Pippa Tanko - &Pip

Pippa Tanko - &Pip Commercial Photography Services

I help creative founders and purpose-driven business owners grow personal brands through visual storytelling, cinematography, and visibility coaching—so they can attract dream clients and sell with ease, without feeling pushy or salesy.

Every founder I’ve ever photographed has said some version of the same thing. “I hate having my photo taken.” Every sing...
27/05/2026

Every founder I’ve ever photographed has said some version of the same thing. “I hate having my photo taken.” Every single one. And yet…

…most of us have no problem taking selfies and posting them all over social media.

I’ve often thought about why that is.

I don’t think it’s actually the camera that makes us uncomfortable. I think it’s the loss of control.

When we take our own photos, we decide everything. The angle, the expression, the lighting, the version of ourselves we want other people to see. We can take fifty shots and delete forty-nine of them. We can carefully curate how we show up.

When someone else is behind the camera, all of that control disappears. Suddenly we’re worried about how we look, whether we’ll appear awkward, whether we’ll recognise ourselves in the images. There’s a vulnerability in allowing someone else to see you and reflect you back to the world.

I’ve been fascinated by that idea for as long as I can remember.

When I was about twelve years old, I watched my first photograph being developed in a darkroom. I can still remember standing there, watching a blank sheet of paper rocking gently back and forth in a tray of chemicals. Slowly, almost like magic, a face started to appear.

It was one of the farm workers from my aunt and uncle’s farm in South Africa.

I remember staring at that image. He had a rolled-up newspaper cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth and the biggest grin stretching across his face. There was nothing self-conscious about him. Nothing performative. No attempt to look a certain way. He simply looked completely at ease in himself.

What struck me was that although he had far less than many of the people around him, he carried himself with a confidence and contentment that was impossible to ignore. You could feel it in the photograph.

That image has stayed with me for more than twenty years.

And if I’m honest, that’s what I’ve been chasing ever since.

Not perfect poses.
Not polished smiles.

Not photographs that make people look like someone they think they should be.

I’m looking for that moment when somebody settles into themselves. The moment the masks drop, the nerves disappear and they stop worrying about how they’re coming across.

Because anyone can learn how to use a camera.

The real skill is helping people feel comfortable enough to be themselves in front of one.

That’s why something always shifts during a shoot.

People arrive telling me they’re awkward, unphotogenic or that they never know what to do with their hands. They brace themselves for an experience they’re convinced they’re going to hate.

Then we start talking.

About their business.
About what drives them.
About the people they want to help.
About the impact they’re making.

The focus moves away from the camera and onto who they are.

And somewhere in that process, they relax.

The stiffness softens. Their personality starts to shine through. They stop performing and start showing up.

That’s when the photographs happen.

The images people end up loving are rarely about looking perfect. They’re the ones where they recognise themselves. The ones where they see the confidence, warmth, leadership and personality that everybody else already sees.

Capturing that authenticity whilst also building the right perception around your role, leadership and personal brand is what I’ve spent the last twenty years refining.

My process isn’t designed to make you look like somebody else.

It’s designed to help you feel comfortable enough to look like yourself.

And that’s why even the founders who swear they hate having their photo taken leave with images they’re genuinely excited to share.

Because confidence isn’t something I create.

It’s already there.

My job is helping you see it.

26/05/2026

If you’re having to chase work or justify your pricing, something isn’t aligned.

It’s rarely your ability.
It’s how your brand is positioned.

This is how you fix it.

You’re not bad at selling.You’re just not fully behind what people see.You know that moment…When you’re about to send th...
24/04/2026

You’re not bad at selling.
You’re just not fully behind what people see.

You know that moment…

When you’re about to send the pitch
quote the price,
or follow up with someone who should be a perfect client…

And something in you hesitates.

Not because you don’t believe in your work.
You do.

But because a small part of you is thinking:

“If they check my profile right now… does it actually reflect this level?”

That’s the bit no one talks about.

Here’s what it looks like:

– You over-explain your value instead of owning it
– You soften your pricing mid-conversation
– You avoid sending people to your Instagram or website
– You rely on word of mouth because it feels safer

Not because you lack confidence.

But because there’s a disconnect.

Between the level you operate at
And the way your brand currently shows up.

I’ve been there.

Knowing I could deliver at a higher level…
But cringing slightly at what people would see before they experienced it.

Telling myself:

“It’s fine, my work speaks for itself”
“I don’t need to update things yet”
“People will get it once we talk”

But here’s what I realised:

If your brand doesn’t back you up,
you’ll always feel like you’re compensating in the sale.

And that’s exhausting.

This is the shift:

Selling becomes a lot easier
When you’re not trying to convince people of your level…

Because they’ve already felt it.

Before the call.
Before the pitch.
Before you’ve said a word.

That’s what alignment does.

It removes the friction.
It backs your confidence.
It lets you show up clean, clear, and certain.

So if you’ve been holding back from pitching, raising your prices, or going after bigger opportunities…

Ask yourself this:

Is it really a confidence issue?

Or do you just not feel fully represented by what people see?

That’s usually the work.

If your brand imagery doesn’t match your level, people feel it before you ever get a chance to explain it.You can have t...
22/04/2026

If your brand imagery doesn’t match your level, people feel it before you ever get a chance to explain it.

You can have the boldest message in your industry.
The strongest opinions.
The kind of insight that shifts how people think.

But if your visuals still play it safe?

You’re creating friction without realising it.

High-level clients don’t just read your content.
They scan. They sense. They decide.

And what they’re really asking themself

“Does this person feel like the level I’m looking for?”

Not just in what you say.
In how you show up.

This is the gap I see all the time.

Brilliant coaches. Established founders. Industry experts.

Saying powerful things…

But visually still showing up like they’re trying to be liked, not remembered.

Safe colours.
Safe poses.
Safe energy.

And safe doesn’t build authority.

Alignment does.

That’s what these shoots are about.

Not “getting content.”
Not ticking a branding box.

But capturing you at the level you’re already operating at, or stepping into.

The version of you who:

– Leads conversations, not follows them
– Owns their perspective without softening it
– Walks into a room and doesn’t need to prove anything

We build that into every detail:

The energy

The environment
The way you’re directed
What’s stripped back, and what’s dialled up

So when someone lands on your profile, there’s no disconnect.

They don’t need convincing.
They already feel it.

If your brand has evolved, but your imagery hasn’t…

That’s the work.

Drop me a message with “LEVEL” and I’ll talk you through what that could look like for you.

20/04/2026

If you’re trying to attract high-ticket clients but your brand still looks low-budget, this is your problem. Perception drives decisions and your visuals are saying more than you think.

Here’s how to fix the disconnect and position your brand at the level you actually operate.

If your business wants £50k clients, your imagery cannot look like it cost £50.

I went self-employed because I knew I had so much more to offer than the scraps the photography jobs at the time were pa...
27/06/2025

I went self-employed because I knew I had so much more to offer than the scraps the photography jobs at the time were paying.

I literally couldn’t afford to live on the salary they were offering, and, let’s be honest, I’ve always had the itch to do my own thing.

I started my first business when I was 14, flipping pancakes at my all-girls boarding school in South Africa. I loved it from the get-go. Every afternoon, I had a queue opposite the stall.

Only… no one told me that running a business as a creative meant sharing photos of myself online nearly every day, constantly “putting myself out there,” and trying to get people to care, when honestly, most days, they’re just scrolling past.

And unlike my pancake business, there isn’t a queue of people lining up on my driveway every morning to buy my creative services.

So here’s what I’ve learned the hard way, the real deal nobody tells you about being self-employed as a creative:

1. It’s not just a job.
It’s an identity shift. If you think like an employee, you’ll stay stuck like one.

2. You will wear all the hats.
Photographer, editor, accountant, marketing department, tech support, tea maker. Every damn one.

3. Clients aren’t queuing up.
You have to go out and build the queue. Consistently. Bravely. Even when it feels like shouting into the void.

4. You’ll spend more time marketing your work than actually doing it.
And yep, showing your face is part of that. People buy you before they buy your service.

5. Boundaries are essential.
Otherwise, people will walk all over your time, your energy, and your creativity. Set them early.

6. You don’t need a perfect brand to get started.
No one’s hiring you because your logo is cute. Get out there.

7. You’ll question yourself a lot.
Imposter syndrome is part of the ride. Feel it. Keep going.

8. Creative burnout is real.
This is why rest isn’t optional. You can’t pour from an empty camera battery.

9. Not all work is good work.
If it drains you, ghosts you, or pays in “exposure” — it’s a no. (We’ve all learned the hard way.)

10. It’s a long game.
Success comes from showing up when it’s boring, messy, and quiet — not just when it’s shiny and fun.

11. People will compare you. (and you will compare yourself)
Especially if you charge more than Bob down the road with a camera from 2006. Let them. You’re not Bob.

12. You’ll crave structure and systems.
Freedom sounds sexy until you’re knee-deep in to-do lists at 10pm. Structure = sanity.

13. Pricing will keep you up at night.
But undercharging will drain you faster than a 3-day wedding shoot.

14. You can’t do this alone.
Surround yourself with people who get it. The right community makes the whole thing lighter.

I’m Pippa — I help service based founders build brands that feel like them and attract the right people without having to be salesy or fake.

Follow me for straight-talking truths about business, branding, and building something meaningful (pancakes not included).

Feel like you're constantly performing “founder who’s got it all sorted”? Exhausting, isn’t it?You can look polished and...
23/06/2025

Feel like you're constantly performing “founder who’s got it all sorted”? Exhausting, isn’t it?

You can look polished and professional on the outside, and still feel like you’re winging it behind the scenes.

That mask you’re wearing, showing up as the confident, always-on, got-my-sh*t-together version of yourself, might look good online.
But if it doesn’t feel like you, it’s bloody hard to maintain.

At some point, you started showing up as who you thought people wanted.
Polished. Clear. Unshakeable.
Only... you’re not a brand robot. You’re human.

And humans? We connect through truth. Not performance.

Here’s the kicker. What you’re hiding, the messy bits you think might scare people off, that’s often the stuff that actually draws people in.

Because being open about the pivots, the doubts, the "still figuring it out" energy doesn’t make you look flaky.

It makes you look real.

Your personal brand doesn’t need more polish.
It needs you. On a good day.
The version that feels lit up, clear-headed, and full of purpose.
Not perfect. Just present and fully you.

That’s the version people want to connect with.
That’s the version that makes you unforgettable.

Blending in could be costing you thousands. Here’s why.If your brand looks and sounds like everyone else in your industr...
20/06/2025

Blending in could be costing you thousands. Here’s why.

If your brand looks and sounds like everyone else in your industry, you’re not standing out, you’re just adding to the noise.

Rob (a very savvy founder I worked with) casually mentioned that unclear messaging and generic visuals cost his business £500k in growth. That’s half a million. Just from not nailing how they were showing up online.

And he’s not the only one.

Because when your brand isn’t distinctive, people forget you.
When your website looks like a template, people bounce.
When your photos feel flat, people scroll.

You might be showing up, but if you’re not being seen, that effort isn’t converting.

👉 Your brand isn’t a “nice to have.”
It’s a sales tool.
It’s your first impression.
It’s how people decide, in seconds, whether you’re the one they trust to solve their problem.

So ask yourself:
What’s blending in really costing you?

When I look back at the first video I ever created… I cringe.It was pre-lockdown.I’d styled my hair in these bouncy curl...
18/06/2025

When I look back at the first video I ever created… I cringe.

It was pre-lockdown.

I’d styled my hair in these bouncy curls, the kind that absolutely do not suit me.
I did it because I thought I had to “look the part” to show up on camera.
I was awkward. Over-rehearsed. Trying way too hard.
Honestly? I was fake, not in a malicious way, just in that “this is what I think people expect of me” kind of way.

But here’s the thing…

That cringe-y little video?
It changed everything.

Because I posted it.
I didn’t hide.
I didn’t wait until I felt “ready.”
I didn’t let the fear of judgment win.

And without that one awkward, overdone, curl-too-tight video…

I would never have built the brand I have now.
I would never have found the confidence I have now.
I would never have become the version of me I am today.

So yeah, maybe you’re cringing at your first post.
Or the sound of your own voice.
Or the way you ramble when you go off script.

But that’s the point.

You can’t grow into your power if you’re not willing to start without it.
And trust me, one day, you’ll look back and realise…

That version of you who dared to show up before it was perfect?

She’s the reason you got here.

Your designs are stunning, but do they work?You’ve nailed the colour palette, finessed the typography, and curated a bra...
16/06/2025

Your designs are stunning, but do they work?

You’ve nailed the colour palette, finessed the typography, and curated a brand identity that looks the part.

But here’s the thing I see too often (and I say this with love):
When it comes to your own brand, the visuals don’t always match the magic you deliver.

You’ve outgrown that old headshot.
The vibe on your About page doesn’t reflect your current energy.

And your client work? Glorious.
But your personal brand? Still a bit ‘DIY in a hurry’.

I get it. When you’re busy making other people look brilliant, it’s easy to put yourself last.

But here’s what I’ve learned.

If you want to attract those next-level clients, the ones who see your value and are ready to pay for it, your brand needs to reflect that next-level energy.

Right now, your images might be doing the opposite.
They’re holding you in a version of your brand you’ve already outgrown.

And that gap is what’s costing you.

People don’t just buy your design work, they buy you.
Your eye.
Your intuition.
Your ability to take a vision and make it visible.

And if your own brand imagery doesn’t show that clearly, you’re leaving connection and opportunity on the table.

You don’t need louder content.
You need visuals that tell the whole story—strategic, stylish, and completely you.

Be honest, when did you last update your own photos?

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East Grinstead

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+447786836283

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