Brand Photography.
My name is Nicola Claire McClean and I’m a Belfast based food & lifestyle photographer, whose specialisms include brand & restaurant photography. I offer creative food photography, food styling & content creation services to businesses, brands and entrepreneurs across the UK and Ireland.
My Inspiration.
I am a food photographer, a creative with a passion for enjoying the best of local produce and supporting local businesses. I am inspired by seasonal ingredients and how they can be combined to create the most delicious meals & well as new and innovative products from up and coming artisan brands or well established larger producers.
With over 15 years' experience in PR, Communication & Marketing, I understand the pivotal role professional product photography plays when it comes to a brand's presence online, through social media posts, advertising, and a website itself.
It is my passion for marketing, photography and food, that really inspires me to capture the essence of the product, with attention to detail, paramount. I know what to focus on, to ensure the product attributes stand out, with the brand identity and values clearly communicated through the photographs.
“I approached Nicola as I was a huge fan of her previous work. Nicola went into so much detail regarding what I wanted from this shoot, and delivered above and beyond anyone else I’ve ever worked with previously. I have at least 6 months worth of fresh content, which is essential for daily posts and keeping my brand in people’s minds. I feel I received fantastic value for money as I can see the effort and time that went into these images for my brand.”
Peter Baird, Owner & Managing Director, NI Supplements
My Approach.
The way I approach a brand or product photo shoot, is the same way I approach any creative brief or photo call. Ensuring I understand exactly what each client would like from the photography, the style, colours, the food, use of branding, what mood the client would like to create with each shot & what the photos are going to be used for.
To be able to really capture the brand personality, I undertake research to really build a picture of the target audience for the business and key demographic the brand is aimed at, to make sure the photography really resonates with the consumers & customers. Using all the information I have gathered, my next step is to create a mood board to make sure I am 100% aligned with each of my clients, so I can hit the ground running on the day of the photo shoot session and really maximise the time, and the creation of fresh, unique commercial photos.
Creating the mood board for the shoot is one of my favourite parts of the process!
Photoshoot Day.
Preparation is key for any brand photo shoot, whether it's on location or in my home studio. I understand how important an investment in professional photography is, so my aim is always to efficiently capture all the required images, and more if time allows.
From gorgeous pack shots, to striking images of beautifully styled signature dishes, to large table scenes, flat lay images and lifestyle photos, all the key details are captured and accentuated in every frame. I also like to include the human touch, with hands in the pictures, which helps to tell the story of the brand and the product use. This means on viewing consumers will really make the connection with how they will use the products or brand - and how they will fit into their lifestyle.
As much care as it has taken the business to create the product or brand, I echo in the attention to detail I give during each photo shoot and to each photograph during the editing process. I offer food styling, which I have done for each of my brand photography shoots, but also more than happy to work with a food stylist on location.
Let’s Work Together.
If you are interested in working together, please get in touch to tell me more about your project and we can arrange a time to discuss. I can't wait to hear from you.