When it was time for MLAB to do a team photoshoot we needed it to feel like us.
We could have made it easy. Taken the photos outside, with the lake shimmering and the burly mountains rising in our midst. Hired a professional studio or found a plain white wall. There were any number of choices we could have made to make it a quick, don and dusted affair. After all, these images are primarily for promotion, to put on our website. The story behind them doesn’t typically matter. Or does it?
The setting we chose was a wonderfully difficult one. A dressing room at the back of a local designer store called 47 Frocks, replete with floor-to-ceiling mirrors and massive velvety pink curtains. Balancing lighting alone was an epic pain for talented photographer, Jordan Siobhan . It turns out these decisions were very intentional. And very on-brand.
“In the main, people follow a bit of a set formula for professional photoshoots – clothes, hair, makeup, the people and a basic shot list,” says, Michegro. MLAB Chief of Stuff and Things. ” We wanted to play with the idea a bit. We wanted to take the way we work and reflect it in a photoshoot. Nothing twee. Not trying to be someone we’re not. Something that felt more like a celebration of getting to do what we do every day. Something that gave people a behind-the-scenes look at who (and what!) they’ll be dealing with when they partner with our team.”
She’s referring to the way we, the MLAB team, spin off into rabbit holes. Unpack commercial conundrums with as much ferocity as we attempt the Connection (puzzle). The way we try to find a silver lining in even the worst technical assessments. Our method is to balance the seriousness of a solution with a spirit of indomitability and creativity.
Pushing the boat out and doing things differently is our M.O.
And the people we worked with to create this photoshoot? They’re the same.
“I chose 47Frocks not just because of its exquisite collection of clothing but because B and the team have a way of finding play in fashion,” Michegro told us. “high-end design stores can sometimes feel a bit pretentious. At 47 though, it’s like a wardrobe partnership. It was that experimental vibe that I wanted to get across. And with Matt rocking a pink handbag and Lou’s green snakeskin boots, I think we can say, mission accomplished.”
As for Jordan Siobhan, the photographer? “I’ve known Jords for a few years,” smiles Michegro. “Of course, I knew she’s damn good at her job. I love her “nothing-is-an-issue attitude” and her quiet confident leadership behind the lens. She’s exactly what we needed. While we’re bouncing around, she’s grounded and incredibly generous with images and shots. Unlike many in the field, she’s not trying to control the perfect shot. She’s waiting patiently for the perfect moment. She crushes that.”
The result of this meeting of like-minded humans – brands that all know the ‘rules’ of their respective industries and choose the break them anyway, is a photoshoot that couldn’t be more of MLAB, of our team. Respectful, resilient, curious with just a touch of chaos for good fun and good measure.
Like MLAB, both 47Frocks and Jordan know their skills are an important part of the outcome, but that the outcome is ultimately how the client feels when they get that outfit. When they see those images. When they implement that strategy.
At the end of the day, this story isn’t about the need to get photos done for your team. Nor is it about how to use those photos to generate content for socials. It’s about showing how, by knowing the ‘rules’ you can work out how to break them – and get results that truly represents the brand and the people behind it.
At every decision, choose the story of your brand and your business. Not the mould created by others.