Rebecca Drobis Photography

Inspiring & Intense Youth Mental Health Branding?Shoot for TRAILS I'm proudly sharing new work for TRAILS, an organization that seeks to address the state of youth mental health by bringing mental health services to kids where they are – in schools.?TRAILS envisions a future in which all children and teens have equitable access to effective mental health services. TRAILS partnered with Wide Eye, to help them along this journey. Wide Eye recommended that Trails needed to create a branded photo library filled with expressive portraits of youth that convey an “inner landscape” of thought, personality, and human emotion. Everyone agreed on the importance of NOT using stock photography and the necessity of creating original content.?That’s where I came in thanks to the talented and passionate creative director, Elizabeth Bawol. ? After a few creative planning meetings, we decided the best approach was a one-day shoot in two different locations that could resonate with the entire country – nothing too rural or too urban, something in which TRAILS’ audience would see themselves. We opted for shooting interiors and exteriors at a D.C. Public Charter school. This shoot challenged me deeply – I had to draw out a wide variety of emotions and expressions from each of the 15 talent, some of whom were as young as five. My producer, Nancy Swenton, and her team did a masterful job of handling logistics, allowing me to focus on the big-picture creative. It was special to have The Wide Eye creatives join us on set for real time feedback and collaboration. Huge thanks to Creative Director Elizabeth Bawol and Art Director Grace Abe for being so clear, encouraging, and decisive throughout this campaign.?A big thank you to project manager, Natalie Kopke and to our incredible client Madelin Parsley, Content Director at Trails. Thank you for trusting me to capture your mission and brand. ? Creative Director Elizabeth Bawol, shared:? ? "Rebecca and her team were extraordinary - she brought a strong vision, but also a strong ability to collaborate and listen. Our client was so happy with the result, and for what they received with the time and money they invested. But perhaps most importantly, everyone enjoyed the experience. Rebecca’s team ensured the cast and crew were cared for and treated with courtesy and respect. [This was] one of the best experiences I’ve had with a photography team in my career as a Creative Director." This project stirred my soul and struck accord with my own personal experiences, both as a struggling adolescent and now as the mother of young children. I feel awestruck by the depth of emotion I was able to capture from our subjects and grateful to play a role in illuminating the urgent mental health crisis in this country. I am proud of the final result and am eager to see these photographs in action to support resources for young people. #missiondriven #mentalhealth #photolibrary #branding

Rebecca is Montana Bound in early September.... Nearly every year since 2003, I’ve carved out time to visit a special place that fills me with inspiration, awe, and deep connection - Northwest Montana. I prioritize spending time in this place, one that has shaped both my personal and professional vision. I’m heading to East Glacier to hike the Rockies, reconnect with friends, and work on “Grown Up West,” my long-term photo project about youth on The Blackfeet Reservation. I never get tired of gazing at that landscape or feeling almost blotted out by the jagged peaks - it is humbling and grounding. I use this time to restore, renew, and prepare for my busiest season, the fall. I am grateful for this western sabbatical and look forward to sharing fresh new images from the trip - stay tuned! LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR MONTANA ASSIGNMENTS Over the years, I have had the special opportunity to utilize my resources and connections to collaborate in deeply meaningful ways with new and existing clients who have visual needs in NW MT. I am grateful to Melinda Buchheit, Scholastic, Earthjustice, Chris Jordan-Bloch, Joan Kenerson King, Juanita Thompson, Palladian Partners, Inc., Luke Duran, High Country News, Montana Healthcare Foundation, Kate Purcell, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, University of Montana, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Rose Engelland, Kelly Field and many many others who have supported me and this work. Good news: This year I’ve also made space to take on a few assignments on this trip! Please feel free to contact me to discuss possible collaboration opportunities for this September or on a future trip... #missiondriven #montana #commercialphotographer #photoassignment

Passing Out on the Job: The Upside of Falling Down In August 2022, during the peak of summer, I had a shoot in Baltimore for the The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). It was a packed day because we needed to capture many situations to create an original photo + video library illustrating their important research and role in public health. This story is about how I wound up on the floor receiving medical care from the people I was commissioned to photograph. My clients wanted to start with a scout of the various clinical rooms and locations of our shoot so we could plan strategically. I was rushing around with my camera gear, ideas swirling, when all of a sudden the room started spinning - I went from chatting with Josie Anderson and Juwon Song, to seeing stars and becoming hot and nauseous. NIDA was a new client - this was an important and competitive job, and I wanted the shoot to be flawless. But the next thing I knew, I was crumpling backwards and *almost* fell before being swooped up by a highly competent PA who saw me turn green, then white, then start falling. John knew exactly what was happening - the photographer was passing out... Seconds later, I found myself on a gurney with a blood pressure cuff and strapped to a heart monitor, drinking ginger ale and answering a lot of questions. I was mortified by my neediness and helplessness.? I went from being in charge and control to relieved and grateful to these professionals for their caregiving and expertise.??? I certainly wasn't ready to disclose the fact that I was 10 weeks pregnant and taking medicine for severe morning sickness - a drug that has the sneaky side effect of causing dizziness and fainting, in some cases. But I found myself revealing my pregnancy to a room full of strangers, my new clients, my assistant and the video crew before I had even shared the news with my own extended family. It was humbling, to say the least. Apparently I was dehydrated and my blood sugar dropped, which coupled with the side effects from the meds caused me to faint. Instead of being the in-charge photographer, I became the patient and my big healthcare shoot was delayed because of MY medical drama. It was a very vulnerable and scary moment for me, both personally and professionally, but it reaffirmed my “whys”-- (WHY I DO THIS WORK). 1. My clients were incredible. They were supportive, took it all in stride, and prioritized my well-being over the job. This incident underscored WHY I work in the mission-driven space - because my clients practice what they preach. 2. Documenting public health workers is important! These individuals are unsung heroes . I was literally saved from serious potential injury and even a possible loss of the pregnancy by John Hubbard. I went home that day believing more than ever in the value of this work and a renewed commitment to uplift these healthcare stories. #missiondriven #publichealth #photolibrary #visualstorytelling #NIH #NIDA #healthcare

The Importance of Having a Niche If you don’t care about your work, why should anyone else? In order to be memorable and successful you need to have a unique viewpoint - especially as a visual creator. We are constantly inundated with imagery. As photographers,? it’s important to align career focus with personal passions.? This helps to create a deeper connection with your work, making your photos more memorable? so they don’t become lost in all of the visual noise. A recent example: I had lunch with my father, who was super fired up and excited about a scientific lecture he recently attended. It sounded BORING -it was about slime mold. But my father chattered away excitedly about the power and resilience of this primitive species. By the end of lunch, I was intrigued and sold! His excitement was contagious and infectious. The same principle goes for photography. If you care, then other people will care and take notice. Care first - this comes from your heart, something you know through experience, through curiosity, or something that resonates with your passion. You will be more engaged, and your vision and unique perspective will shine through your photographs. Karen Williams does a great job breaking this down for the photo industry in this post: https://lnkd.in/eEYwF8WU "Ever wonder why the photographers you look up to have a niche?? Because they know that trying to be everything to everyone is a big mistake! The most successful photographers? They pick a lane and dominate it." If you try to do everything then your vision will be diluted. As Ron Swanson once said: “Never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing.” You have a few seconds to capture a viewer's interest on your website - show the work that you want to be hired to do. If your website is filled with everything: portraits, food, animals, landscape - this will make the user experience confusing, and your name will be forgettable. Be the photographer who is excellent at doing one thing, your specialty Is it risky? Certainly - you might not get hired to shoot everything, but it can also result in creative directors and editors seeking you out because of your work. This concept is definitely SCARY at first. I initially resisted out of fear of not having enough work or losing certain jobs and/or clients. But this didn’t happen (just the opposite), and over time my work became more aligned, and my relationships with clients grew stronger. I now have fewer clients but the jobs are more robust (like multi-day shoots or campaigns), and I enjoy it more because it’s more connected to what I love and care about (both personally and professionally). I believe in the work and causes that my clients are working toward, so I show up with my whole self. It becomes more of a mission and less of a routine job - no more going through the motions.

“Fight Cancer: Make Time” Storytelling Campaign for American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Today, I’m proud to share some powerful new work. Avōq's creative team hired me to photograph storytelling portraits for a new advertising campaign for their client, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). The “Fight Cancer: Make Time” campaign uses patient stories to urge lawmakers to prioritize cancer, giving people a chance to live longer through advances in cancer detection and treatment. Patrick Everson, Kevin Richards and the creative team at Avoq conceptualized the campaign and hired me to bring still images to life using real patient advocates and volunteers who had convened in Washington, D.C. to lobby lawmakers to pass funding for cancer research. The individuals were passionate and inspiring, and their stories emotional and hugely powerful. It was a privilege to capture their portraits and be a part of sharing their important message. Avōq took the still images and overlaid designs stating the number of years since the patient's diagnosis, along with how they had used this precious time: "Grandpa moments, miles traveled, peaks climbed, records broken, mother-son memories, etc." This powerful final product underscored the value of time and importance of cancer research. The final ads ran in The New York Times, POLITICO, and other publications in regional markets urging lawmakers to increase cancer research funding. In 2023, these ads generated more than 58 million impressions through web traffic, social media, and print distribution. ACS CAN advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the burden of cancer for everyone. They engage volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. They believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/emVsRS5X Thank you to American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), Alissa Crispino (she/her), Lauren M. Davis and Avōq (rockstar producer Liz Norton, Joy Cameron Burks, Gretchen McCarthy, Patrick Everson) and most importantly, the patients who shared their stories - it was a privilege to capture their portraits and work on this campaign.? Also thank you to my crew Nate Smith & Audrey Lew for bringing this together (very early in the morning). #missiondriven #storytelling #fightcancer #photocampaign

?How I worked with de Beaumont Foundation to solve their photography challenge… ?? The Challenge: The de Beaumont Foundation is a national organization focused on public health in communities. Their work is multifaceted and complex, but traditional stock imagery that reflects the real face of public health did not exist - so they enlisted me to create their own custom photo library. "As a public health-focused organization, finding stock imagery that conveyed the day-to-day work and the community impact of public health professionals was a longstanding challenge. Stock photos related to health were generally medical, with people in white coats administering care…" --Nalini Padmanabhan MPH, Communications Director, de Beaumont Foundation ?? The Solution: After wrestling with these issues, the de Beaumont Foundation decided they needed to create their own photo library. We partnered with Virginia Department of Health to document two "days in the life" of healthcare workers.? During those two days, we traversed Richmond to capture a multitude of faces and situations, including a restaurant inspection, the mobile radiation laboratory, the office of vital records (where all birth and death certificates are housed), a community clinic, the Virginia state pharmacy, trainings & meetings, the office of drinking water safety, STD case workers and condom distributions, and on and on. It was a wild ride, chock-full of thinking on our feet about how to visually communicate this work. ?? The Result: Success! These photos are already being used across their communication channels. “We were all so happy with the results!? So far, we have deployed the photos across our website and are creating subsets for each of our programs and portfolios, and Virginia Department of Health has used the photos in their staff recruitment materials." --Nalini Padmanabhan This project was revelatory for me because I have photographed so many healthcare environments (both public and private) but never focused on some of the non-clinical public health situations - I learned so much and my head was spinning throughout.? A highlight was documenting the essential but often invisible public health employees in action. Nearly everyone was proud to participate because of their unwavering commitment to their profession and their service of improving community health. I was grateful for the opportunity to uplift their invaluable contribution. Next steps: We’re building on the first part of this project and assessing the imagery needs that remain and considering a future shoot in another region to meet these needs…stay tuned! Thank you to de Beaumont Foundation, Nalini Padmanabhan, Natalie Mulloy, Mark Miller for this incredible opportunity. We are also grateful to Jeffrey Stover for his huge planning and support of this project and to the inspiring employees at Virginia Department of Health for their enthusiastic participation. #photolibrary #publichealth

Tips for Maximizing your Investment in Professional Photography Are you hiring a professional photographer to capture a “day-in-the-life” of your org or brand? After more than a decade of working with clients on this type of content, I’ve accrued some tips that seem to be universally relevant for this type of work, regardless of sector. Here are some recommendations for getting the most out of this important investment: 1?? Schedule a strategy session: I like to spend time before a shoot listening to my clients and gaining insights about their needs, goals, and upcoming strategic initiatives. What would success look like for this shoot? Also, be sure to be realistic about what can be accomplished in a single day - lean on your photographer for guidance. 2?? Prioritize your needs: Make an ideal shot list. What are the must-haves, what are the nice-to-haves, where is your current photo library lacking? Prioritize your needs so that your photographer can be sure to capture the must-have images. 3?? Think ahead about placement + design needs: What are you going to use these photos for? Be sure to communicate that info to your photographer. Do you need images for the super wide landing page of your website? Will these images be used for a magazine, annual report or other printed collateral??What orientation would fit these needs? Check in with your designers and web/digital team to get their preferences and specifications. This pays off in the long run - much easier than trying to fit a horizontal photo onto a vertical magazine cover later on. 4?? Plan the day, but don’t overplan: Allow room for serendipity. Oftentimes the best photographs happen in between planned shots, when you’re just wandering around– - and BAM - a beautiful impromptu moment winds up being the favorite image of the day. #missiondriven #commercialphotographer #tips