Collaborating with Creative Leads: A Five-Year Journey with CPR Hair
In the world of fashion and beauty photography, working with hair product brands offers an exciting challenge. These projects require a deep understanding of how to showcase hair as the hero of the campaign while aligning with the brand’s identity. A key factor in achieving this is collaborating closely with a brand’s creative director. Over the past five years, I’ve worked with CPR Hair Australia on multiple campaigns, witnessing the brand’s remarkable growth and playing a role in its evolution. One of the most rewarding aspects of this collaboration has been working closely with Natalie Chadwick, CPR Hair’s creative lead, to bring their vision to life.
Understanding the Vision
Every campaign starts with a vision, and the creative director plays a central role in shaping it. Working with Natalie and the CPR Hair Australia team over the years has allowed us to develop a strong creative synergy. We start each project with in-depth discussions about the brand’s evolving identity, target audience, and the story we want to tell. CPR Hair is known for its science-backed formulas and salon-quality results, so it’s crucial to ensure that our visuals consistently reflect these elements—healthy, vibrant, and effortlessly styled hair.
Pre-Production: Crafting the Look
With each new campaign, we build on previous successes while pushing creative boundaries. Natalie brings references, mood boards, and insights into emerging trends, ensuring CPR Hair stays at the forefront of the industry. As a photographer, my role is to translate these ideas into a tangible visual plan. Over the years, we’ve refined our approach to lighting, model selection, and styling to best highlight the performance of CPR Hair’s products.
Collaborating with hairstylists who understand the brand’s signature aesthetic has been instrumental in achieving stunning results. Through these partnerships, we’ve honed techniques to showcase movement, texture, and shine, ensuring the images not only look beautiful but also authentically represent the quality of CPR Hair’s products.
On Set: Making the Magic Happen
On shoot days, the trust and understanding we’ve built over five years truly shine. Natalie’s presence ensures the campaign’s vision stays on track, and our collaboration allows for real-time adjustments to perfect each shot. From capturing the way light enhances the hair’s natural gloss to ensuring product visibility, every detail matters. Our experience working together has made the process seamless, allowing us to experiment and innovate with each campaign.
Post-Production and Final Delivery
After the shoot, we move into post-production, refining the images to align with CPR Hair’s branding. Having worked together on multiple campaigns, we’ve developed a strong post-production workflow that ensures consistency across digital and print platforms. Natalie’s input helps fine-tune the final touches, ensuring the visuals not only meet but exceed the brand’s expectations.
The Power of Long-Term Collaboration
Working with a creative director like Natalie over the past five years has been an enriching journey. The trust, shared vision, and evolving creative strategies have contributed to CPR Hair’s growth in the market. Through our collaboration, we’ve not only created striking campaigns but have also played a part in shaping the brand’s identity and presence.
For brands looking to establish a strong visual identity, investing in long-term creative partnerships is invaluable. When photographers and creative directors align their expertise and passion, the results go beyond beautiful imagery—they create a lasting impact that resonates with audiences and strengthens the brand’s market position.