Photographer: Katelyn James, Katelyn James Photography, Richmond, Virginia
What inspired your brand? My foyer! I know, it sounds so silly but it’s true. I wanted my brand to reflect me, my personality, my personal style, the fact that we are southern and love hospitality, etc. Our foyer is lightly striped with hints of soft mint but still classy. We wanted our brand to be welcoming, southern and sophisticated! So naturally, we based it off of my foyer.
Did you start your business with a solid brand, or did it develop over time? Oh this was a process! My brand has been evolving for years! My business was called “Inspired Designs” and I had literally no idea what I was doing. I used bright, almost neon colors and thicker black fonts. I had way too many textures and icons. Thank goodness for change!
Can you describe your style in three words? Joyful, genuine, timeless.
In what ways does your brand help your business? My brand defines my business. It gives my audience and clients a clear picture of who I am and what they can expect from me. It also increases the value of my work. When you’re well represented online, people start to pay attention to you. Your brand should increase your credibility and your professionalism!
Do you feel like your brand attracts your target market? Oh yes! 100 percent yes! and all I need are 30 of those a year!
If you could give one piece of branding advice to a new photographer, what would you say? Be as professional as humanly possible from the very beginning. I’m not saying spend $5,000 on a rebrand your first year… That’s not smart. But I am saying there are ways to be professional as you’re starting your business and this is vital! There are too many photographers in our industry for you to not have your act together online. The days of just having a Facebook page and never working hard on a website are over. You deserve to be well represented! During our coaching lessons, I constantly tell photographers they are so much better than their website portrays them to be and that is detrimental to their reputation.
Sources:
- Website Platform: Showit
- Designer: Jennifer Olmstead of Deleted Space Creative
- Blog Platform: WordPress with custom Flo Theme
- Blog Design: Jen Olmstead and coded by Flosites
- Notecards: Moo Lux Cards
- Business Cards: Moo Lux
- Mailers: Uline.com
Office décor:
- Paint Color: Waterscape by Sherwin Williams
- Desk: Pottery Barn
- Chairs and Target: HomeGoods
- Affordable Large Canvases: CGProPrints
Photography by Katelyn James
