Behind the Scenes: It’s Raining Snaps & Dogs!

How a brand photoshoot for a Teesside freelance designer produced some beautiful photos, even in the worst possible weather for natural light 

Elizabeth infront of the Tees-Barage

Read the full case study below, and scroll down to see some of Elizabeth’s fantastic photos from the shoot. 

You can plan every little detail of a photoshoot, from the outfits to the location, but there’s one thing you simply can’t control: the weather. So, early this month, I headed down to Tees Barrage to meet and photograph fellow freelancer Elizabeth. And, when the heavens opened, we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. In fact, Elizabeth and her canine companion Monty worked with me to get some of my favourite shots of the year. 

This shoot proves that just because summer is over, it doesn’t mean you can’t have an outdoor brand shoot. If you are thinking about booking a brand photoshoot with me and are worried about lighting as we get closer to the winter months, hopefully, this case study will prove that whatever the weather, the right brand photographer can get the job done.

About the client

Elizabeth is a freelance designer based in Teesside. She is currently working on a rebrand for her company, Below Two, and she needed updated headshots and brand photos to accompany the forthcoming launch. 

I was introduced to Elizabeth by a fellow freelancer. She was in search of a brand photographer to snap her and her dog Monty so she could use these images across her new website, LinkedIn, Instagram and beyond. 

Within minutes of my initial call with Elizabeth, it was clear we were going to get on! She’s an enthusiastic and smart individual, and she had a really clear idea of what she wanted. So, with a date in the diary, we started looking forward to the shoot. 

On the day

I headed down to meet Elizabeth and Monty at Tees Barrage, an area she’s very familiar with. Teesside is an area historically associated with the steel industry, and the barrage is the feather in its cap. 

Leading up to the photoshoot, we were both checking the weather forecast as we suspected there might be a downfall. The Met Office predicted light drizzle, so we went ahead with the shoot. Little did we know, the day would bring with it quite the storm. But we didn’t let that stop us from getting some amazing shots…

Elizabeth sitting on a wooden bridge, outdoors.

Once the rain became too much to handle, we headed back to Elizabeth’s house for some shoots to promote her podcast work. This also meant we got to feature Elizabeth’s other three loves… her cats!

Then, we had a coffee and the shop owner kindly allowed us to use this as another setting for the shoot. 

All in all, what could have been a total washout turned into a fantastic day - the photos really speak for themselves! 

If you are familiar with my work, then you will know that I typically work in the outdoors with bright colours and clear skies. So, this shoot was both a challenge and a victory for me, as we have some stunning shots taken in lower light, too.

The Star of the show, Elizabeth with Monty and his beautiful bandana.

Now, Elizabeth has a bank of new images which she has now used to update her website, promote guest appearances on podcasts, and accompany social media posts. 

What Elizabeth says

“I hired Lauren in October to craft a set of brand photographs for my marketing design business, from casual and professional photos to some incidental photos to use as background shots on my website - and Lauren 100% understood the assignment! From bringing some of her own tech to 'prop' a few scenes, to getting drenched to capture a photo I wanted in a nature reserve. Professional, timely, detailed and a great communicator. Would recommend and use her again.”

Want a new bank of brand photos to promote your personal brand? Come rain or shine, I’m the brand photographer for you. Get in touch to book a discovery call today.