March 04, 2019

Noel Herbal Skincare | Somerville Small Business | Creative Entrepreneur Lifestyle Portrait & Product Photography

March 04, 2019/ Lorna Stell

Noel Herbal Skincare, based in Somerville, MA, was founded by Shannon Curtis who has been an esthetician for over 15 years! Shannon and I first connected through a Facebook group where she shared that she had some big dreams for her business, and she was working on learning how to brand and promote her work. I have always been fascinated by branding, and Shannon and I connected over the value of visual imagery when it comes to upleveling the overall perception of small businesses.

This environmental portrait session we did together created the perfect imagery for Shannon’s website, Instagram, online shop, emails, and more. Anywhere you market yourself, you can use your custom photography!

June 06, 2016

Somerville Small Business Product and Lifestyle Handmade Jewelry Photography | Linkouture

June 06, 2016/ Lorna Stell

Whenever I get to work with fellow entrepreneurs and creatives and see their success, I feel like such a proud mama! When you own your own business AND you’re a solopreneur, sometimes it feels like it takes forever for all the pieces to fall into place and for everything to work together seamlessly for you to achieve your goals. As a photographer and someone who does their fair share of shopping online, I can say that cohesive visual elements and imagery make a huuuge difference in the perception of a product! Having seen the “before and after” of Linkouture’s imagery, I can say that Bev's new photography for her business works wonders for showing off the quality she’s capable of creating!

May 16, 2016

Boston Winter To Spring Fashion + Style Photography | Fashion On The 4th Floor, Chapter Five

May 16, 2016/ Lorna Stell

Diane and I have been doing her sessions in Somerville the most, but this outfit was the first we featured in Boston! Ever since I discovered this building, I’ve been dying to shoot in this little hidden gem of the city. So so glad it worked out this day! Sure, we could have just as easily taken photos on any city sidewalk, but isn’t this big white room with gold features just magical?

If you couldn’t tell from looking at my Rebranding series, this building is SO me. Big, bright spaces that feel airy and energized, along with marbled, metallic, and organic details, not to mention a huge skylight up above (not pictured I’m afraid)! It reminds me a bit of a museum. Anyone else feel right at home in high-ceilinged, modern museums with marble floors?

April 18, 2016

Rebranding: That "Me Too" Moment

April 18, 2016/ Lorna Stell

I recently decided to create a survey and call up some of my portrait clients from 2015. I didn’t get to chat with every one of you sadly, but those of you I did get to talk with taught me SO much. I am so grateful for the time you spent sharing your thoughts with me and showing me what’s most important to you in life. I ended up asking you about everything from what your dream house would be like, to what you're most often frustrated by, to how you want to be seen by others (Seriously. We got DEEP and I cannot thank you all enough for sharing these things with me)! I discovered some amazing things, which my Dream Clients all have in common, that made me feel so elated and encouraged! Read on to learn what I discovered!

April 11, 2016

Rebranding: It's Happening!

April 11, 2016/ Lorna Stell

Here’s my deep, dark secret: I designed my current logo myself, somewhere around 2011, when I was a senior in college studying studio art with a concentration in graphic design. Seriously. If you know me personally, you might be totally surprised if you haven’t heard that before because I would NEVER touch a design project today.

I share all that to say, I have learned SO much lately about the true worth of hiring a creative expert. Not cutting corners when you have the choice to invest in something great, that will elevate your experiences in life and business. Choosing to trust a creative business owner to do what they do best. Choosing to focus your energy on the things you do best, rather than trying to wear ALL the hats, and fumbling around with the ones that don’t fit quite right.

I am done trying to “make it work” myself when it comes to my branding, because while I have learned so much through this process, I am totally not a branding expert! The awesome part is, I got connected with someone who is!

November 09, 2015

Charles River Esplanade Professional Portrait Photography | Andrea Schroll

November 09, 2015/ Lorna Stell

Let me first open this post by saying social media is really cool, but for reasons that have recently surprised me! It can be too easy to get sucked into aimlessly scrolling through Facebook's or Instagram's feeds (speaking for myself here!), but with intention, the power of social media can totally be put to greater use!

I discovered this firsthand recently when Andrea and I connected in a Facebook group. I had put out an "open call" to other entrepreneurs and small business owners, just looking to make some friendly connections with other people who share similar values in life and business. Andrea responded to my post online, and we ended up chatting over coffee for a couple hours soon after! It was so exciting to meet another woman at a similar place in her business, and get to talk about business and life in general with her! I didn't expect to book any photo sessions from a little Facebook post, but as we sat talking, Andrea told me she wanted new professional photography to use for her business. I couldn't wait to plan this session for her and bring fresh, personalized imagery to her brand!