Client Case Study: The Launch of Sunshine & Agape
A deep dive into our collaborative approach to brand photography and strategic positioning for a family wellness startup
Alexis’s vision for wellness journals that would bring families closer together through mindfulness, gratitude, and intentional connection, hooked us from the start. What she needed was a visual story that could capture the heart of their mission and translate it into compelling brand imagery for her launch - which was coming soon!
We quickly stepped into action and are happy to announce the successful launch of Sunshine & Agape - their journals are flying off the shelves and their brand photography is resonating deeply with their target audience. Here's how we made it happen.
The Challenge: Bringing an Abstract Concept to Life
The Client: Sunshine & Agape
The Product: Complementary wellness journals for the whole family
The Mission: Foster deeper family connections through mindfulness and emotional wellness practices
What They Came to Us With:
A powerful mission
Beautiful products that needed to feel accessible, not intimidating
Target audience of busy parents seeking meaningful family connection
Tight timeline for launch campaign materials
Knowledge that spending on photography will make the difference and make for a better ROI in the end
The Core Challenge: How do you photograph the feeling of family wellness? How do you visually communicate mindfulness, connection, and emotional growth in a way that feels authentic rather than staged?
Traditional product photography wouldn't cut it. We needed to create images that told a story—one that busy parents could see themselves and their families in.
Our Strategic Approach: Connection Over Perfection
Phase 1: Discovery, Brand Alignment + Creative Strategy Development
Before we touched a camera, we dove deep into understanding not just what Sunshine & Agape did, but why it mattered. Alexis had brand colors and vision and we strategized how to bring this to life with photo and video.
We all felt it was important to capture genuine moments of family interaction, with the journals naturally integrated into daily life, at home and on the go.
The Execution: Bringing the Vision to Life
Pre-Production: Setting the Foundation
Casting Real Families Rather than hiring professional models, we cast three diverse families from our local community who genuinely used mindfulness practices with their children.
Sunshine & Agape suite of journals enjoying the sunshine
Location Scouting We chose locations that felt like real homes—spaces with character, natural light, and the beautiful imperfections of daily life.
Styling Strategy Our styling focused on comfort and authenticity: soft textures, warm colors, and clothing that looked lived-in rather than styled.
Production Day: Magic in the Details
The Shoot Breakdown:
Morning Session: Gentle wake-up routines featuring parents journaling with coffee
Afternoon Session: Kids engaging with their journals during quiet time
Evening Session: Family reflection time with both journals present
Behind-the-Scenes Approach: We worked to creat scenarios and let genuine interactions unfold. We photographed moments between the "poses"—the real laughter, the gentle guidance, the quiet concentration.
Technical Decisions:
Natural lighting to maintain warmth and authenticity
Lifestyle composition that put connection at the center
Product integration that felt organic, not forced
Color grading that enhanced the warm, welcoming feeling
The Results: Images That Tell a Story
We delivered a comprehensive suite of brand imagery including:
Hero product shots with lifestyle context
Photo, Video and BTS content delivered for client usage
Process photos showing journal usage in action
Emotional connection images focusing on family bonds
Detail shots highlighting journal quality and design
Social media optimized content for various platforms
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Ship & Shoot: This Same Strategic Approach, Delivered Nationwide
Here's what's exciting: this exact level of strategic thinking, collaborative approach, and comprehensive planning is what you get with our Ship & Shoot service!
While Alexis worked with us locally, we decided to split up her session to maximize the benefit of story telling…..So, half was with her family and then half was shot in our “Ship & Shoot” format.
What is the difference? You ship your products to us instead of meeting locally. The strategy, care, and results remain exactly the same.
Key Lessons: What Made This Project Successful
1. Strategy Before Aesthetics
The most beautiful photography in the world won't work if it doesn't align with your brand strategy and speak to your audience's needs.
2. Authenticity Resonates
In a world of over-polished brand imagery, authentic moments and real emotions cut through the noise.
3. Process Matters as Much as Product
Showing how the journals fit into daily life was more powerful than simply showcasing their features.
4. Collaboration Elevates Everything
The best results came from combining our visual expertise with the client's deep understanding of their mission and audience, along with similar products for online networking and collab!
5. Preparation Pays Off
The extensive discovery and planning phases allowed for a smooth, efficient shoot that captured exactly what we needed.
The Collab Collective Difference
This project exemplifies our approach to brand photography and strategy: we don't just create beautiful images, we create visual stories that connect brands with their people. Whether you work with us locally or through Ship & Shoot, we customize our approach to get you the best content for YOUR specific product and business.
Our Process Always Includes:
Deep brand discovery to understand your mission and audience
Strategic creative direction aligned with your business goals
Collaborative execution that leverages your expertise and ours
Collaborative creation where we consciously use products that align with your mission in order to "tag" other brands + spur conversation and networking opportunities
Comprehensive deliverables that support your entire marketing ecosystem
Ongoing partnership to ensure your visual story evolves with your brand
Client Feedback
“From my first Zoom meeting with Ashley and Claire I knew they were the right fit for me and my business. As fellow Moms and entrepreneurs they understood my thoughts, goals and desires for my brand shoot. Leading up to the shoot they sent me a detailed schedule for the day of, which made my project planner heart so happy! This was especially helpful when preparing my kids and husband for how the day would go. As I always tell my kids, "you have to have a plan to work a plan" and Collab Collective obviously feels the same way!
Their creativity coupled with their warmth and approach, made the whole experience something I will never forget. I was seriously on cloud 9 for days. When I received the portfolio of pictures, they were nothing short of spectacular. Collab Collective truly showcased through video and pictures what Sunshine & Agape is all about which is love, support for ourselves and others, and being our true authentic self.
I am so grateful that my paths crossed with Collab Collective as I launched my new business. Not only have they supported me emotionally in my launch, but their technical and artistic approach is what has enabled me to visually show the world what Sunshine & Agape is all about. Thank you, Claire and Ashley!” — Alexis, Founder, Sunshine & Agape
Ready to Tell Your Brand's Story?
Every brand has a unique story to tell. The question is: are your visuals telling it in a way that connects with your audience and drives your business forward?
Whether you're launching a new product, refreshing your brand, or looking to deepen your connection with your community, we'd love to explore how strategic photography and brand strategy can help you achieve your goals.
Let's start the conversation. Book a discovery call and let's discuss how we can help bring your brand's story to life.
Want to see more of our work? Check out our portfolio or follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes glimpses into our creative process.
Tags: Brand Photography, Family Wellness, Product Launch, Brand Strategy, Case Study, Authentic Marketing, Visual Storytelling