Rave Reviews
Katy Cowan Founder of Creative Boom www.creativeboom.com, delivering insights and advice to over 7 million creative professionals every year
Christine has a natural gift for supporting creatives and seeing where they need the extra support, no matter where they're at in their journey. I personally wanted to work on myself but also find fresh ways to build my venture. She has really helped me to make huge leaps in its success and has got me thinking about things I'd have otherwise overlooked. She is a coaching wizard for boosting business, confidence and happiness. June 2022
Charlie Chich, www.cjcphotography.co.uk
Grand Winner of Production Paradise Spotlight Awards 2021
My sessions with Christine were brilliant and much enjoyed. She was incredibly helpful at giving me direction and a better understanding of the industry and how I should approach it. Her professional eye allowed for insight on my work and branding that I hadn't had before and has helped tighten up and professionalise my image. I left her sessions with confidence and drive! She was also incredibly patient and took time to understand my work and where I want to go with my career. Thank you Christine. May 2022
Alex Waber - photographer - alexwaber.com
Christine has been a fantastic guide and motivator. Over the course of several sessions she gave me excellent feedback on the design of my website and portfolio and helped me set strategic steps to help achieve my goals as a photographer. Two months out and I’ve already booked new clients from her strategy and spoken with many more.” March 2022
Marian Guma, fotografia gastronomica
Working with Christine as a coach has been one of the best decisions I have made this year. It has been an invaluable help at a crucial time in my professional life. The vast experience she has in the world of photography allows her to know what works, where you are in your career, and how to guide you. Having her as a mentor has given me a lot of clarity and a broader view than I had beforehand. Not only is she an excellent professional, she is also a great person, very empathetic, who accompanies you, and who is able to create a space of trust and confidence for you.
Jonathan Blackham, lifestyle advertising photographer
Ellen McDermott (Photographer) 235 East 22nd Street #14B, New York, NY 10010 (July 2021)
Navigating the business of the Creative Industry is often a gamble at best. One gets bits of information from random people we meet along the way never knowing if this advice is sound. Thankfully there is Christine Saunders ready to provide the perfect advice for every and any situation one can imagine. Knowing you're on the right path to success is worth every minute spent with Christine. Beyond her infectious laugh you’ll find a compassionate and understanding individual that will help guide you through the struggles one often endures in this industry. Because Christine understands the Creative Process and shares her many years of insider wisdom we came away with a firm confidence in the course we are heading towards. I recommend every Creative Individual take the time to analyse the factors that make one successful and stand out in an industry that can be harsh to navigate alone. Christine Saunders is that light in the storm - apart from coming away with a solid understanding of our business plan, we also made a life long friend & mentor in the process!"
Ashton Kieditch, London advertising photographer
London has always been a creative hub some may say the best in the world but what I do know for sure is that you need good people around you to help in producing world class advertising Luckily for me Christine enabled me to showcase my photography by commissioning several fab projects throughout the past 20 yrs Very glad to hear Christine is back at the coal face no doubt promoting more great work from London agencies and top photographers in her own calm professional manner
Steven Morris, director at Steven Morris Photography
Christine has been a huge support over many years with her coaching skills. She has successfully pointed me in the right direction to further my career. Her combined skills of coaching and knowledge of commissioning photographers has been the perfect balance for me to grow my business.
I would recommend Christine to anyone who works in a creative field and is looking for expert advise for an industry pro.
PS - she's really nice too!
Trina Wydmanski, founder and owner of Phosphor Art, London illustrators agent
I have known Christine for over 25 years - she cares passionately about creativity and developing new talent. We have worked together in the past creating and editing artists portfolios and organising client presentations. More recently we have been putting together our new Phosphor website. This has involved curating illustrators and animators folios, seeking out new talent, and finding ways to show the work in the best possible way, and then to promote it to the relevant audience.
Christine is very knowledgeable and experienced both as an Art Buyer and an Agent which has really helped her understanding of both sides of the business.
I would not hesitate in recommending her and I’m sure coaching time spent with Christine would be of great benefit to any creative looking to reassess their work.
Tim Brookes, Creative Director at DDB Adam and Eve
Working with Christine is always rewarding and ever a pleasure. During her time in the world of ad agencies we worked together on many projects covering a variety of different clients and disciplines. She is inspiring to work with, bringing her own personal touch to the job in hand. She is warm, creative and a great sounding board when needed. Not only is she very generous with advice, she’s incredibly passionate and focused about getting the best out of every situation. If that wasn’t enough she’s also top drawer when it comes to a sit down, a cuppa and a natter.
Daniel Beltra, photographer and artist
Christine has helped me tremendously in my career. She has an incredible background in the creative industry, a great eye and she is a real pleasure to work with. Working with her helped me focus, plan and grow in my photography. I can't thank her enough.
Anthony Marsland Photographer
Over two sessions Christine helped me gain clarity on how my folio could develop. With her in-depth knowledge of what top ad agency Art Buyers want to see Christine's advice helped transform my folio into a coherent proposition. Since concentrating on nudes my folio has been well received by all art directors and art buyers who have seen it.
Rob Kitchen, Senior Lecturer at Falmouth University,
Christine is probably the best Art Buyer I ever worked with. She is helpful, considerate, organised, passionate and has a natural affinity for art, design and photography. She is also fun to work with. The whole department at CDP benefited from her approach and the quality of the agency's output reflected that.
Adrian Kemsley, Creative Director
Christine is probably the best art buyer/producer I have ever worked with. She has a thorough understanding of the advertising industry having worked for agencies and also as a photographic agent. She has a very creative eye with the ability to take photographic/illustration/production briefs and then supply creative resource that are not only dead right for the job, but in most cases enhance the overall potential of the concept. Her long and successful career has made her the go-to person for creative individuals who are seeking wise council and future direction.
Cathy Bennett, Director at VUE Represents
Christine was a joy to work with as not only did she have the foresight to recognise talented photographers but she also understood the finer points when running a large production job and the subtleties of coming in to or under budget but not to the detriment of the job itself.
Graham Atkins-Hughes, Director at Graham Atkins-Hughes Interior Photography
Christine is one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of meeting, she has a kind heart, and a huge passion which manifests it self in which ever project she is currently engaged. I wish her every success.
Martin Handyside, Operations Director at icp
I have known Christine for many years on a business and social basis and have always found her to be extremely professional and conscientious and a good laugh.
James Hayhurst, Marketing Director at AYR
I worked with Christine at BMP DDB as it was then as an account manager/director. I lose track of the number of projects that I worked with her on but Christine was always fantastic to work with. It goes without saying that she knew her photographers inside out but she also always went above and beyond.
Harry Lyon-Smith, at Illustration Ltd
We have worked together both as an art buyer and as a coach. She is a first rate art buyer for both the artist and the agency...walking the tight-rope between the two with both charm and clarity. She coached my colleague for one session and I believe it was a great success. I have no hesitation in recommending Christine in any capacity. I have worked with Christine closely on several projects in the past and I found her very professional, very focused and an inspiration to others. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with her and I hope we get to again in the future.
It’s always a pleasure to collaborate with Christine Saunders. Her coaching abilities are impressive and I owe several of my successful business decisions to conversations I've had with her. She’s tremendously gifted at listening with an empathetic and strategic ear to help you harness your individual strengths and passions and use them to be happier and successful in work and life. - Whitney Keyes www.WhitneyKeyes.com
Jon Wiltshire, founder poolgroup.co
I have known and worked with Christine for most of my time in the creative / advertising space.
Over the years I have been commissioned by Christine to fulfill creative briefs and have always found all the information I needed to be present and correct, so important to the success of any creative execution.
Since owning my own agency I have used Christine many times to find creative talent, ranging from art direction, illustration and photography, and again always on brief.
During these times, using Christine to fulfill my search / buying needs, keeps my creative output at an optimum level while keeping my fixed costs low.
What's not to like..!
Paul Cowan, Agent for Horton-Stephens.com
Christine is one of the most genuine people I have met & one of the best art buyers there has been in our industry. She understands photography and, more importantly, photographers and what makes them a quite unique breed. She knows what creatives are looking for today, how the marketplace has changed and how a photographer needs to have a command of social media and filmmaking skills these days too. Having worked on both sides of the business she has a rare ability to see both the agency and the artist’s viewpoint. Her honesty, diplomacy, perceptive nature & (very importantly) sense of humour are unequalled. Some time spent with her would be a very worthwhile investment.
Nick Turpin, Founder of Street Photography and iN-Public
Christine is hugely experienced in the field of commercial photography, with many years as a senior Art Buyer working at a major London Agency commissioning for some of the biggest brands on the planet. Her knowledge of how the industry works from the other side of the fence would be invaluable to any photographer wishing to approach high end commissioners. We have worked together on campaigns for brands such as VW and it was always a great pleasure.
Jennie Maizels Ltd, Illustrator and Lecturer
Christie Saunders is an exceptionally astute and creative person. I feel incredibly lucky to have worked with Christine on developing my brand and my business. Christine’s insightful and perceptive advice, helped focus my creative direction and personal growth hugely. Artists of any ilk would hugely benefit from Christine’s expertise, not least using her creative eye for much needed improvements to websites, but also with regards to moving forward and growing one’s career. It is very hard working solo in the creative industry and having Christine as a coach and supportive partner is immensely beneficial. She is highly principled, incredibly professional and an absolute joy to work with
Paul Murphy Photographer and filmmaker
For over five years I had the pleasure of having Christine Saunders as my photographic representative. During this period Christine was my rock. My life as a professional freelance photographer, like most photographers, has never been a certainty. Every day feels like I am being interviewed for a new job, as my portfolio is continuously presented and scrutinised for advertising campaigns. Some of these campaigns I would win, but more often than not, I would lose. Being rejected like this on a daily basis is part of a freelancer photographers life and is very normal but living with it and coming to terms with it is very difficult. Sometimes there could be months between one job and the next, during which one has to function and produce speculative work. Christine taught me how to cope with those periods and deal with those negative feelings that photographers often experience because of rejection by an agency or art director. Using different techniques Christine showed me how to see things differently, how to focus and capitalise on the positive aspects of winning a campaign rather than dwelling on the negativity of rejection. I have been a successful photographer now for nearly 30 years and I owe a big part of my success to the ideas and approaches that Christine was able to teach me. On top of her ability to help guide me through the rocky landscape of freelancing, Christine was also able to help me construct and develop my portfolio which, for sure, helped me win some of those award winning campaigns I have shot. Should you need someone to help extract you from a professional rut, someone to perform a constructive critique of your portfolio or simply just someone to help straighten your thoughts about your career and help give you a leg up, then I can recommend nobody better than Christine Saunders
