A photoshoot with Philippa Rose Cake Design
So I’m standing in Philippa Rose Cake Design’s actual kitchen (which is gorgeous by the way!) and I’m looking for decent light on a pretty dreich day – we’re in Scotland so it’s just what you get anytime you plan for an indoor session. And honestly, I’m really quite excited about this shoot! It had been planned for ages, but well…covid and all that hit so this was the first time that restrictions were lifted enough for us to be able to do it.
The best bit about this session was genuinely the planning!
There is something so ridiculously awesome about working with someone who just GETS IT!
Someone who runs their own business so you have that in common.
Someone who juggles it around the kids and everything they need…so you have that in common.
And someone who just gets how branding works and why you totally NEED it in your business!
Pippa had been thinking about getting some brand photography done for a while and I had been thinking about offering this as another branch of my business so it was more than a little serendipitous.
You’re asking what personal branding photography is aren’t you? Possibly not but I’m gonna explain it anyway!
Well it’s not just a head shot!
And actually that’s quite nice because it means we can loosen you up a little by taking photographs of the tools you use, or photograph you doing what you do best - not just generally smiling at the camera...I know you hate that right?!
A personal branding session provides you with a range of images that keep your social media on point for a good chunk of time.
It gives you plenty of gorgeous images that are created with your branding in mind which you can use to flood your website with.
Most importantly it offers the chance for you to properly stand out in the crazy busy marketplace that all small businesses are in amongst.
So…how did we go about it? Well…
We started with a little Q and A session.
I wanted to know how she got into the bespoke wedding cake designing field, what her short and long term goals were for her business, who her ideal clients were, what her current branding looked like, how she wanted to come across in her images. All of this sounds quite intense but the reality is that most business owners, be it small or not so small, totally know this and if they don’t, well I can help with that too.
Once we had run through this process we started planning the actual shoot. Where it would take place and when – we both have kids to work around so that’s what we did!
I got her to send me any images she liked the look of elsewhere and we used these to plan out the session.
And then after much prep I was standing in her perfectly styled kitchen getting a little giddy!
So we started with the cakes. After all if you are going to advertise your cakes on your website/Facebook/Insta then you sure as hell should have some decent photos of them to draw people in right?
I’m not gonna lie…these cakes are epic!
The detail in the flowers is insane but Pippa shrugs off compliments modestly despite the fact that I know she works her backside off to make sure every little detail is spot on.
Years ago I photographed a dinosaur birthday cake that she had made. I remember popping round to her kitchen and watching as she put the finishing touches to it. She was an absolute perfectionist! She repositioned parts of it until they were just right as I quizzed her about how long it takes to do something like that. I was astounded at the response but also not entirely surprised.
It’s certainly not just baking a cake!
After the cakes, we moved on to getting some shots of her in her chef’s jacket (which is super fancy with her logo embroidered on it). She did a few Superman style costume changes and we took a variety of images of her at work and a couple of her doing what she loves too. We did the headshot thing too – just because you kinda need to...and I mean look how stunning!
We took some shots of her tools of the trade and we did some styled shots of her cake samples. As a total Brucie Bonus I got some to take away with me. Oh.My.Heaven! Genuinely there are no words.
And as we worked we chatted. All things young kids and running a business around them. But I wanted to know a bit more about her too (I do love a story!). She started out as an Events Manager running beer and whisky shows but when she moved up here from Birmingham with her husband Chris, she turned her love of baking to relax into something more concrete. She officially started the business in 2014 and since then had a couple of little buns in her own oven which she baked to perfection too. Olivia (6) and Harvey (2).
She talked about how Chris was a great support…this was pretty evident as he was currently running around in the other room attempting to keep their youngest wee cracker from photobombing the session.
She has extensively trained and studied her craft including night classes with Suzanne Esper. It’s all about the nights for mums with businesses. It’s when we get stuff done!!
“I love being able to be at home. I like being my own boss. I love that it takes me to some gorgeous venues to set up the cakes. But the tough side of it is finding time to get things done with a young family. There’s never enough time and it’s hard working from home and totally ignoring the housework, washing and ironing that needs to be done. Having to be the book-keeper, social media manager, marketing guru is hard going too.”
We spoke at length about the flowers she creates for her cakes. This is her favourite part of her job and you can tell when you look closely at them. I can barely rustle up a brownie so I’m pretty in awe of this carefully crafted skill that perhaps isn’t always valued in the way that is should be? This is certainly not just a hobby.
I asked her about who she loves working with,
“…someone who likes the finer things in life. Has an idea of what they want their cake to look like but who is also open to advice on what works well together. Someone who likes elegant, chic and classic looking cakes with sharp edges, fine details and lots of beautiful flowers to create a wow factor.”
Can’t help but think this is Sex in the City summed up in a client and a cake!
As we worked through the shoot list there were a few that were particularly important to her to show her clients. She wanted the cup of tea shot and also some with prosecco because these are the things she does to relax when she’s not working. She loves a good book, a movie (bonus points if it’s a Harry Potter one) and she will even be partial to spending her spare time working on her flowers.
I hear this a lot from women who run small businesses. It’s not just a business, it’s a total all encompassing passion. It never just ends at 5 o’clock…despite some of us wishing now and again that it would just for a little while.
And so, after a full morning of giggling, styling, costume changes and me standing precariously on chairs above cakes, we were done.
Actual rare, behind the scenes footage of me in action right here!
Pippa is now in possession of a gallery of images that are consistent with her brand, that show her clients who she is, what she produces and how she goes about it. She can use the images to promote the hell out of her amazing cakes and she can immediately pull them onto social media whenever she likes and without any faffing. How good is that?
As this epic year of uncertainty begins to draw to an end and everyone starts to look forward to a time when things might get back to something more like normal (I know this is perhaps wishful thinking but let’s try and keep it positive!) I am starting to plan what my business will look like next year and how I will continue to grow and develop it.
Are you doing that too?
Click here for more info on how we can develop your brand together.
Personal Branding and Headshots in Dundee and Angus
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And if you are in the market for a truly spectacular wedding cake then look no further than Pippa and her fabulous Kitchen of Cake Design. I can with utter confidence say you will be blown away by her. This girl has got skills!!! But more than that, she bakes a seriously tasty cake! She’s down to earth, great fun to work with, is skilled in her craft and is totally dedicated to getting things just right, oh and she doesn’t mind cracking open a bottle of prosecco at 10.30 in the morning – just for photographs obviously! Lol!
