Welcome to Fernweh, a creative studio that builds and amplifies purpose-driven brands that last.
We are Lisa & Tim Hennessy, and we are excited to share our musings, to help you be a better founder.
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Order of importance.

Good eye > Lighting > Lens > Camera.

That’s the order of what’s important in making a compelling image. If you want to improve your brand photography start with seeing things interestingly first and foremost. Shake it up and move around. With digital cameras, you can shoot and adjust shoot and shoot and adjust, basically ad nauseam.

Lighting is king. Whether you manipulate lighting units or work with natural light getting proficient in this area is where everything comes together. It shares top billing with having a good eye.

Light gets “interpreted” by the lens before it reaches the camera's sensor. Lens quality trumps camera build every time in my book, especially when it comes to analog cameras (that and film stock…getting off-topic.)

So, after developing your eye, getting keen on lighting, and finding the right lenses NOW it’s time to dig into cameras. Unfortunately, this is usually where people start but hey we’re all guilty of getting wowed by resolution and features so we understand. If you have spent some time with the other “more important” aspects of photography it does help to have the right camera in your kit. We only implore you to work on the craft before you get carried away with the gear. That’s where making a meaningful improvement in your brand photography will actually take place.

One great example of this approach is exhibited by Christopher Anderson. He actually partnered with Apple a few years ago to encourage people to make the most of the best camera you can possibly get, which of course is the camera you have on you (pssst…it’s your phone.)

Here is some of his iPhone work that should put to rest whether it’s the camera or the photographer.

Love, Tim & Lisa

Ps: If you feel like your eyes or lighting skills could use some help, we do this sort of thing, lovingly and with great care.