• collage of works created for business owners throughout Chicago by Maija Martin Photography

Strategy. Psychology. Art.

Igniting brands that refuse to blend in.

Build a brand that works
as hard as you do.

Strong brands aren’t built on one good photo.
They’re built on clarity, consistency, and visuals that actually do their job—supporting your marketing instead of sitting in a forgotten folder while you scramble for content…again.

Stock photos are like knock-off handbags.

Everyone knows.

Brand Building Sessions are for business owners, creatives, and teams. They combine strategy, psychology, and art to create a visual library of storytelling moments that feel human, intentional, and unmistakably YOU.

You’ll walk away with visuals you can use.
Not someday.
Not hypothetically.
Right now.

This is brand photography built for longevity. Not trends. Not templates. Not whatever the internet is obsessed with this week.

Schedule a discovery call
“

Maija takes headshots to another level—bringing in your personal style and how it connects with your brand.

~Brian Kille of BK Creative

Is this you?

  • You’re tired of scrambling for visuals every time you need to show up
  • Your brand looks fine, but it doesn’t feel cohesive or human yet
  • You need images and motion that actually stop the scroll
  • You want assets built with intention for launches, campaigns, and long-term use
  • You’re ready to take up space visually and show up a little louder, without losing who you are
  • You want a visual library that grows with you instead of starting from scratch every time

Brand Building Sessions are designed for business owners, creatives, and teams who are ready to show up and be seen.

Take up space. Be seen.

Strategic Spark Guide - Method created by Maija Martin Photography of Chicago

The Brand Building Experience

This is not just show up and smile.

Every Brand Building Session starts with intentional planning. It starts with my Brand Spark Companion. It’s a tool that I’ve developed that helps bring clarity to your brand, goals, audience, messaging, and voice before we even start talking photos.

From there, I’ll create a custom strategy just for you. It’s part guide and part checklist and we’ll discuss it all in the weeks before your session. This creates the space for collaboration and your insight. Your brand photos can only be about you when you are involved throughout the process.

The day the camera comes out, you’ll feel confident and have some fun. The session flow is structured to maximize time and variety, while creating the space needed so it doesn’t feel stressful . Throughout, we’ll create moments that feel human, not staged.

“Maija’s services go far beyond making pictures;

it’s a creative, collaborative process that helped me clarify my brand vision while also feeling confident and excited about having these pictures taken.”

~Katie Kastner

Why Motion Matters

Still images build trust

Motion captures attention

Movement helps your brand stand out in places where people are scrolling quickly and deciding fast. We can make time-lapse, animations, and short video clips during your session.

Motion assets are especially effective for:

  • Your social feeds – Instagram, LinkedIn, and more.
  • Website headers and About pages
  • Email marketing and newsletters
  • Launch announcements and campaigns
  • Speaking promotions and press features

These aren’t long-form videos or polished commercials. They’re intentional moments—designed to complement your still imagery and bring your brand to life without overcomplicating your workflow.

Schedule a discovery call
A product offered by Trades of Hope - Partnership with Karla Yatckoske
GIF showing three generations of expressions for a brand session for Re-gen Smile Studio - dental practice in Chicago

Let’s Talk Pricing…



Your investment is structured into two parts to build according to your needs

PSST! Branding photography is a tax-deductible business investment. Your hair and makeup appointments beforehand are too!

Part 1:

Brand Building Creative Fee*

*If you need more time or more images, custom quotes are available.

A strategy-led process for businesses ready to take up space.
The Creative Fee Includes:

Exclusive access to my Brand Spark Companion
Before your session, you’ll use this tool I’ve built to clarify your brand voice and identify your visual needs. Your responses fuel my human strategy and creative planning, tailored specifically to you.

1:1 Strategic Spark Call
You’ll receive a personalized session plan including an outline of what to expect, a personalized What to Wear guide, and a clear checklist so you know exactly what to prepare. Together, we’ll refine the plan, align on priorities, and make sure everything is set before your session date begins.

Up to 2 hours of photographing time
Plus additional time for arrival, setup, and flow. The session is focused, intentional, and never rushed.

Multiple scenes, setups, and storytelling moments
Designed to create variety and flexibility across platforms.

A curated online proof gallery
Thoughtfully selected, cohesively polished, and delivered for you to choose your final assets based on your collection.

$650

Final marketing assets are selected after viewing your gallery and purchasing a collection.

Part 2

The Collections

Each collection includes a set number of marketing assets.
An asset may be:

  • a fully retouched still image (JPEG)
  • a short looping GIF
  • a brief video clip (MOV)

You don’t need to decide what you want in advance. This structure allows you to build a visual library that feels modern, flexible, and alive.

A woman wearing a red top from Guatemala holds a book on her shoulder while standing in front of a bookcase of colorful books
01

Brand Essentials

A thoughtful set of assets to establish or refresh your brand presence—ideal if you want movement and variety without overbuilding.

Includes:

  • Brand & marketing use (website, social media, email, blog content)
  • 15 marketing assets of your choosing
  • $100 credit toward a future portrait or brand session (valid 12 months)

$950

Total investment: $1600

02

Brand Momentum

*Most Popular

Designed for brands that show up consistently and want enough content to stay fresh throughout the year.

Includes:

  • Expanded brand & marketing use (presentations, speaking, press, campaigns)
  • 30 marketing assets of your choosing
  • $200 credit toward a future portrait or brand session (valid 12 months)

$1250

Total investment: $1900

03

Brand Library

Ideal if you want full access to your session and the freedom to expand your visual library over time.

Includes:

  • Full brand & marketing use
  • Entire gallery of marketing assets
  • $300 credit toward a future portrait or brand session (valid 12 months)

$1550

Total investment: $2200

All images are licensed for the intended professional and brand uses outlined in your selected collection. My approach to brand photography is additive—these images are meant to grow with you over time, not be replaced. If your needs ever change or expand beyond the original scope, I’m always happy to talk through options so your images continue to support your work well.

Build your brand library over time

Relationships Matter

Each Brand Building Session includes a credit toward future work, because strong branding is rarely a one-and-done process.

Many clients use follow-up sessions to:

  • Add seasonal or campaign-specific visuals
  • Refresh portraits as teams grow
  • Expand motion assets for new platforms
  • Build a cohesive library over time without starting from scratch

Session credits help us establish a working relationship to allow your brand to evolve over time without having to start from scratch each time.

The Brand Spark Companion

Clarity before the camera—and guidance after.

Every Brand Building Session includes access to my Brand Spark Companion—an interactive tool I’ve built using AI to help clients clarify their brand and use their images more intentionally.

Before your session, the Brand Spark Companion helps you:

  • Clarify your brand voice, goals, and audience
  • Identify the types of images and moments you actually need
  • Think through how your visuals will support your marketing

After your session, it continues to work for you by:

  • Translating your final images into real-world use ideas
  • Offering guidance for social posts, website placement, and campaigns
  • Helping you build confidence in how and where to show up visually

It’s built to support clarity—not collect data or replace human strategy.
Your responses stay private and are used only to support your session planning and post-session guidance.

schedule your discovery call
Lisa Jindu of Streets of London Salon kicks her foot up behind her in her salon in Chicago
Maija is a brilliant photographer

She is amazing at branding and making sure you are true to yourself and your business image. Maija is so professional but she makes you feel so confident and comfortable in front of the camera. She also shot a visual story for my salon she’s very talented! I recommend her to everyone!
~Lisa Jindu ~ Streets of London Salon

FAQs

I’m Here for you every step of the way

Hands connecting together at the end of a blue clay ceremony in Costa Rica during a Reclaim Your Peace retreat by Chicago's Heather Vickery

Traditional headshots focus on one image per person. Brand Building Sessions focus on a visual system—multiple scenes, expressions, and assets designed for real marketing use.

You’ll receive the Brand Spark Companion intake, which guides you through goals, messaging, and visual priorities. I’ll handle the strategy and direction from there. Then, at least a week before your session, we’ll meet over a virtual coffee to collaborate and refine on the plan I’ve created.

The Brand Spark Companion is an interactive, AI-powered tool I’ve built to support brand clarity and confident image use. Brand clients receive access before and after their session to help plan visuals and translate their final assets into real marketing action. The Brand Spark Companion enhances, but does not replace, the human touch within your brand building experience.

Galleries are typically delivered within 2 weeks of your session date and are ready for immediate download upon making your selections.

Raw files are not included. That would like providing you with paint instead of finished work of art. Marketing assets are thoughtfully edited and delivered based on your selected collection.

Of course! Your custom marketing assets will have been created and will always be waiting should you decide you want to add more to your library at a future time.

Yes. Each collection includes a license for all digital marketing and medium format printing. For large scale advertisements, there is an additional licensing fees.

Brand Building Sessions are strategic and collaborative. The discovery call helps ensure we’re a good fit, clarifies your goals, and allows me to recommend the best approach before we book anything. This saves you time and protects your investment in the long run.

Ready for the next step?

Brand Building Sessions begin with a discovery call. This gives us space to talk through your goals, answer questions, and make sure the session structure will truly support your brand.

If it feels aligned, we’ll look at the booking calendar and next steps together.

schedule a discovery call

What’s your

Brand Visibility Style?

Take the Quiz
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