While working on a brand session at Coin, a co-working space in Northeast Huntsville’s Lincoln Mill, I crossed paths with Ryan, the chief executive officer of The Acceleration Group. He was busy, but we connected quickly—his office is just a few doors down from where I was shooting. We started talking and promised to connect & gave him my business card, and before I got back to the office, I had already gotten an email requesting a headshot session. At Kia & Co., my approach to photography isn’t just about snapping photos. It’s about collaborating with business owners like Ryan to capture images that reflect their unique professional identity.
Ryan’s company, The Acceleration Group (TAG), is all about empowering small to mid-sized craft spirit companies. They offer lending solutions that cater to the unique needs of the craft spirit industry—providing capital, resources, and support to help these businesses thrive. Through tailored underwriting services and lending proposals, TAG is a crucial partner for craft spirit entrepreneurs aiming for growth. Capturing Ryan’s personality as a leader of a forward-thinking business required thoughtful planning, especially since his role demands both professionalism and approachability.
To give Ryan’s headshots versatility, we utilized different areas of Lincoln Mill. The industrial yet modern aesthetic of the mill offered the perfect backdrop. We made sure to incorporate a mix of business professional and business casual looks—each outfit shift allowed us to present Ryan in different aspects of his role. Whether it’s connecting with clients in a formal setting or collaborating more casually, his headshots needed to reflect that range. At Kia & Co., we always think about how our clients will use their images, so we made sure these shots would resonate in multiple settings—from website bios to LinkedIn profiles.