Sparky’s Automotive: A Branding Photography Case Study
In August 2025, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Sparky’s Automotive, the premier Subaru and Toyota repair shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on a full-day photo and video shoot as they worked to refresh their branding and online content to reach new customers. Sparky’s commissioned me to produce a full suite of professional photography that showcased both their locations in Albuquerque and their mechanics and staff in action, along with relaxed environmental portraiture of all team members for their online bios.
I love working with small businesses on branding photography, as it allows me to really get to know the owners and team, to dig into the story of the company, and to tell that story through personalized photography and videography. My goal for this shoot was to highlight everything that makes Sparky’s great—a relaxed customer-first atmosphere where experienced mechanics work hard every day to provide the local community with excellent, honest service.
The Importance of Preproduction
I don’t just show up at a small business and start taking photos. That is not the way to get to know the team and learn about the brand, and it’s a recipe for a stressful and failed outing. Detailed preparation is critical to a successful branding shoot. This involves multiple meetings with clients to discuss their vision, creation and sharing of a mood board, and several hours of location scouting where I assess lighting conditions, preplan compositions and perspectives, and sort out logistics, including necessary gear and travel between locations.
The Payoff of Hard Work and Careful Planning
My preplanning paid off during my shoot with Sparky’s. With a clear vision of the client’s needs and a detailed shotlist based on careful preproduction and location scouting, I arrived at the Sparky’s locations before sunrise to capture impactful architectural and environmental photos, utilizing the soft morning light and sparse traffic to set up shots highlighting the Sparky’s logo in unique ways.
I then traveled between Sparky’s locations at predetermined times to capture candid shots and video of the team in action working on that day’s slate of repairs. I was so impressed with the Sparky’s team—everyone was so friendly and welcoming but also extremely focused and hardworking, and I worked to capture those traits through candid photos while also staying out of the way of the important business at hand.
I also shot some video during this period, optimized for social media, again capturing candid moments at Sparky’s.
Finally, I spent the afternoon gathering crew members for individual portraits. Location scouting was key here as well. Instead of rushing and improvising to find good light and backdrops, we moved methodically between predetermined locations to get each shot, which allowed us to relax and for me to really connect with team members before taking their photos—an important part of successful portrait photography. I relied mainly on artificial light (speedlights in modifiers) to get exactly the kind of light that I wanted rather than just winging it and hoping for good natural light when I needed it.
Overall, my shoot with Sparky’s Automotive was very smooth and successful, and I delivered over 100 fully edited photos to Sparky’s, in under one week. I pride myself on a quick turnaround. After a bad experience years ago waiting months to receive my own photos, I vowed to never do that to a client. I edit efficiently and get you your images quickly, so that we can review them together to make any adjustments if needed, and so that you can put those photos to work for your business as quickly as possible. Working with Sparky’s was an honor and so much fun, and I look forward to future collaborations!
Let’s Work Together!
Are you looking for commercial and branding photography and videography to tell your small business’s story? Reach out to me today. I would love to hear more about your needs and to work with you to execute your vision. I’m available in New Mexico, across the Southwest, and beyond.
All the best,
Ben
ben snaps photography