Journal · Vol. 01 · 2026
Notes from
behind the camera.
Working notes on creative direction, brand photography, and the strategic decisions made before the shutter clicks. New issues when the work warrants them.
Contents
Employee Testimonial Video Is Won in the Room
I have directed employee testimonial video for Sephora Canada, HR Path, NFL Canada, and alongside Google. The work gets briefed as a camera problem but it is a directing problem, and most of what decides the outcome happens before anyone sits down under lights.
Event Photography and Brand Activation Are Different Jobs
Event photography and brand activation coverage get briefed as one line item and priced as one, and they are two different jobs. I have shot activations for American Express, Salesforce, Amazon, and Nespresso. What event coverage misses at an activation, and how to brief for images the brand keeps using.
What Does a Brand Video Cost? A Creative Director's Answer
What a brand video costs ranges from a few thousand to six figures, and the number alone tells you nothing. A creative director on what sets the price: the four kinds of brand video, what moves the cost, and why the cheap quote is the expensive one.
Luxury Brand Photography Is a Different Discipline
Luxury brand photography is not event coverage with nicer subjects. A creative director on composition, brand book preparation, and campaign standard delivery, from IWC to Michael Kors.
Creative Direction on Set: What It Changes in the Frame
I meet clients with years of photography they paid for and cannot use. What creative direction changes on a brand shoot: the question asked before the camera comes out, the details caught on set, and why content shot without it ages out fast. From Nespresso to Joy Wellness.
What Makes a Brand Campaign Worth Keeping
Most brand campaigns come back competent and get forgotten in a quarter. I have directed campaigns for American Express, TAG Heuer, Michael Kors, and Sephora. What decides whether the images still earn their place months later is the direction, not the camera or the budget.
What Actually Makes Corporate Photography Work in 2026
I have shot corporate events for Google and Sephora, and headshots for LinkedIn and Kenvue. What separates corporate photography a team uses all year from a folder nobody opens twice is not the equipment: it is the decisions made before the camera comes out.
About the Journal
The Journal is the long-form companion to the work. New issues when there is something worth writing about.
See the work →