The Future of Brand Storytelling isn’t more content. It’s more Humanity

Documentary Brand Storyteller | Human Campaigns | Visual Archivist

We are creating more content than ever before. And ironically, we are trusting less of it.

As we develop our brands and businesses we are told: Post more!!‍ ‍Add Reels!! … We create perfectly curated companies and spend endless hours honing in on our story. I myself just spent the last 4 hours recreating my logo. Do you see the new wolf? I spent so long perfecting it, because I care deeply about this business. But if I’m honest, that isn’t what people are looking for. People are hungry for something real; that human connection.

We want something honest.

My new logo

I actually don’t think photographers and creatives are competing against AI. I think we have something unique and it’s time to dig into that. AI is amazing as a tool. I think of it like another medium to work with. I lived through the move from film to digital as a photographer, I pushed against it at first, and ultimately bought in and guess what? Everything is just fine. I found a way to continue to be creative even with the digital tools. I see AI as very similar.

AI can generate content. Lots of content. But the difference is, it can’t live a life. It can’t build a company from nothing. It can’t fall in love with an idea, lose sleep over the idea, fail, try again, fail, try moving, continue to be pulled in, and then ultimately decide to bet on itself.

What we have, is the wildly organic richness of the human existence.

Girls N’ Roses

When a brand approaches me my first thought is not: Alright what lens should I use? What type of lights will I bring for the shoot. It’s not even, What do you sell? My first thoughts are: Who are you as people? Why did you start this business? What made you follow this calling?. I’m curious about the people behind the business. What did they have to overcome? Who believed in them? Some brands have one person running everything and some have numerous employees – I want to know who they all are and what drives them. These are the stories that make a brand what it is and these are the stories that people remember.

Great brands are built by those who were passionate enough, or brave enough or held on to something that pulled them so strongly toward a dream that they had no choice but to make it happen. And these brands are held up by the people within the company inspired to stay true.

Every creative, every company, and every movement begins with something that calls them. My work is uncovering that story and telling it in a way that helps people feel it.

I began as a documentary photographer and I still use that background in what I do today. A large part of what I do is visual storytelling. Archiving human stories.

The Litas Motorcycle Collective, Seattle Wa

This is where photography becomes “Documentary Marketing”.

It is more than just taking pictures. This is about discovering a human narrative within your business. Photography is one piece. I learn about your company and use photography, written word, and video to capture your essence in the best light.

But it doesn’t always stop there. I also offer a larger picture – the full story of your brand within a full Documentary Marketing Campaign. This begins with interviewing you and your employees and your customers. I find a story within the interviews and I follow it. This becomes our marketing campaign. Documentary Marketing goes after the story that connects us as humans. It’s what we are longing for. Its truth. Its realness. Its storytelling. And it is what your customers will connect with most.

Every project begins with a conversation. Reach out or fill out the form below and lets see what we can create!