The Art Director
Showcasing Poeme’s Creative Vision Through Product Photography
In our previous post, we introduced you to Poeme’s brand evolution, focusing on Kristen and her team’s personal rebranding through a traditional brand photoshoot. But the journey didn’t stop there. Kristen’s vision extends beyond her identity as the face of Poeme - her work itself tells a story. That’s why House of Samantha continued our creative collaboration with three additional product-focused shoots, which allowed us to bring her designs to life in a way that perfectly aligned with her new brand direction. Welcome to part two: “The Art Director.”
As we began planning these shoots, Kristen emphasized one thing - her work goes beyond simply designing wedding invitations. She sees herself as an art director for events; Kristen’s role is to bring a cohesive, elevated aesthetic to every detail of an event’s visual identity. This was something she felt wasn’t being fully captured in her previous event galleries, and it was time to showcase the depth of her creativity and the breadth of techniques she employs. Kristen’s ultimate goal was consistency. She wanted her work to be displayed through a consistent brand lens, one that spoke to her diverse clientele while also helping her expand beyond her local market. Her brand is fun and versatile, and she needed this product shoot to reflect both her technical skills and her playful spirit.
To bring Kristen’s vision to life, we approached the product shoots with the same level of creative direction we’d use for a high-profile event. Over the course of these shoots, we captured her full range of stationery suites and products. The work we did together focused on giving each piece its moment to shine while also creating a cohesive collection of images that could be used across a wide array of media and marketing platforms.
One unique element of Poeme’s work is the experience it creates for guests. Invitations are more than just a piece of paper - they’re the first touchpoint of an event’s design. To truly capture this element, we brought in a stop-motion photographer to not only take still images but also to create GIFs that demonstrate how guests would interact with Kristen’s designs. We wanted the movement and reveal of each piece to reflect the excitement and thoughtfulness that goes into every suite. By incorporating stop-motion, we were able to capture the experience of opening and interacting with a Poeme invitation in a dynamic way.
Kristen’s design philosophy is all about versatility—her work adapts to the unique style and needs of each event. With this in mind, we created a yearlong portfolio of images that showcase the depth of her product line and the breadth of the techniques she uses. Whether it’s for media features, social media content, or hero images in print materials, these images reflect the full range of Kristen’s creative abilities. We started with full product suite shots, capturing everything from the invitations themselves to the envelopes, menus, and other stationery components. By presenting these pieces as a cohesive set, we showed the artistry that goes into ensuring each element aligns with the event’s overall design. Next, we moved into capturing the behind-the-scenes process - the assembly of suites, the inventory of materials, and the display wall in Kristen’s office featuring her finished work. These images are a window into the careful craftsmanship behind every piece Poeme creates.
One of the things we loved most about working with Kristen is her brand’s lighthearted, approachable personality. Poeme is about more than just creating beautiful stationery - it’s about making each piece feel personal, vibrant, and alive. We made sure this playful spirit came through in the images we captured. Bright colors, unique textures, and fun design elements were front and center, giving each image a sense of whimsy and energy. This approach allowed us to highlight not just the finished products, but the creative process that Kristen and her team go through to bring these pieces to life. The goal was to capture the fun side of Poeme, while still ensuring that the images felt polished and professional.
“The Art Director” shoot wasn’t just about capturing beautiful products - it was about elevating Poeme’s brand to reflect Kristen’s role as a visionary in the event design space. Through House of Samantha’s creative direction, Kristen has achieved a consistent, polished brand aesthetic that mirrors the depth and breadth of her design work. Stay tuned as House of Samantha continues to help wonderful artists and businesses like Poeme continue to grow and expand beyond their local markets, with new projects and new opportunities on the horizon. If you would like to stay up-to-date with House of Samantha’s journey, please sign up for our email list here.
Creative Direction: Samantha Leenheer, House of Samantha | Photography: Amanda Donaho Photography
