Joan Cusick Photography Sees Through a Corporate Lens
Industry: Art & Design
Former journalist and corporate communicator Joan Cusick captures authentic, “slice-of-life” photos as she helps companies build a consistent visual brand
Sacramento, CA (PRUnderground) April 3rd, 2014
Joan Cusick Photography is new business that’s been 30 years in the making.
As a reporter and designer for The Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis, and later as director of public relations for Maybelline, FedEx and Charles Schwab, Joan Lollar Cusick worked with photographers and art directors to create award-winning annual reports, client testimonials, corporate websites and other public relations materials.
“During my corporate career, I directed photography from the client side,” she said. “But establishing Joan Cusick Photography lets me move from just managing photos to being the creative force that captures memorable images.”
Given her journalistic background, Cusick takes a documentary approach to photography. Her “slice-of-life” style seeks to capture the honest emotions of real people in real situations, including environmental portraits, coverage of company events and photo-essays posted at www.joancusick.com.
In her blog at joancusick.tumblr.com, Cusick posts original photos and occasional “lessons learned” from the client side of corporate photography. Among her tips for businesses:
Recycle and reuse photos. Just because the photo shoot budget resides with a single department doesn’t mean the photos have to be confined to a single project. Annual report photos can be used in marketing materials. News photos are perfect for social media. Even corporate “head shots” can increase press release pickup.
Post news photos while they’re still news. Same-day posting of photos requires the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time. But so much can go wrong if you don’t have a disciplined process and the coordination of multiple departments to secure approval.
Diversify sources of photography. In addition to pro shoots and stock photos, advanced-amateur employee photographers may help fill photo gaps by covering volunteer projects, company meetings and other events.
“Visual communication has become increasingly important, particularly with the proliferation of social media,” Cusick said. “Companies used to budget for one or two photo shoots a year. Now, they need a constant flow of authentic images. I believe I’m in a unique position to help businesses learn how to use original photography to strengthen corporate reputation and build a consistent visual brand.”
About Joan Cusick Photography
Joan Lollar Cusick is a Sacramento-based documentary photographer with a passion for slice-of-life storytelling. Her work includes photo-essays, client testimonials, employee profiles and event photography. She is a member of Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and is available for assignments worldwide. For more information about Joan Cusick Photography, visit www.joancusick.com or follow www.facebook.com/joancusickphoto.
