My 2024 Year in Review as a Sioux Falls Brand Photographer

What a year it’s been! 2024 was a big year for my business and while there was certainly some struggle (I like to keep it transparent around here!), there truly were so many moments of incredible joy when it came to serving my amazing clients and following this dream of mine. Here’s a little insight to what this last year has held for me.

1. Taking My Photography Business Full-Time in 2024

This past year marked a major personal and professional milestone for me: I officially took my passion for wedding and brand photography full-time! While it’s been more than ten years since I photographed my first wedding as a second photographer to my big sister Kelsey, I’ve built my photography business slowly and with intention over the years. There were definitely times in the past couple of years that I seriously contemplated making the jump from my part-time day job in social media marketing, but I finally felt ready and took the leap just one year ago in January 2024. The ability to serve clients as a full-time photographer, which was made possible largely because of the brand photography side of my business, was a major highlight of 2024 for me!

Throughout the year, I got to work with so many talented entrepreneurs and business owners who trusted me to bring their stories to life. Overall, I worked with 44 different brand clients across all of my services, including brand photography sessions, headshot sessions, corporate event photography, and more. In addition, I photographed 20 half-day or full-day brand sessions in 2024! I truly adore every single brand shoot I get to do.

2. My Favorite Sioux Falls Brand Photography Sessions in 2024

Each of my clients are wonderful and I truly enjoy working with all of them, but there are always a few sessions that stand out as my very favorites of the year. One of them was my full-day brand photography shoot with What Sara Reads.

Sara is a business friend of mine who came to me with an ambitious idea for a brand photoshoot for her new business, What Sara Reads, which is a mobile bookstore that she opened last year. We created fun headshots and lifestyle images of Sara in a few of my favorite spots in downtown Sioux Falls then we moved to the outdoor portion of the shoot, featuring Sara’s mobile book trailer and an adorable wicker bookcase we rented from Prairie Lane Vintage Rentals. Three lovely models joined us at the book trailer to pose as book lovers who were excited to hunt for their next read! This shoot was truly a major undertaking that the two of us executed including planning, prop-sourcing, strategizing, and model calls. But it came together beautifully and I was so excited with how everything turned out. My heart was so full after this day!

Another 2024 brand photography session that stood out to me was my shoot with the Donohues, a husband-and-wife-team who own 616 Companies. Max Donohue is an attorney and real estate broker, and Whitney Donohue is a freelance architect and interior designer. The couple joined forces to bring all of these services under one umbrella to create a streamlined and collaborative approach for their commercial real estate clients.

This shoot was super inspiring because I love Max and Whitney’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. They had a lot of specific ideas and needs for their shoot, but they fully trusted me to pull everything together. Planning their session and talking with them throughout their shoot was so meaningful, and I couldn’t be more grateful to them for allowing me to bring their vision to life.

It is not lost on me that each of these clients booked my highest package, which is a full day, 5-hour photoshoot. Because of their commitment to this process and investment in me, the experience was extremely effective and valuable. I truly felt like I got to know these clients so well because of how extensive and thorough the process is. I believe they walked away from the experience feeling confident and excited about what they do and no doubt, the feeling is mutual. 

3. Scheduling My Own Brand Photography Session

In the summer of 2024, I also took my own advice and traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, for my own brand photoshoot! It was the first time I fully invested in my own full brand photography session, and I had a great experience working with Kirstie Veatch. I love her style and I know her approach is very similar to mine to I knew I could trust her to bring my ideas to fruition. It was important to me to experience a full brand photography shoot, and I especially wanted the opportunity to more deeply relate to my clients who step in front of my own camera.

For so many of my clients, stepping in front of the camera feels intimidating at first—it’s vulnerable, personal, and often out of their comfort zone. Questions often swirl about whether they’re “doing it right,” or if their personality will truly shine through. But at some point during the session, I always see this incredible shift, and it’s my favorite part of brand photography: As we laugh, connect, and create together, they begin to relax and let their true selves shine.

By the end, they’re not just thrilled with the photos—they feel a deeper sense of confidence in themselves and their business. And that’s the real magic of brand photography: it’s more than just pretty pictures; it’s the key to showing up authentically and confidently in every corner of your marketing. It’s these moments that remind me why I love what I do.

Let’s Work Together in 2025

Thanks for reading my 2024 highlights! It was a transformational year for me and I’m looking forward to honing my brand photography experience even more in 2025 to continue serving more amazing business owners and entrepreneurs who need high-end content and photography.

If that sounds like something you need, I’d love to chat with you!

Most brand photography collections include a discovery call, a questionnaire, full creative direction, a planning and styling guide, an online gallery of 75+ on-brand images, and a custom content kit. Reach out here to get started!

Hey! I’m Lynsey

I'm so glad you're here! As a brand photographer, nothing lights me up more than helping other business owners wade through the challenges of entrepreneurship. I truly believe building a personal brand is the key to success in business and I want to share everything I know. Take a look around and reach out with any questions. Cheers to you!