A guest blog by Beth, founder of Turtle Bags.
(Photo by Gethin Jones)
It all began with a chat. In 2025, I got talking to one of the photography lecturers at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. We realised we had a neat match on our hands. Second-year photography students need to take on a live commercial project as part of their degree, and I had a small business that could do with some fresh eyes behind the lens.
Why lifestyle photography matters
Like many small businesses, Turtle Bags already has a good set of clean product shots taken by professional photographers. But lifestyle images do a different job. They’re what we reach for in marketing, PR and social media. They help customers picture a product in real life and understand the values behind the brand. They’re also hard to produce in-house when you’re busy making and running everything else!
Round one: Botanics
For our first collaboration, I wrote a brief around our Botanics collection of vegetable-dyed organic cotton string bags. I asked the students to capture the warm colours and natural qualities of the range, taking inspiration from nature, sustainability and a bit of playfulness. What came back was imaginative, joyful and wonderfully varied. Each student found their own way in. Many of the images captured exactly the warmth and fun I’d hoped for.
Round two: baskets
It went so well that we’ve done it all over again this year, with a new brief based on our handwoven baskets. The first theme explores how the baskets can hold crafting materials in a thoughtful, beautiful way, helping makers cherish their creative pursuits. The second looks at the baskets as Christmas gifts, and the idea of giving someone you love the encouragement and space to make time for creativity.
We’re working to a shared timeline, with an interim review in October and final assessment at the end of November. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the students are getting on with the baskets in a few days.
What everyone gets out of it
This really is a two-way street. The students get hands-on experience with a real client, from responding to a brief to presenting their work and understanding what brand photography actually requires. I get a rich collection of lifestyle images, and often ideas and perspectives I’d never have come up with on my own. When we use the photographs on social media, we credit the students and the university, so their work reaches a wider audience too.
Personally, I’ve come away with a much greater appreciation of photography and the creative process behind a really good image. It has totally upped my game.
Thinking of trying it?
If you’re a fellow BAFTS member, I’d really recommend getting in touch with your local university or college. A conversation could be all it takes to start something just as rewarding.