BRAND PHOTOSHOOT FEATURING JOANNA ABORHEY
When Your Client Is Also a Kindred Spirit: A Branding Session with Joanna Aborjey, author of Self’s Song.
There are sessions where you show up, do beautiful work, and go home happy.
And then there are sessions that feel like something more — where you realise mid-shoot that you and your client are cut from the same cloth.
My recent session with the talented creator behind @theselfssong was the second kind.
Two Creators, One Studio, A Whole Lot of Yellow
From the moment she arrived with those gorgeous yellow props — her book, her vision, her energy — I knew this was going to be a session I'd remember. She came prepared, she came intentional, and she came ready to own every frame.
We shot at a bright, airy space that let her personality lead. Warm tones, beautiful light, and a subject who clearly knows her brand inside and out. As a photographer, those are the ingredients that make your job feel less like work and more like play.
The Kindred Spirit Part
Here's what made this session feel a little different for me personally.
She's a new author.
And so am I.
There's something quietly powerful about sitting across from someone who has done the deeply vulnerable thing of putting their words into a book and sending it out into the world. I know what that journey feels like — the late nights, the self-doubt, the moment you hold the finished copy in your hands and feel equal parts terrified and proud.
We didn't need to explain any of that to each other. We just knew.
Her poetry book, Self’s Song, carries that same spirit — introspective, soulful, and rooted in authentic self-expression. If you haven't discovered her work yet, go find her.
Why Brand Photos Matter for Authors
One thing I've learned on my own author journey is that the book is only part of the story. You are the other part.
Readers don't just buy books — they buy into the person behind them. They want to see your face, feel your energy, understand who you are before they commit hours of their life to your words. Professional brand photos give them that — a visual first impression that says this person is the real deal.
Whether you're launching a debut title, building your author platform, or simply stepping into your identity as a writer, having images that reflect your vision changes everything.
Thinking About Your Own Session?
If you're an entrepreneur, creator, or author in the Mississauga, Oakville or Burlington area and you've been thinking about brand photos — I'd love to hear from you. Spring availability is open and sessions now include Instagram Reels content so you walk away with everything you need to show up confidently online.
