Building a Brand with Columbus Montessori Education Center
I was delighted to be invited to photograph the real-life, daily happenings at the Columbus Montessori Education Center (CMEC) on the east side of Columbus, Ohio. The goal was to provide CMEC with a library of professional images that would accurately and visually represent the school for a major rebranding endeavor, for both the launch and ongoing publication/media needs. The head of the project was Kelly Ruoff, a well-respected creative powerhouse and partner/chief creative officer at Ologie, a local branding and marketing firm. As if that's not enough of a resume, she used to name paint colors for none-other-than Martha Stewart, which makes me imagine the names I would use for certain paint colors...luckily, I'm not in that profession. Kelly and I also had the experience of riding in a minivan together from the University of Notre Dame to Columbus, Ohio. I was the paid driver, with the credentials of being a mom. But, that's a story for another day.
Most importantly, Kelly's two boys attend CMEC and find it to be a stimulating, engaging, and diverse environment. As a primary teacher by trade, I love being in ANY school setting. It feels comfortable and natural to me, and it makes me miss the students, colleagues, and experiences from my time teaching third grade in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Being at CMEC was no exception. In fact, I kind of wished I were sending my own kids to this school as I watched the students take part in their "works", with clusters of students collaborating with teachers, others working independently, several eating a snack, and some painting or drawing in pairs. It was pretty impressive to see them all doing their own thing calmly and on-task. I can definitely appreciate the time and training that goes into establishing those expectations and procedures!
I was welcomed into the school by the administration and teachers as I traveled from room-to-room with the task of simply observing and capturing the essence of the Montessori way. Some students were interested in why I was there, but a majority of them just carried on with their works, allowing me to see and document the school's unique methods and ideals in practice. I loved this experience, and CMEC and I have since collaborated on another project and have spoken of future work together. I value this, and any, ongoing relationship so much. It was also really rewarding to see the collection of photos on public display at Ologie.
If your school or small business is looking for a brand photographer in the Columbus, Ohio area, I would love to chat about how I can help you accurately and visually represent your organization or business through a documentary photography session.
