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Our impact
SWEDEN
HF Agency
Based in: Linköping
Launched: 2007
€13M, 170 photographers.
Gareth Bagley, Co-founder:
– Back in '07, I was breaking my back as a freelance photographer in the real estate market and saw the need for the support of an agency first hand; doing everything on my own was just not sustainable. The existing alternatives didn't feel like a fair deal to me so when I heard the same from another photographer, we decided to start our own agency business and build it from a photographers perspective. 18 years later, we are paying out $10m a year to the creators in our community and we have proven our model on an international scale. I’ve done my years in the business and had an incredible time – now, I'm on my way to an early retirement in Australia.
The key elements to our success is the same today as it was back then; treating everyone fairly, compensating the photographers properly and letting the creatives be creative.
Based in: Linköping
Launched: 2007
€13M, 170 photographers.
Gareth Bagley, Co-founder:
– Back in '07, I was breaking my back as a freelance photographer in the real estate market and saw the need for the support of an agency first hand; doing everything on my own was just not sustainable. The existing alternatives didn't feel like a fair deal to me so when I heard the same from another photographer, we decided to start our own agency business and build it from a photographers perspective. 18 years later, we are paying out $10m a year to the creators in our community and we have proven our model on an international scale. I’ve done my years in the business and had an incredible time – now, I'm on my way to an early retirement in Australia.
The key elements to our success is the same today as it was back then; treating everyone fairly, compensating the photographers properly and letting the creatives be creative.
NORWAY
HF Agency
Oslo
Launched: 2023
€1,2M, 20 photographers.
Line Eidsvåg, Co-founder:
– In 2023, me and my business partner had a clear idea of what was needed in the Norwegian property media market. Having worked for a large network, we had seen the benefits of scale but also how central effectivization was taking the fun and creativity out of being a photographer. When we had started our own network, we didn't have the financing or platform needed to build the nation wide community we had dreamed of.
When we met HF Agency Group, it was clear right away that we shared the same vision; to build an agency in Norway that puts the photographer in focus. Since then, we've come a long way but we are still just getting started on our journey towards that goal.
Oslo
Launched: 2023
€1,2M, 20 photographers.
Line Eidsvåg, Co-founder:
– In 2023, me and my business partner had a clear idea of what was needed in the Norwegian property media market. Having worked for a large network, we had seen the benefits of scale but also how central effectivization was taking the fun and creativity out of being a photographer. When we had started our own network, we didn't have the financing or platform needed to build the nation wide community we had dreamed of.
When we met HF Agency Group, it was clear right away that we shared the same vision; to build an agency in Norway that puts the photographer in focus. Since then, we've come a long way but we are still just getting started on our journey towards that goal.
FINLAND
Visign Agency / Studio
Based in: Helsinki
Launched: 2024
€1,6M, 45 photographers.
Atro Linnavirta, Co-founder:
– I got into working with 3D visualization and, as a former art student, I enjoyed combining creativity with technology to create beautiful visuals for upcoming real estate projects. I was employed by Visign, a company that had pioneered digital media services in the Finnish real estate market, and after quite a few years in the company as an Art Director, me and the CEO felt we needed to take Visign in a new direction.
Together with HF Agency Group, we bought the company from our previous owners in the beginning of 2024 and launched Visign Agency, the first agency of its kind in the country. Our goal is to create the leading community for real estate creatives in Finland and we are off to a flying start.
Based in: Helsinki
Launched: 2024
€1,6M, 45 photographers.
Atro Linnavirta, Co-founder:
– I got into working with 3D visualization and, as a former art student, I enjoyed combining creativity with technology to create beautiful visuals for upcoming real estate projects. I was employed by Visign, a company that had pioneered digital media services in the Finnish real estate market, and after quite a few years in the company as an Art Director, me and the CEO felt we needed to take Visign in a new direction.
Together with HF Agency Group, we bought the company from our previous owners in the beginning of 2024 and launched Visign Agency, the first agency of its kind in the country. Our goal is to create the leading community for real estate creatives in Finland and we are off to a flying start.
PHILIPPINES
Layout Nordic
Based in: Manilla
Launched: 2024
David Zandén, Group Product Owner (Photography):
– Layout is our own production house for image editing and floor plan production. Layout Nordic | Est. 2024
David Zandén, Group Product Owner (Photography):
– Layout is our own production house for image editing and floor plan production. The team we've built in Manilla are truly amazing people, with culture and workplace standards we can be proud of, and they are delivering images that impress even some of the most notoriously hard-to-please Scandinavian clients.
I've been in this business for around 15 years in Sweden and to be honest, I've seen a lot of good reasons to be skeptical of editing outsourced to Asia. For a few years we made it work with a good external partner, but now having our own production gives us complete control over quality, culture and the workplace environment.
Based in: Manilla
Launched: 2024
David Zandén, Group Product Owner (Photography):
– Layout is our own production house for image editing and floor plan production. Layout Nordic | Est. 2024
David Zandén, Group Product Owner (Photography):
– Layout is our own production house for image editing and floor plan production. The team we've built in Manilla are truly amazing people, with culture and workplace standards we can be proud of, and they are delivering images that impress even some of the most notoriously hard-to-please Scandinavian clients.
I've been in this business for around 15 years in Sweden and to be honest, I've seen a lot of good reasons to be skeptical of editing outsourced to Asia. For a few years we made it work with a good external partner, but now having our own production gives us complete control over quality, culture and the workplace environment.
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