UCL Students’ Union:
Bringing Campus Life to Life
Since 2017, we have partnered with UCL Students’ Union to build a bold, authentic visual identity that captures the real energy of student life beyond academics. Not staged moments. Not lifeless stock imagery. but the beating heart of student culture.
We have worked with them more than 12 times, consistently evolving their imagery to reflect the dynamic nature of student life and ensuring their brand remains fresh, relevant and engaging.
The Challenge: Making Student Life Visible
A thriving student community is not something you tell people about, it is something you show.
UCL Students’ Union needed high-energy, dynamic photography that reflected student life outside the classroom, from social spaces and campus hotspots to the athletes who represent them.
They wanted:
✔ Authenticity – Real students, real interactions, real spaces.
✔ A recognisable visual identity – A cohesive look that felt true to UCL.
✔ High-impact sports photography – Moving away from generic headshots to bold, cinematic portraits.
The Strategy: Show, Not Tell
✔ Embed in student life – We immersed ourselves in the community, capturing lived-in, unscripted moments.
✔ Highlight key locations – Showcasing the spaces students actually use, including cafés, libraries, gyms and social areas.
✔ Make sports portraits iconic – Stylised, high-energy athlete imagery designed to empower and inspire.
The Solution: A Dynamic, Story-Driven Visual Identity
✔ Real people in real environments – Authentic, but intentionally crafted to feel high-quality and engaging.
✔ Recognisable locations – Showcasing UCL’s unique setting and the energy of London.
✔ Diverse representation – Ensuring all students could see themselves reflected in UCL’s brand.
✔ Cinematic sports photography – Heroic, stylised portraits that gave athletes the spotlight they deserve.
The Impact: A Recognisable, Award-Winning Brand
✔ Gold CASE Award for Visual Identity – Our work helped UCL Students’ Union win a major industry award.
✔ A growing visual legacy – We have shot with them more than 20 times since 2016, continually evolving their image library.
✔ A stronger brand identity – A consistent, dynamic and engaging visual presence across marketing, recruitment and student engagement.
Because the best brands do not just tell stories, they show them.
Let’s talk about doing the same for you.
Work in use.
Kind Words
“In 2017 we rebranded and relaunched our organisation. We wanted to develop a visual identity that captured the energy, excitement and diversity of the UK’s largest student community and we knew our photography was going to play a vital role in our visual style.
Sophie’s work is vivid, natural and full of energy, and we got her on board at the very beginning. We’ve worked with Sophie ever since, and have developed a trademark style which really sets our organisation apart. All of the photography work is done with real people, without prior modelling experience, and Sophie is able to make them feel relaxed and able to express themselves. This technique has helped us to represent our audience perfectly.
Since launching the new brand, we’ve won a Gold CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) award for ‘Visual Identity Systems’.”