Branding Session for Swan & Associates in Culver City

Posted on by kikipolo

As a Culver City branding photographer, I love sessions that show a business owner at work. This branding session with Natalie of Swan & Associates is a great example.

About Swan & Associates

Natalie runs Swan & Associates, a marketing strategy firm. Her team helps B2B companies streamline and scale revenue generation. She also works as a Fractional CMO, so clients bring her in as part of their leadership team.

When we worked together, Natalie was launching her new business. As a result, she needed fresh, professional images for her website and LinkedIn profile.

A Branding Session at Her Home Office

We photographed the session at Natalie’s home office in Culver City. Shooting in her own workspace made the images feel real. After all, this is where she meets clients and builds strategy.

Natalie also brought in a hair and makeup artist before the shoot. That step made a real difference. Professional hair and makeup gives a polished, camera-ready look and keeps skin even under the light, so the final images feel refined and consistent.

Her office had green plants and framed landscape photographs on the walls. These details added warmth without pulling attention from her.

Images That Show Her at Work

For a consultant, clients want to see how you work, not just how you look. So we created a mix of images:

  • Classic headshots against a clean, light wall
  • Working shots at her desk with her laptop and phone
  • Video-call style shots with her ring light setup
  • Candid, smiling moments that feel approachable

Her textured, colorful jacket added personality while keeping the look polished and professional.

Polished, On-Brand Images for LinkedIn and Her Website

Every image needed to match her brand. Natalie works with executives, so the photos had to feel credible and professional. At the same time, she wanted them to feel warm and personable.

The final gallery gave her a full set of options. For example, she could use headshots on LinkedIn and working shots across her website. In addition, the variety gives her content for future posts and updates.

Smiling woman with laptop during a branding session in Culver City Woman holding phone during a branding session in Culver City Woman working at desk during a branding session in Culver City Close-up branding portrait of a smiling woman in Culver City

Planning Your Own Branding Session

If you are launching a new business or refreshing your brand, a branding session is a smart investment. Before the shoot, we talk through your goals, location, and styling. During the session, I guide you so the experience stays relaxed and easy.

Looking for a Culver City branding photographer? See more on my Branding page, or reach out through the contact form to start planning your session.

A Venice Portrait Session That the City Styled Itself

Posted on by kikipolo

Full-length portrait of a young woman in a black top and distressed jeans smiling in front of a colorful heart graffiti mural wall in Los Angeles, California, portrait photography by Kiki Polo Photography  Close-up headshot of a young woman with long dark hair, delicate drop earrings, and a gold necklace against a colorful painted mural wall in Los Angeles, California, portrait photography by Kiki Polo Photography  Three-quarter portrait of a young woman with long dark hair and green earrings smiling against a colorful mural wall in West Los Angeles, California, portrait photography by Kiki Polo Photography   Santa Monica headshot portrait photographer Kiki Polo Photography

Some sessions plan themselves. This one did.

My client wanted headshots that did not feel like headshots. Professional but not stiff. Something she could actually use on LinkedIn without cringing at it six months later.

We landed on Venice. I always land on Venice.

The mural wall was not the plan. We walked past it and that was it. We shot close-up headshots there, then three-quarter frames, then full-length. Then moved to a second spot with more green for something softer.

Los Angeles does this. You just have to show up and pay attention.

The carousel on Instagram shows how different each frame feels while still reading as one session. That range is the whole point. One shoot, and she walked away with a LinkedIn photo, a website header, and something real for social.

I shoot portraits and headshots on location throughout West Los Angeles, including Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, and Malibu. Reach out through the contact page when you are ready.