UNFCU / Photography

Trust has a human face.

Two photographic worlds for one institution: approachable leadership and a travel-led story for the Elite Credit Card.

Role: Creative direction, concept through production
Focus: Art direction & photography
Period: 2023-2025

UNFCU Elite Card lifestyle portrait: a man in an olive shirt using his phone against a clear Roman sky

The thinking behind the work.

The starting point

UNFCU's refreshed website needed leadership portraits that matched its new identity. The Elite Credit Card also needed a more distinctive visual story around travel and everyday experience.

The design decision

For leadership, I developed standards for tone, lighting, and composition with photographer Maegan Gindi. For the Elite Card, I directed a Rome shoot with Claudia Gori, from virtual location scouting to model selection and wardrobe.

What it made possible

The leadership images brought a consistent expression of confidence and approachability to the website and corporate materials. The Rome imagery gave the card a grounded, human sense of place.

A card payment at a Rome cafe photographed by Claudia Gori — Rome: natural light, a close crop, and a recognizably everyday exchange.

A woman in pink and green using her phone beside a fountain in Rome — Wardrobe connects the color story to the place. Photography by Claudia Gori.

Shop like a local campaign advertising in a street display — The image moves from a moment at a café to a direct campaign proposition.

Earlier UNFCU leadership website with inconsistent backgrounds and portrait crops — Before: leadership images varied in crop, lighting, and background.

Refreshed UNFCU leadership website with consistent blue portrait backgrounds — After: a shared blue background, controlled lighting, and consistent scale. Photography by Maegan Gindi.

Finished UNFCU leadership portrait with a soft blue background — A calm backdrop and direct presence. Leadership photography by Maegan Gindi.

Studio crew and lighting during the UNFCU leadership portrait shoot — Behind the scenes: translating the photographic brief into lighting, framing, and a repeatable setup.

Credits

Creative direction & production direction: Anastacia Barleva
Leadership photography: Maegan Gindi
Rome / Elite Card photography: Claudia Gori

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