Train With Mish - Michaela Junglingova
When I met Mish, it was clear straight away how much she cared about her clients, how she took pride in her work and how much experience she had, but still, she had no physical and social proof to support it. It was her time to shine, step up her game and take ownership of who she is. The CEO of her business.
We all get to the point in our businesses when we recognise that it is time to get out of our comfort zone. After years of gaining experiences, testing the water and growing our confidence we all need to get over the way too familiar imposter syndrome, get out of our own way and start establishing ourselves.
Mish' logo was already done and her website was under construction when we started working together. Having the logo and brand identity freshly developed always gives us a head start when it comes to the shoot outline, pinning down the colours, location ideas, editing style and mood for the photographs. Mish had also sent me some photographs she was inspired by which gave me such a great guide to develope her look.
It's a fine line between being inspired by something or copy something. The way I usually find the balance is to start with the composition and set up of the original project and when I place my clients in them my main priority is to emphasise their personalities, quirks and message which will automatically transform everything and lead to something truly authentic and original. Basically always start with the inspo photo or artwork and then don't be afraid to let it go and take over the scene.
Mish' brand identity features only black and gold and feels very strong and powerful. After chatting with her, getting to know her business and the inspiration behind it. I soon realised that her message comes from great personal experiences and growth. She is here to show you that just how she was able to push through and get over obstacles you can do it too. This amazing personal and emotional relationship with ourselves was a foundation that had to be captured. I set my ultimate goal to show how strength, power and determination are in perfect harmony with femininity and delicateness and a hint of sexy.
During Mish' first proper photoshoot the tables have turned and I was the one who was there to build confidence and guide Mish through her shoot. It doesn't come down to being photogenic or not. People think being photogenic is something you either are or not. I have a different theory. After all, it is just our reflection. You can't look better or worse than who you are. You are just you. How you feel during the moment when you are captured will determine if you feel aligned with the refection of you. To bring the best out of you, you need to feel confident and empowered. This was my approach to Mish' shoot as well.
I want to put you in settings and poses where you thrive and blossom, when you feel you are in your sweetspot and everything that's you is celebrated.
Mish was super prepared when the day of the shoot had come. We had the gym booked ages ago, clients to model, make-up artist on location and having the shootplan pinned down to a T. All this has allowed us to enjoy the shoot to the fullest and create images that is truly in alignment with what this business means to Mish. It makes such a great difference, when I can shift my energies and not think about the next frame, set up or purpose and be present and in to moment with you.
After the successful shoot Mish and I went through her images to select a purposeful content for her upcoming website and marketing materials. At this stage, she still only sees the raw images and it is often hard to imagine how the end result will look like. This is the time when you need to have trust in me and the process.
As the gym we've shot in had bright blue walls and light blue lino flooring the images needed some extra magic. I know so many people are quite conflicted when it comes to retouching and photo manipulation but in my opinion, it comes down to what you want to achieve with your images. The camera and raw images are tools and it's up to you what you use them for. Just like a pen, you can write love letters with a pen, your next business plan or sign your divorce papers. This is how I think of photographs and why people use them differently.
I like to use my photos to visualise something internal like your dreams, your message and your ethos.
All of these things are quite abstract and intangible, therefore I often need to reach for tools that would all together create this sensation. And also who doesn't like a little retouch on the skin? When we meet someone, we experience their presence, how they speak, their tone of voice, their body language etc etc When we are looking at a photograph we are staring at someone who was frozen in the moment, leaving plenty of time to notice every little detail. These are the things I like to brush over - pun intended - so when your dream clients come across your profile online they will experience you and not getting lost in the details that you wouldn't even notice in real life. So now I ask, what is reality? Is it what we experience or the actual facts of how it is? Anyways, back to Mish :)
It is always such an exciting, nervous yet very rewarding moment when I send the ready images and show my interpretation of the concept. When I got Mish email back I was reminded yet again why I love what I do so much. Feedback like this is the perfect proof of the success of the consultation session and questionnaire where I can get a very detailed picture of who you are and where you are heading.
Mish images fit her website like a glove and they are a match made in Heaven. Go and see it for yourself. Mish is another great example of how much some effort, planning and investment can elevate your business and attract the right clients for you.
