Branding Yourself As A Photographer
January 28th, 2010A fellow photographer friend of mine asked me a question today. She wanted to know what the term branding meant in relation to a photographer’s career. This is a really good question because your career as a fashion photographer, portrait photographer, wedding photographer or any kind of photographer depends on branding yourself. As photographers we are hired for our style and look of our photos.
1. The first part of branding yourself is designing a logo. That doesn’t mean your logo has to be a graphic or initials. Take for example Gucci. When you see the word Gucci you know it’s Gucci by the font style that is used. Same can be said for Quicksilver, Versace, and the list could go on. My logo for example is the font style that is used as well as the spacing between letters. The next thing you want to be aware of is your color scheme of your logo. My colors are gray background and white letters.
2. So now you have your logo and color scheme. You then make your website. Your website should incorporate your color scheme as well. My site is a gray background and white letters. It has been this way for 10 years and hasn’t changed once. People are creatures of habit. When you change up your site and colors every year or every other year that is not a very effective technique to keep your brand in everyone’s minds.
Think of McDonalds. If those golden arches suddenly were green, or blue or red or whatever, what do you think would happen ? LOL
3. Now you make your business cards and letter head for contracts and correspondence. Everything must match.
4. The next MOST important part of branding yourself as a photographer is defining your own style of shooting. Now this takes years. You need to get to know and find yourself as a photographer and shoot what you love as noted in this post. This will become your signature style in which you will be hired for jobs. My signature style is the back lit flare look with a little bit of fill shot outdoors. I do not do this in post.
I really like this look and this is a technique I teach in my private photography workshops. It is a soft look that does not require much gear and you can use a reflector and or an off camera flash to just give a kiss of fill light. I also execute this look in studio as well.
In conclusion, this is branding yourself as a photographer. Only YOU can do it. Only you can find yourself and your style. Remember that this is the most important part of establishing your name / brand. Any questions or comments please ask away !
Cheers !
January 28th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Excellent and often overlooked advice!
I might add that just like most creative endeavors there are certain skills involved and one cannot just slap together a business card and design a logo and call it a day. Effective graphic design requires expertise and careful thought. Graphic designers and brand managers have spent years to get where they are, very similar to the practices and efforts it takes us as photographers to get where we’re at.
Also there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to branding but I agree, it’s a very important part of one’s presence.
Might I suggest to photographers looking for branding to really reach out, ask if you know any designers that you could trade services with it. That way you’ll get professional results and really button up your presentation skills.
As a current photographer and graphic designer as well as former art buyer It pains me to see beautiful imagery with substandard presentation. It matters!
Thank you!
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admin Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Matt thank you for your post. You make some very good points !
Cheers !
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January 29th, 2010 at 11:26 am
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January 29th, 2010 at 10:22 pm
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February 9th, 2010 at 1:24 am
This is some really great information, thanks a bunch for sharing!
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February 12th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
I agree with you that having a brand is the most important thing for a photographer but it’s the thing that keeps a lot of GREAT photographers from ever having any monetary success.
I think that #4 on your list should actually be number 1. Defining your style and not being all over the place is the most important thing for photographers to achieve in order to start bringing in money. Once the photographer has developed his/her style, things like logo design and business cards and what not should flow quite naturally and become more easy.
Just my two cents.
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admin Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Hi Antonio,
I’m confused on your first point. You say that having a brand is the thing that keeps most great photographers from ever having any monetary success. What do you mean by that ?
Your second point I have to disagree with and this is why. In my post I say it can take years to develop and find your own style. So in the meantime why not at least make some side money with head shots and family portraits maybe ? It’s MUCH easier to decide on a color scheme and logo to at least get some business cards made and start passing those out. You then apply those colors and logo to your website so now people start knowing you by your color scheme and logo and will follow your development as you make your way to discovering your own style which again takes years.
We both make good points and it really comes down to the choice of the individual photographer. One thing we both agree on and I am sure others agree on as well is that you MUST develop your own style and be known for that because your style is what you will be hired for.
Thank you for your comment Antonio and thank you for your participation with my blog
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February 14th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Very good advices. Thanks!
Tina
http://tinapicardphotography.blogspot.com
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