When Olga Attebery first reached out, she was getting ready to launch her private practice, Tranquil Hope, a space where she helps women heal from betrayal trauma and rebuild a sense of safety, identity, and self worth. Her current headshots were years old, and she felt like she looked like a different person now anyway. She needed something updated for her website, her email signature, and directories like Psychology Today.

She came into our first call thinking she just needed a couple of headshots. But as she talked through her vision for Tranquil Hope, it became clear she needed more than a handful of polished portraits. Launching a practice means building an entire visual identity from scratch, and that takes more than headshots alone can deliver. Once we talked through what a full branding session could give her across her website, social media, and marketing, she made the call to go that direction instead.

The Strategy Call

Before we ever picked up a camera, we talked through what Tranquil Hope needed to feel like. Olga wanted approachable and warm, not stuffy or corporate. She'd looked at other therapist websites and landed on wanting a mix of settings: some outdoor shots with natural light, and some indoor shots that felt like the space clients would actually see her in during session.

We built out a full shot list together: professional headshots for her directories and About page, desk shots working with a laptop or journal, relaxed seated poses on a couch or chair, and detail shots featuring props like her favorite mug, a stack of books, and a journal to reinforce that tranquil, grounded feel. We also planned a top down shot of her writing in a notebook, inspired by something she'd pinned from a Pinterest board she'd been building.

Olga was specific about what she did and didn't want, and that made all the difference. She knew right away she didn't want anything too posed or stiff, and she wanted the studio elements to lean into jewel tones and neutrals rather than anything industrial. When she saw a blue accent wall with a fireplace facade at Meraki Studios, along with some rich jewel toned chairs, she knew that was the vibe she wanted to build the session around.

For outfits, Olga brought three distinct looks: a green leather dress, a crisp white striped blazer, and a bold blue blazer, giving us a solid mix of professional and approachable energy to work with across the session.

The Shoot

We shot the session at Meraki Studios in Norcross, a space with multiple settings that let us create a real variety of looks without ever leaving the building. Olga moved through her three outfits with ease, and each one gave the gallery a different feel: soft and polished in the green dress, crisp and confident in the white blazer, bold and grounded in the blue.

We worked through professional headshots, relaxed lifestyle shots, and detail images with her books, journal, and mug woven throughout. Because we had planned the shot list together ahead of time, we were able to move efficiently through each setup while still leaving room to adjust in the moment, which is exactly what let us capture images that felt both professional and true to who she is.

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The Follow Up

After delivery, Olga said:

"Thank you so much! The photos are beautiful! I really appreciate the quick turnaround time. You were a pleasure to work with and made the process so enjoyable. I hope we have the opportunity to work together again."

Helping someone step into a new chapter with confidence and clarity, that's what it's all about.

If you're launching your own practice or ready for photos that feel aligned with who you are and what you do, let's talk about what your session could look like.

Get ready to launch!

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