Pinch Studios
Client: Pinch Studios
Service: Branding Photography Production
Project Overview
Pinch Studios is the brainchild of Nataleigh Elzein, a former TV and production manager turned brand strategist and fractional CMO. With a sharp mind, bold positioning, and no tolerance for fluff, Nat was relaunching her business after a year-long rebrand - and she wasn’t here to play small.
Despite having the skills to execute the shoot herself, Nat chose to hand it over. She didn’t want to manage every detail; she wanted a partner who could get it without needing a 30-page brief.
From our very first conversation, we were on the same wavelength. She mentioned emerald green as a key brand colour, and Nikki immediately said, “You want it to feel opulent.” That single word stopped Nat in her tracks because it was exactly what she’d envisioned.
Nat wasn’t after ‘just photography’. She needed a creative team that could match the strategy and energy she’d spent a year building. And why wouldn’t she expect the world? This was the hard launch of a new era.
At a glance:
4 weeks end to end - a speedy turnaround!
One-day shoot
Location sourcing of opulent venue
End-to-end photography production
50+ finished magazine-quality image assets
Social-first video B-Roll for organic and ads
The Challenge
Despite her expertise, Nat felt her old brand wasn’t hitting the mark.
She’d been watching Heist from afar for a while, but it was after hearing our founder Nikki speak at a business event that she was sold. With her background in TV production, Nat knew exactly what real creative direction looked like. She didn’t want a passive photographer or a bloated crew. She wanted someone who could take charge, sharpen the vision, and bring it to life—without her having to carry the mental load.
She said it best:
“I wasn’t going to rebrand again. This was it. It had to be done right.”
She already knew our work. But once she heard our thinking, she knew we were the right crew to deliver big-agency quality with boutique agility, and to treat the project with the creative care it deserved.
What We Did
From the first strategy call, we took full creative ownership. Our mission was to make it the easiest shoot of Nat’s career, and the best results she’d ever seen.
To bring her vision of opulence to life, we meticulously planned every detail of the shoot. Pre-production was key. We handled the entire process - from concepting and creative direction to sourcing locations and coordinating logistics, ensuring every element aligned with Pinch’s bold new identity.
We searched high and low through Sydney’s most luxurious bars, looking for a space that felt rich, cinematic, and unapologetically bold. The final location featured a grand chandelier and a bar made of imported emerald-green marble, perfectly matching Pinch’s signature colour palette. We also secured a second outdoor setting to add contrast, movement, and a more editorial feel to the final gallery.
Our full scope included:
Creative concepting + brand-aligned shoot strategy
Location scouting, recce, and vendor coordination
Moodboards, run sheets, and styling input
On-set direction with a tight two-person crew
Photography and video using clean, editorial-style lighting
Post-production: 50+ high-impact images and short-form video cutdowns
Throughout the process, we worked as collaborators. From wardrobe checks via text to live feedback on shoot day, every detail was intentional.
The Outcome
Stunning new visuals aside, for Nat, it was a rebirth.
Before the shoot, she confided that her old brand felt stagnant, like it didn’t reflect where she was headed. But once she saw the final imagery, something shifted. It was validation and positioning.
The photos hit the internet like a mic drop and her new brand felt established.
Instant Brand Clarity
“As soon as people hit our website, they get it.” The visuals communicated her personality, values, and expertise - no tagline needed.Qualified Leads That Convert
Pinch began attracting SME and corporate clients who aligned with the new brand, without wasting time on mismatched leads.Bigger Clients, Bigger Retainers
“We’re not working with ma and pa businesses anymore.” The new visual identity gave her the confidence (and credibility) to pitch bigger—and win.Efficiency Without Compromise
A half day shoot with a lean two-person crew delivered the kind of polish Nat had only seen from agencies with five times the headcount.
What Nataleigh had to say
“I knew I wanted to work with Nikki and her team years ago; the calibre of their work, the clients that they typically shoot and their process sings to this video producer's soul. I knew it was going to be very far from a point and shoot experience, instead bringing in my brand and really uncovering its personality to let it shine visually- that is Heist Creative's super power.
As a producer, who is often leading shoots myself, it takes a lot for me to trust in someone else and do it for me, or so I had thought. Nikki did it with ease, and her confidence and expertise made me easily let go of any reigns and let her and her team bring everything to life.
The experience was second to none, and knowing how well we worked together and the outcomes of that shoot- here here to new brand positioning and authority! I am attracting the most ideal clients. I know that I'll be investing in Nikki and her team again and again!
Nataleigh Elzein, Pinch Studios
