CASE STUDY: A Trusted Legal Brand, Reimagined

DKB LAW

Client: DeMark, Kolbe & Brodek Law

Highlights from Our Time with DKB Law

Project Overview: Business Portraits and Publicity Photos

Objective

To refresh DKB’s visual branding with updated, authentic, and professional images that align with the firm’s collaborative, client-centered values.

About DeMark, Kolbe & Brodek (DKB) Law

DeMark, Kolbe & Brodek Law (DKB) has been a respected name in the Racine, Wisconsin, legal community for years. The firm provides a range of high-quality, personalized legal services in business, estate planning, real estate, and litigation. Known for building genuine client relationships, DKB wanted to ensure their visual brand reflected this authenticity. They approached us to update their imagery with a look that feels approachable yet professional—true to the collaborative nature of their practice.

Background

Brett Ekes reached out to us after DKB had recently commissioned business portraits and publicity photos from another photography studio. Although the images were technically excellent, the team felt they were a bit too posed and lacked the authentic vibe the partners and staff wanted to portray. Our initial consult was all about understanding their goals, learning what resonated with them, and what they felt didn’t work. We discussed how they wanted the overall imagery to look and feel, ensuring we could capture the essence of DKB’s ethos.

Approach

During my research, I reviewed the current images on DKB’s website and was inspired by the authenticity and candid quality they had. The images, however, were nearly a decade old and with recent changes in staff and leadership, the firm needed a refresh. Our mission was clear: to pay homage to the original, unstaged look of those photos while introducing updated visuals that would represent the present-day team at DKB.

Process

The project began with basic headshots of all partners, attorneys, and staff, ensuring consistency in quality and style across the portraits. But to really capture DKB’s identity, we did something different: I asked the team to keep their desks just as they were—piles of work, open files, coffee mugs, and all. I wanted to capture the energy and real-life hustle that defines DKB. Rather than a conventional photo shoot, I followed them through their day, photographing them as they collaborated, discussed cases, and immersed themselves in their work.

The result was a series of photos that show exactly who DKB is: a team that gets things done, where collaboration and client commitment are at the forefront. No forced poses, no perfectly cleared desks—just DKB in its authentic, day-to-day element.

Conclusion

In keeping with the firm’s long-standing brand, we managed to honor the legacy of the previous photographer who captured the DKB spirit ten years ago, while bringing the visuals forward to reflect their present team and the passage of time. I absolutely love how the project turned out, and I’m grateful to have played a part in refreshing DKB’s brand with images that truly speak to their identity and work ethic.