Pregnant women holding Siren Skin product, wearing bikini — ©Little Manly Photography

Brand: SirenSkin

Assets needed: We needed a strong bank of content for Instagram, our website, and marketing collateral to carry us through the next 12 months.

Two female friends sitting by rock pool at the beach wearing blue swimwear — ©Little Manly Photography

Brief: This shoot was all about capturing our brand’s essence. Elena and I go way back - she shot both my pregnancy sessions, so she already understood my style. I walked her through Siren’s vision: a high-end brand with a fun, confident, and effortlessly beautiful energy. I asked for relaxed, smiling women who felt limitless in their skin, with a mix of lifestyle and product imagery to keep things feeling natural, not staged.

We chatted with Founder Lindsay van den Hondel…

What is your brand? SirenSkin – multitasking, pregnancy-safe skincare that delivers real results without compromise. Our formulas are designed to tackle skin concerns triggered by hormonal shifts such as dehydration and itchiness, melasma, hormonal breakouts, and premature ageing. At Siren, we take the guesswork out of skincare. No more label-reading to figure out what’s safe or not. No more choosing between hydration, ageing support, or sun protection. And no more wondering if an active will actually work for you—we’ve done the homework so women can just feel good in their skin.

How long have you been running your business? We officially started in November 2024

Woman holding Siren Skin moisturiser at the beach — ©Little Manly Photography

What made you decide to have professional photos taken for your brand? To build brand recognition and promote our first product. The visuals needed to reflect our standard - premium, polished, and full of life.

‘Elena was in her element—collaborative, creative, and completely tuned into the environment. She adjusted on the fly to get the best out of each moment, which made everything feel seamless.’ Lindsay van den Hondel, Founder, SirenSkin

Two women hanging out in retro van — ©Little Manly Photography

How did you land on booking Elena for your photo session? I already loved Elena’s photography style and had seen some of her branding shoots, which felt fresh, feminine, and real. I knew she’d bring the right energy and creative eye to the shoot.

Did you have any concerns about having professional photos taken? And how did it turn out? I was definitely nervous! I coordinated everything myself—models, styling, make-up, and even hired an on-site retro glam van. Initially, I planned for one model, but after chatting with Elena, we agreed we needed more variety. I brought on a second model last-minute, sourced outfits in her size, and somehow, it all came together. In the end, the day ran beautifully.

Collage of two women on beach using Siren Skin skincare products — ©Little Manly Photography

How did you decide where to shoot and what to wear?
I had a strong visual direction from the start—beachy, carefree, and aligned with our brand colours. I spent weeks collecting inspiration on Pinterest, thinking through every possible use case for the photos. When I shared the mood board with Elena, we decided to move the shoot from a remote beach to a more urban one. Siren is about real women with busy lives, and having a lively backdrop like Manly made the shoot feel more grounded and authentic.

How do you plan to use your photos? Instagram, website, email marketing, and various promotional channels.

What are your best memories of the day? The whole shoot had such great energy. The models were fantastic, and Elena was in her element—collaborative, creative, and completely tuned into the environment. She adjusted on the fly to get the best out of each moment, which made everything feel seamless.

What advice would you give to another brand considering getting photos done? Plan ahead. Elena is a creative powerhouse, but your prep will set the foundation. Start with a Pinterest mood board. Think about every platform you’ll need photos for - your website, socials, ads - and then reverse-engineer what you’ll need (models, props, styling). It took me about two months to pull everything together, so give yourself the time to get it right.