Eight Years, One Ocean: A Personal Branding Photoshoot in California
Some friendships begin in the most unexpected places.
Kirsten and I first connected through a blog in 2010. Over the next eight years, our friendship grew across oceans, through messages, conversations and the little glimpses of life we shared from opposite sides of the world.
Then, in 2018, I embarked on the solo trip of a lifetime to California. And finally, after eight years of friendship, we met in person.
What followed was more than a personal branding photoshoot. It was time spent together, deepening a friendship that had blossomed across oceans over eight years.
We explored the beautiful coastal neighbourhoods of Encinitas and Oceanside, California, capturing Kirsten in the places where she felt most at home.
Personal Branding Photography for a Life Coach and Artist
Kirsten Incorvaia is an artist, leadership coach and adventurer. She’s someone who believes in possibility, encourages women to pursue their creative dreams and brings an infectious sense of joy to the people around her.
Knowing Kirsten as a friend meant I already understood something important about the woman I was photographing. Her warmth. Her curiosity. Her adventurous spirit. Her ability to make others feel seen and encouraged.
These were the qualities I wanted her photographs to express.
Personal branding photography isn’t simply about creating a collection of professional portraits. It’s about communicating who someone is, what they believe in and what it might feel like to work with them.
For a life coach whose work is built on human connection, those qualities are especially important.
And for an artist, the photographs should leave room for individuality, imagination and a little spontaneity.
I didn’t want Kirsten’s images to feel corporate or overly polished. I wanted them to feel like Kirsten.
A Personal Branding Photoshoot in Encinitas, California
Kirsten welcomed me into her beachside home, and we spent time exploring the places that formed part of her everyday life.
We wandered through her neighbourhood, shared coffee and soaked up the beautiful Californian coastal light.
As the afternoon softened towards sunset, we found ourselves chasing those fleeting moments when everything seems to glow. We simply wandered with the intention of discovering beauty together, allowing the moments, places and light we encountered to inspire the photographs along the way.
One of the things I love most about photographing people is discovering how their surroundings can become part of their story.
A favourite street. A familiar landscape. A home filled with personal treasures. Somewhere that brings them a sense of freedom or belonging.
Why I Photograph People in Places That Tell Their Stories
Before becoming a photographer, I spent many years working as a landscape architect. That experience shaped the way I see places, light and the relationship between people and their surroundings.
I’m naturally drawn to the outdoors, particularly when photographing creative women whose lives and businesses are inspired by nature, wellness, travel or the places they love.
But a meaningful location doesn’t have to be outdoors.
It might be a beautiful light-filled home, an artist’s studio, a favourite café or a thoughtfully designed interior.
What matters is finding somewhere that feels connected to the person we’re photographing.
With Kirsten, California’s coastal landscape is part of her world. She’s a free spirit, happiest in nature, and that’s where I feel she’s best captured.
Rather than asking her to become someone else for the camera, I wanted to capture the woman I’d come to know over eight years of friendship.
That’s the approach I bring to my personal branding photography today: portraits of people, in places that tell their stories.
Personal Branding Portraits That Feel Like You
Being photographed can feel vulnerable, particularly when you’re the face of your own business.
You’re not simply asking someone to take a flattering photograph. You’re trusting them to represent you.
I know that feeling myself, having built a creative business and experienced the challenge of putting my own face, work and ideas into the world.
It’s one of the reasons I particularly enjoy photographing women who are building businesses around their talents, experiences and beliefs.
Artists, coaches, designers, wellness practitioners and creative founders all have something distinctive to share.
My role is to listen, understand what makes them different and create photographs that help communicate it.
Beautiful light and thoughtful composition matter, of course. But so does conversation. So does trust. And so does making space for someone to relax and be themselves.
The result should be more than a lovely portrait.
It should help the right people recognise you, connect with your story and feel confident taking the next step towards working with you.
A Few Words From Kirsten
“These pics are a cherished memory! I can’t recommend Kylie enough to any artist who wants to accelerate their creative dreams. She brings the perfect balance of genuine cheerleader and practical guide. I’ve always felt like Kylie fully enters into my vision with me, witnessing and validating what’s possible. I’m so grateful to have Kylie in my corner as I move toward my artistic dreams.”
You can discover more about Kirsten’s work as an artist and leadership coach at kirsteninc.com.
Looking for Personal Branding Photography in Brisbane?
Although Kirsten’s photographs were created during a very special trip to California, the philosophy behind them is the same one I bring to my photography in Brisbane and beyond.
My approach to personal branding photography in Brisbane is natural, thoughtful and deeply personal, creating portraits that reflect who you are, the work you do and the places that matter to you.
Whether you’re an artist, life coach, creative entrepreneur or founder, I’d love to hear your story.
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