Business Photography for Treasured Alaskan Store

Owners, Linda and Cliff, of Forest, Tides, and Treasures pet their dog, Smokey, in front of their store in Seward, Alaska.

Business photography request

When Forest, Tides, and Treausres reached out to me on social media, they were extremely excited to create branding imagery for their store in Seward, Alaska. One of their retail shop vendors, Ashley Olanna Design, had recently posted a handful of the images we created for her company. Impressed by these photos, Cliff and Linda quickly reached out to me.

In addition to photos of their store, they wanted personal photographs of themselves, their employees, their products, and local places in Seward where they frequent their time.

I love Seward, Alaska. It holds a very special place in my heart, so getting to spend time down there with this incredible couple, I got really excited.

Day Number 1: The Storefront, Cliff & Linda, and the Seward Harbor

I drove down to Seward from Anchorage, Alaska early one morning. We decided to split the shoot into two half days because of the weather. It was fall one day and winter the next.

First on my photography shot list, I had lifestyle images of Cliff and Linda outside their store. Cliff and Linda have never had professional photos of themselves taken of themselves, so they were a bit nervous. However, after a few minutes, they were walking, petting their dog, Smokey, and dancing in front of the store.

Left: Linda, Cliff, and Smokey on the steps of Forest, Tides, and Treasures. Right, Linda and Cliff celebrate their store with a glass of local wine.

Next on my list was showcasing their love for Seward. We transitioned to the Seward harbor and photographed them exploring the docks and looking for otters.

*Cliff and Linda hug on the docks of the Seward Harbor.*

*Smokey, the Forest, Tides, and Treasures store mascot.*

*Linda and Smokey cuddling on the Seward Harbor docks.*

As the sun began to set, the temperatures dropped and it was time for us to call it a day. That evening Cliff and Linda generously took the entire staff and me out to dinner at the local Thai restaurant, Woody’s. We enjoyed stories of our travels, how we started our business, and things we love about Alaska.

Day Number 2: Branding images inside the store Forest, Tides, and Treasures

It was an early start on day two for all of us. The ladies of the retail store got their hair done while I went to the store to set up lighting and straighten areas in which we were going to shoot.

I kept my trusty planning binder nearby as I worked through the detailed shot list I created specifically for Forest, Tides, and Treasures. We had models that depicted their target market come in for the first hour and a half. I photographed them trying on clothes, walking through the unique aisles, and looking at artwork. I also captured the staff working with the customers and arranging the shelves.

After that, I photographed Cliff and Linda in the store. We created images of them chatting with the customers, playing with Smokey, checking people out, and working on daily business tasks.

*Local Seward customer checking out a red Patagonia sweater.*

*A mother and daughter looking at coloring books created by a local, Alaskan artist.*

*Cliff helping a father and son try on kids’ Xtratufs.*

*Linda chatting with customers. One thing special about this store is how much they care about each individual who walks through the doors.*

An employee sifts through the clothing racks to make sure everything is aligned and in the correct location.

Images of the daily tasks of a retail store

One thing I always do with each of my branding photography clients is document images that tell the behind-the-scenes of their daily work. This gives their customers an insight into the passion, work, and love people have for their jobs and businesses.

Day Number 2: Afternoon photography shoot in the local Seward community

One thing that is evident about Cliff and Linda is how much they love the town of Seward, Alaska as well as the entire state. They do fundraisers to support the local community, they’re involved in the local business bureau, and they sell local Alaskan artwork from all over the state.

One thing that really stuck out to me, that I wanted to capture, was the fact that they spotlight other stores and shops in Seward. They live and breathe Community Over Competition. You can read some of their blog posts on local Seward companies on the Forest, Tides, and Treasures blog.

So, we planned shoots at several other shops, and it was a blast!

Charcuterie board by Primrose Provisions.

*Linda and Cliff working and enjoying coffee at* *Zudy’s Cafe*.

*The entire Forest, Tides, and Treasures team celebrating an incredible photoshoot.*

*Linda and Cliff cheering wine and enjoying the Alaskan scenery at Primrose Provisions.*

Why you need to visit Forest, Tides, and Treasures in Seward!

Simply put, this store, the people that own it, and the community it is in are absolutely spectacular! You won’t meet friendlier people in the entire state. Not to mention, the store is filled with high-quality clothing, unique artwork, and something for all generations. I honestly could spend thousands in this one store!

Such an incredible place, and I’m grateful to be able to work with these wonderful people!