is from far away, enticing customers who might have otherwise walked right past my booth.

6) What’s next for you as an artist and small-business owner?

My goals are to keep making products that I love and committing to shows that I enjoy and have done well at in the area. I really want to focus on doing fewer shows of higher quality this year. I enjoy selling online through my Etsy shop as well and plan to continue growing my online presence.

Wanna learn more about Erin and snag your own statement necklace? Connect with her here:

• Erin’s Website
• Erin’s Instagram
• Erin’s Etsy Shop

Are you a creative professional who needs help refining and visually communicating your brand? Learn more about ways we can partner together here.

Creative Assistant: Veronica Arenander

Models: Amber Carroll Santibanez +  Michelle Roman

Location: Haw River Ballroom

The post Erin Stesch | Raleigh Jewelry Maker | Visual Branding Session appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

I collaborated with her harp-horn duo Apple Orange Pair in 2013 for promo materials for their professional headshots and album release, so I knew first-hand how great it is to work with her. (Check out their marvelous pics here!)

One of my favorite parts of photographing fellow creatives is witnessing their evolution in their chosen field. Colleen has accomplished so much since I last photographed her (like becoming the first harpist to have earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale), and I wanted her to celebrate her achievements and have fun with this shoot.

Colleen is a super-talented, accomplished musician, so I highlight her unique skills by picking a location that wasn’t expected (i.e. a performance stage in a music hall). We spent the bulk of her session on the cobblestone streets in Old Towne Petersburg– a funky, fun little spot outside of Richmond VA where Colleen works.

I love the final product, which show off my sister’s beauty and mastery of her instrument.

What do you think? Want some fresh headshots of your own? I have two headshots photography packages tailored just for creatives– give them a peek and drop me a line!

The post Colleen Thorubrn | Richmond Harpist | RVA Musician Headshots appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

So Sakina and I spent a dance-filled afternoon at the old river mill in Saxapahaw, N.C.  I’ve taken 14 weeks of contemporary dance under her instruction, but it was great to get to know her better outside of the studio.  She shared a bit of her story with me, and learning about what drives her passion for dance made me appreciate even more the beauty and talent of this amazing dancer.

Sakina has always danced, but she took a long break from it when her then-boyfriend persuaded her to pursue a more lucrative career. After several of years of living without dance, she realized how much it was a part of her and decided to pursue her dreams of being a professional dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor.

Her boyfriend didn’t approve, but she chose to not let go of her passion again. So Sakina broke off their engagement and moved to Durham.  When I asked her if she regretted any of this, she told me, no- she is so happy now and wouldn’t change any of her decisions. Dance is who she is.

Stories like Sakina’s really inspire me to keep dancing, expressing myself, making, creating. It is never too late to pursue your dreams and do what you love. It doesn’t matter that I never trained as a dancer when I was younger; I can find joy in it now and really push myself to grow as a dancer and artist.

Loved these photos? Are you a dancer, musician, artist, or a maker in need of  artful portraits that convey your passion? Choose between my two packages tailored just for creative professionals!

The post Sakina | Hip-Hop Dancer | Branding Photography for Dancers appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Dance has become an important part of my life since college.  I did the whole “ballet/jazz/tap” thing as a kid, dropped out to focus on gymnastics, and then dropped out of that to focus on music, then photography.  I never did pointe or more advanced dance work and always regretted it….until I discovered the fabulous Ninth Street Dance in Durham.  It’s a gem of a dance studio that offers classes to anyone- dance background or no dance background.

I’ve danced into my thirties, quite joyfully! But since I’ll probably never have the swag of a hip-hop dancer or the grace and balance as a pointe dancer, I’ll settle for collaborating with them on creating dance portraits, living vicariously through their beautiful movements.

Loved these photos? Are you a dancer, musician, artist, or a maker in need of  artful portraits that convey your passion? Choose between my two packages tailored just for creative professionals!

The post Jessica | Dance Photography | Ninth Street Dance appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Apple Orange Pair is made up of horn player Emily Boyer and harpist Colleen Thorburn (who happens to be my big sister- check out the creative headshots I provided for her in 2017!) Harp + horn is an atypical combo, but Colleen + Emily make it go together as deliciously as PB&J. These talented musicians are offering something so unique to the classical music world

For this shoot, I wanted to create unconventional promo photos that underscore just how unique and wonderful Emily & Colleen are. We chose the New Haven Train Station for a funkier feel, and then moved indoors for a more formal look.

Loved these photos? Are you an emerging artist recording your first album? I’d love to partner with you! Check out my photo packages tailored just for creatives, and drop me a line!

The post Apple Orange Pair | Classical Duo Album Cover | New England Music Photographer appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.