There is nothing I love more than working with local small businesses. 

When you photograph a local small business, such as this Sherborn small business, you have a built-in, authentic connection. We become natural supporters of one another’s work. And it feels extra special to help them build their businesses through dynamic, vibrant images that reflect their passion. 

In this post, I want to showcase one of these Metrowest Boston brands and share how we planned a brand photography strategy that perfectly captured its mission. 

I first discovered Wild Robbins Farm in Sherborn, MA, shortly after they opened when my husband and I purchased their meat. I was psyched that Wild Robbins was so close to our home—and that it was a first-generation, female-owned farm. 

Owner Laura Robbins and I quickly became Instagram friends. I learned that Wild Robbins Farm is committed to raising happy, healthy animals so they can produce the highest-quality meat humanely. Her values aligned so much with my own—and it didn’t hurt that she was a fellow boy mom of three! 

Before long, Laura reached out to inquire about a brand photography session. She wanted to gw her reach and following on Instagram and new that having having a bank of images that told her Farm’s story was essential in making that happen.

Here are all of the things we considered when planning our first branding session in 2022:

Where is the shoot?

Settling on a location is sometimes a challenge for branding clients, but with a thriving farm as our backdrop, this wasn’t a worry at all! 

What do we need to capture?

We began with a call to plan out what we hoped to capture. Our shot list included lifestyle portraits, element and landscape shots, and plenty of working shots that communicate the day-to-day tasks necessary on the farm. It was important to get diverse images so that there were visuals to use on the website and across all of Wild Robbins’ other platforms. 

Who should be in the shoot?

As a family-run business, we made sure to get the whole crew involved. Laura’s husband, three sons, and some animals joined her for the shoot. 

What season is best to capture the brand?

We scheduled the session in April since it’s a busy time for a farm but not peak season when everything is mayhem. In early spring, the plants and grass wake up, and everything turns green instead of muddy-gray. Plus, baby animals are being born—so sweet!

What wardrobe works best?

I always advise my branding clients to keep their wardrobes real. Since we were capturing images on a working farm, getting super dressed up wouldn’t have made sense. Laura and her family wore slightly more polished versions of their typical attire. Her husband added a branded hat, which was a perfect touch!

How can we ensure the images are authentic?

Laura’s goal for the shoot was to convey her passion and mission to future and current customers. Music to my commercial photographer ears! I was more than happy to pull on a pair of boots, get up close and personal with some pigs, and get a bit mucky to capture her brand in as true a way as possible. 

It was such a playful, personality-filled branding session that I was thrilled at the chance to do it all again. 

We got some incredible photographs during our initial Wild Robbins Farm branding shoot, but growing businesses don’t stand still! In fact, the Farm has a brand-new storefront, built with support from a community grant for female farmers. So in April 2023, I went back to the farm to capture a brand new set of images to tell the story of this next chapter. 

Are you a Boston area or Sherborn small business owner who wants to build a connection with your audience? 

I’d love to learn about your work and support your success with brand images you can use across all of your channels and marketing assets. 

Learn more about brand photography.