New Year, New Website
Welcome to JillyJilly Studio 2.0! It’s been a long time coming - I started portfolio building personal brand photography a year ago, chopping and changing packages in response to feedback and second guessing everything thanks to imposter syndrome. Next was trying to hit publish on this website which has taken months but here we are, and done is better than perfect.
I thought I’d share a little about the journey to this point, and general hopes for the future, a bit of a small business life update if you will.
How we got here
I launched JillyJilly Studio in 2020 during lockdown, after 8 years of running an online shop selling illustrated gifts. My favourite part of that business turned out to be the photography, and over the years I’d had friends at markets ask for tips and then offer to pay me to help with their product photos. Etsy UK then selected me as a mentor in Etsy shop photography for an online tutoring program, and I realised I might actually be okay at it.
it’s always a challenge taking my own headshots (holding an old camera)
Fast forward a few years and I’ve been kept busy by a lot of lovely regular clients, hoarded collected an eclectic range of props and backdrops, had work featured in the press (including Apartment Therapy, The Scotsman, and Ideal Home), and decided to expand my photography packages.
Personal Brand Photography
Personal brand photography was very much outside my comfort zone, I know I shouldn’t probably say that but it’s true! I had been used to photographing and styling inanimate objects, on my own (bar using the occasional hand model), in my home studio, at a relaxed pace. I knew it was something I really wanted to do, partly because I felt I was only getting to tell half the story of the brands’ work I photograph, but also because it can be so isolating working by myself!
I am super nosy so I absolutely love visiting your studios and workspaces, hearing your brand stories and learning about your process. It’s such a fun, collaborative experience and has added so much variety to my work life. The shoots can be vibrant, challenging and unexpected - there’s a lot more problem solving and thinking on my feet (despite my best efforts to plan every second!). Allowing space for spontaneity and play means embracing the imperfect moments that often end up being my favourite photos.
It’s a very different way of working for me, but after a year of photographing friends, introductory offers for longterm clients, and testing the waters with strangers, I’m officially launching my personal brand photography packages. Starting with two options: mini headshot shoot, and brand storytelling. You can read more about them here.
Daisy 💔
A New Chapter
Last year was incredibly difficult as our wee Daisy dog had been diagnosed with a serious heart condition which meant high levels of care for months, followed by saying goodbye to her in September. She’d been my partner in crime and work from home friend for 14 years, and losing her has been a huge adjustment.
Now that I have freedom to leave the house, this year I’m trying to embrace opportunities to edit from new spaces and appreciate that I don’t have restrictions on travelling for shoots. I’ve opened brand shoots to Scotland-wide, and I’m going to start a co-working membership that I can use on top of coffee shops.
I’m looking forward to this new chapter where I can balance the quiet of at home product photography with the brand storytelling shoots on location. I hope that this fresh new website will be the first step towards the next phase of my business.
If you are looking for creative personal brand photography, you can find my packages here, check out more of my work here, and get your booking started here.
