ALISTER THORPE
Capturing the spirit of a garden.
The brief
Alister Thorpe is a leading garden photographer who captures the work of eminent landscape designers and emerging garden design talent.
When Alister commissioned brand agency Nous to create a new website to showcase his photography, he wanted everything about it to reflect the artistry and professionalism of his work. This included the words, which he commissioned me to write for the site.
The copy needed to appeal to high-end garden designers and landscape architects, and support Alister’s position as one of the most sought-after horticultural photographers in the UK.
STRATEGIC APPROACH
Alister’s photographic skills are immediately apparent from his beautiful pictures. But there is a deeper reason why his clients are compelled to work with him.
Designers creating high-profile, high-budget gardens have a lot at stake, and require something over and above good technical skills. They need a photographer who is fluent in the language of garden design, and adept at dealing with the ever-changing nature of plants, light and weather.
Alister understands how these different elements relate to one another, and how to fully communicate a designer’s intention through his pictures.
This is the language we needed to speak.
SPEAKING A DESIGNER'S LANGUAGE
Gardens are complex, living spaces that reveal themselves differently through light, weather and seasons. Capturing gardens at the highest level requires insight into the design philosophy, material choices and planting palette, to convey the true character of each space.
Tone of voice
I used Alister's own vocabulary and composed communication style to set the tone of the copy, avoiding anything that felt too informal on one hand, or too self-congratulatory on the other.
We made a strategic decision to write the website copy in the third person, while using pull-out quotes that allow Alister’s voice to come through. This balances credibility and professionalism with his personal, collaborative approach.
striking the right tone
By nature, a garden is in constant flow, the changing atmosphere part of its personality. Alister knows how to showcase a garden at its peak, creating photographs that do full justice to the designer’s vision.
the copy
We took a less-is-more approach, allowing the images to take centre stage and copy to add value without cluttering the page. Every word was carefully selected to build the story with elegance.
METICULOUSLY CHOSEN WORDS
Characterised by its atmospheric, cinematic style, Alister’s work has a strong sense of light, drama and beauty. Meticulous in his planning and highly selective about the timing of his shoots, he has the patience and composure required to recognise when the moment is right.
case studies
The case study section required some research and fact-checking to make sure the client profiles were accurate and up to date. I carefully proofread the website for stray punctuation or other inconsistencies that could undermine the meticulous attention to detail that Alister is known for.
Sarah Price Landscapes
Sarah draws on her fine art background and love of wild environments in her work. Her artistic approach has established her as one of the world's most sought-after garden designers.
The result
The refined new website at alisterthorpe.co.uk delivers exactly what Alister wanted: absolute clarity about his brand offering, and a level of professionalism online that matches the quality of his work. His clients now completely understand the benefits of commissioning Alister to photograph their gardens.
The magical, naturalistic garden in the photograph above is a private garden in the Surrey Hills, designed by Matthew Childs Design, and of course photographed by Alister.
“Clare knows how to write content in a tone of voice that is distinctive and individual. I now have absolute clarity, my clients understand what I offer, and I’ve added a much improved level of professionalism to my website. Clare is a pleasure to work with and I’m so delighted with the outcome.”
CREDITS
Nous · Website