How brand photography helps tell a story
Case study: Capturing movement and inclusion with Sport for Confidence
When I was approached by Sport for Confidence, I knew this project would be a little different. Most of the time I work with personal brands or small businesses where the focus is on one founder or a small team. But SFC operates across numerous venues, delivering movement sessions for some of the most vulnerable people and the heart of their work lies in the connections between Occupational Therapists and sports coaches, participants and volunteers with lived experience and physical activity.
Translating a complex brief into storytelling brand images
The creative brief was thoughtful and detailed, yet left room for creativity and instinct. The team wanted photos that showed emotion, focus and relationships rather than “sporty” images. The goal was to capture therapy through movement and show how physical activity can be a tool to build confidence, connection and purpose.
The direction came cumulatively from their CEO, creative director and a team of OTs and sports coaches who facilitate the sessions. They also shared their Blueprint document they wanted to fill with final photos, which became my anchor for the day.
In preparation, I created a word cloud from it that set the tone for my approach on the day:
celebrating difference, challenging bias, advancing inclusion, connecting unique needs with personalised ways of engaging, participant-led planning, physical activity as a tool to build relationships, develop skills and find purpose.
Working together on the day of the photoshoot
The day took us through multiple spaces: green open areas outside the leisure centre, different studios in the Harrow Lodge Leisure Centre in Hornchurch, including their café for some interactive moments and enabling participants to practice different life skills.
The photoshoot itself happened just a week after our first contact, which is quick even by my standards. It was a full and busy day, going from one session to the next with participants of all ages and abilities, changing from session to session according to their interests. I approached it in documentary-style way, observing what’s unfolding in front of me which means working without a predictable outcome.
There were group activities, 1-1 interactions, café conversations and even outdoor sensory session. And yes, they did invite me to participate in a game at the end and they definitely made it look easier than it was!
The team and the people behind the work
One of the most inspiring parts of the day was seeing how seamlessly the Sport for Confidence team worked together, from occupational therapists to volunteers to venue partners.
We also captured professional headshots and relaxed portraits of the team. These images, paired with action shots, helped tell a story: who they are, what they do and why it matters.
The team were welcoming and fully immersed in their sessions, which made it easy for me to blend in although I caught a fair amount of attention from participants – even had requests for photos.
This project shows that photography for organisations isn’t just about showing what they do, it’s about capturing who they are when they do it. For me, good brand photography is about telling a story beyond faces and with my work for SFC it meant showing inclusion, collaboration and the sense of community that runs through everything they do.
The result
Across one day session, we created a collection of natural, genuine images they can use across their Blueprint document, marketing materials and website.
“Petra was very attentive to instruction, in a short space of time, the images she captured on the day, we were really happy with! All natural shots that portrayed exactly what we wanted, top stuff!” ~ Jake Turner, CEO.
It was such a pleasure to work on a project that connects people.
If your organisation or community project is looking to tell a story through photography, one that goes deeper than just visuals, I’d love to chat. Photography that feels human and honest has the power to connect people to your mission. Let’s start the conversation here.
Not quite ready? Download my Checklist of photos every business needs here.
