Concept • Art Direction • Production

A Story-Based Photo Series

for The House Fund

The world of VC has historically been cool and aloof. The House Fund, started as a community resource for Berkeley student entrepreneurs, is the polar opposite, infusing everything they do with warmth, humanity, and helpfulness. We set out to create a photo series that embodied this ethos.

Max Reynolds, Founder of Symbio Captured by Justin Bettman - Directed by Two Hands
Max Reynolds, founder of Symbio, a startup making huge gains in AI-powered automotive robotics.

Stories Over Headshots

To make a portfolio showcase that was more exciting and personal than the standard headshot, we organized a photoshoot of The House Fund’s startup founders in their offices, next to their tech that they’re changing the world with. We didn’t want just a photo, we wanted a story.

Dawn Song, founder of Oasis Labs Captured by Justin Bettman - Directed by Two Hands
Dawn Song, the most cited scholar in computer security, founder of Oasis Labs, and pioneer in data privacy.

A Distinct Yet Flexible Style

Given that we’d shoot in 5 different locations, we created Art Direction that was flexible enough to adapt to changing environments, yet structured enough that a unified style would be felt through each and every one.

A more artful headshot

For headshots, we encouraged warmth and personality through smiling, since The House Fund brings a more human side to the typically cold world of Venture Capital.

Varying ¾ or closeup shots, plus postures that went across the board kept things visually interesting, while our graphic visual ID lent itself to play on top of imagery.

Credits

Photographer: Justin Bettman
Art Direction: Michaela Fiasova
Concept & Production: Eva Frye

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