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Something a bit different from me today – introducing Francesca, aka The Gifty One!
The very talented Francesca commissioned me recently to take some images for her one-woman-brand, The Gifty One. Branding shoots are always really fun for me because it’s such a collaborative process (and lord knows I love to chat). I work with the client closely so that the images we get on the day will help to realise their ideas for their business and push it forward, and it was great to find a kindred spirit in Francesca – she has such a friendly, quirky vibe that it was a pleasure to hang out and get to know more about her vision for The Gifty One.
When I’m taking brand images it’s helpful for the client to have a strong understanding of where their business is at the moment and where they want it to go. Francesca has that. Her business, The Gifty One, has two prongs, but they’re united by one ethos – to make art affordable to all.
Francesca’s vision is that everyone can get to enjoy art in their home, no matter the size of their wallet. Disheartened by commercial high street galleries with high price tags, her long-term dream is to open a gallery that sells art at an affordable price point – a space where any person can feel comfortable to come in and have a nosey. The Gifty One is a step towards that – Francesca sells bespoke large-scale paintings and small Christmas decorations at really affordable prices.
Before the day of the shoot, I always have a video call with the client so that I can learn about the business, any branding colours or logos they might already have, and what sort of look and feel they have imagined for the images. We come up with a kind of storyboard for the day so that we have a plan for what we need to capture, so nothing gets missed.
What Francesca needed was not only product images of the paintings and festive decorations that she sells, but also some branding images so that potential buyers can understand her, the person behind the business, and her creative process. Showcasing Francesca’s ethos and mission was really important – it’s part of what makes her unique.
To achieve this, I got Francesca to walk me through her creative process from start to finish. She talked to me about concept, then showed me her sketchbook, where those ideas start to take real shape. I got to see her Christmas decoration designs developed into prototypes, and some of her paintings in progress, and then the final products. The images I took will show Francesca’s customers how she takes an idea from a thought through to a finished product. Not only will they give her plenty of content for her social channels, but they’ll also give an insight into the person behind the business, right down to the everyday eccentricities (Francesca always wears her sunnies on her head, just in case…!)
One of Francesca’s skills is working with her customers on painting commissions. The service she offers is ideal for anyone who has an idea for an artwork they want but doesn’t know how to pull it off themselves. While we were working together I got to see Francesca put this into practice: we were chatting away about covid restrictions and she grabbed her sketch pad and started scribbling away while we talked about the way the lockdown had affected people differently throughout the UK. The artwork she created, even in this brief period, was fantastic – what an incredible skill, to create something spontaneously, inspired by our conversation. I was really privileged to spend that time with Francesca and I’m hoping that the images I took will help her take The Gifty One from strength to strength – if you’re inspired by her ethos, take a look at her website or insta where you can see her paintings and Christmas decorations in their full glory.
Leamington Spa, Warwick and Coventry Corporate Photography
