Creative Coaching: Stephanie Trattner’s Creative Transition

Since April 2023, I have been Creative Coaching Belleville, Ontario-based beauty and portrait photographer Stephanie Trattner. When she first came to Wonderful Machine, she was struggling with the branding and presentation of her business. Previously, Steph had been working almost exclusively with retail photography but had reached a point where she wanted to transition to the commercial side of the industry.

I guided Steph through this challenging period with our standard three-month Creative Coaching program. In this short time, Steph and I developed a strong relationship based on positive communication and accountability that she wanted to maintain going forward, and we have continued to work together since then. Throughout the last year, I have seen Steph clarify her focus, establish her outreach practice, and develop her creative potential in a competitive commercial market.

Organizing the Creative Process

For me, Creative Coaching is a collaborative process with the photographer, guided by their needs and aspirations, as well as my experience as a photo editor. In most cases, we start by identifying strengths and weaknesses in the current portfolio, determining goals, and tightening the focus of their website. From there, we either continue to develop their portfolios through self-assigned projects, or begin to focus on how to market their work to new clients 

When we were just starting out, however, we had the very specific goal of pushing Steph’s highest-quality beauty photography and emphasizing her ability to relate to subjects through portraiture photography. We also initially needed to sort out and clarify her brand. Steph developed her Brand Identity with our Senior Designer José Silva Jr. As is often the case with Creative Coaching, we started with work on the website in light of her brand’s new aesthetic. Our first step was reorganizing and sequencing much of the content on the site. 

The Path to Goals

The results were instantly gratifying and introduced a crisp and curated feel to her portfolio. Along with a strong brand identity, this is one of the most important components of a photographer’s visual presentation. A well-curated portfolio creates a clear and direct representation of their unique style and aesthetic sensibility. We worked for several months on a reorganization of the website. To this day, we continue to refine the portfolio to focus on the target audience. 

Marketing and Creativity 

After the initial three months of Coaching sessions, our work together has evolved beyond the scope of most projects. Recently, our meetings have shifted focus to brand refinement, marketing strategy, and expansive discussions about the photo industry. In this phase, I have helped Steph set long-term goals and develop a calendar and marketing plan to realize them. Although we continue to work on gallery edits, test shoots, and other creative pursuits, we are also developing lists of client contacts and language for outreach emails. 

Little by little, we are incorporating the basics of best marketing practices into Steph’s regular workflow. Marketing requires consistency, dedication, and a thick skin when your efforts don’t pay off immediately. Our regular communication keeps Steph accountable, on track, and focused through the ups and downs of freelancing as a commercial photographer. Oftentimes, it helps to have someone there to keep you motivated and focused on your goals.

Honore has been incredibly supportive to me in every aspect of being a photographer. Not only does she have an impeccable eye and understanding of the industry, but she also fully appreciates its emotional aspects. Honore has a gift for pushing you to improve without making you feel bad, and she really helps you grow from where you are, which is a very special skill.

Conclusion

Steph’s motivation and organization continue to impress me. She has been committed to every step of the Creative Coaching process. As a result, Steph has developed both her creative and professional approach to commercial photography. Her best work is visible to potential clients in a well-defined presentation and her outreach process is dialed-in and consistent. Our extensive discussions of the industry have also deepened her knowledge of the industry. So far, we have created an organized foundation to build on and developed clear objectives. As Steph and I continue our work together, I look forward to seeing how her creative and professional aspirations continue to align. I hope to support her in any challenges she may encounter along the way. Creative Coaching, at its best, is teamwork, and it has been an absolute pleasure to be a part of team Steph!

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Further Reading
Case Studies: Creative Coaching
Expert Advice: Marketing Misconceptions

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