You’ve perfected your craft, curated a standout portfolio, and navigated the legal groundwork—now it’s time to answer the critical question: How do I make my photography business unforgettable? Branding isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s the strategic foundation that shapes how clients perceive, trust, and choose you. Here’s what truly defines photography branding and why it matters
As mentioned above, branding your business isn’t just about having a completely matched set of every marketing material you could ever need. It’s about developing a presence for your business that is memorable and true to your business vision AND also appeals to your target market.
Think of how you feel about other brands you know. What feelings does the Chanel brand invoke versus, say, WalMart? Both are legitimate businesses, of course, and each has its own target clientele, but those target markets are quite different.
So knowing what your target market is and how you want your brand to make people FEEL will help immensely in selecting a brand that is right for YOUR BUSINESS.
If you want to attract a high-end clientele, you will want your brand and all that goes with it to reflect that!
What Kind of Branding Materials Do You Need?
The answer to this question is, well, I don’t know! Your business is unique, so your branding needs will follow suit.
You may be catering to an exclusively high-end clientele and want to create an extensive and cohesive brand with a memorable impact. Alternatively, you might be tapped into your local mom’s group and only need marketing materials that appeal to getting them in the door.
Let’s face it; we’re all in a highly creative and individual profession, so just as there are a million ways to personalize the artistic side of your business, you can also individualize your branding needs.
I will say this: there are a couple of simple and important photography branding materials that you absolutely should have:
- A logo/watermark is essential the moment you start to post images online, not only for advertisement purposes but also to protect your photos.
- A great business card will also go a long way in your local community to get your photography brand recognition started!
Where to Start with Photography Branding?
A great place to start your branding is with a logo. This will be the “face” of your company, so you really want it to reflect your style and be a good representation of your company. It will be the cornerstone of your entire brand, so getting that locked down is essential to building a brand. Don’t panic; there are a lot of options out there, and I promise there is an option to fit every budget.
Do You Need a Professional Designer for Your Photography Brand?
So many people worry that they are not getting started “right” if they can’t hire a designer immediately. You will often hear that you should not switch logos, brands, etc., but I’m here to tell you…it’s OK if you do change.
While you definitely want to avoid developing an elaborate brand and marketing set, matching site and blog, let your clients get used to everything and THEN change it up completely. It’s OK to start with something simple and let your initial photography brand develop into something larger and more elaborate when you are ready.
Creating a Starter Logo
My advice for creating a preliminary logo is to keep it simple! Do NOT go crazy with graphics and fancy elements. If you know that down the road, you will want to hire a designer to help you develop your brand, then your best bet, for now, is to find a simple, attractive font and use that to create your logo and watermark.
Tip: If you want to make your own logo in Photoshop, here is an excellent tutorial on how to make a logo in Photoshop.
If you know what colors you will be using, then definitely incorporate them, but if you are unsure, go with something relatively neutral. It will look clean and classy and won’t be a massive shock to anyone when your brand gets a makeover down the line.
The other benefit to using a neutral font-based logo is that, until you are ready to get a custom-designed marketing set, you can find great deals on pre-made kits that you can work your simple logo into for a cohesive look!
There are also a ton of pre-made logos out there, so do some research on those as well. But again, remember to KEEP IT SIMPLE. This is also a great time to start researching designers and getting a feel for the investment you may want to make in Branding design down the road and giving you a chance to save up for it!
Hiring a Professional Brand Designer
Hiring a designer to create your photography brand is a lot like buying a pair of shoes. If you shop strictly by price, you will often get a pair that will work, but they never fit quite right, and you will eventually grow dissatisfied and look for a new pair.
The same can be said when hiring a designer. Let’s be honest; time is valuable in a world where so many of us work our businesses around relationships, kids, other jobs, etc. Creating a brand and all that entails is a lot of work.
You are probably hiring a designer because you may not be able to create what you need yourself and are looking for outside expertise to make your vision come to life. So try to remember that when researching designers – you are investing in them the way you hope your clients will invest in you.
It is also essential to select a designer that not only knows what they are doing technically but also offers designs that fit your style. Keeping in mind that a designer’s body of work reflects their own personal design style and their client’s preferences, you should still be able to get a solid sense of their style.
For instance, if you want a colorful, bold, and outrageous brand, you probably would not want to select a designer that primarily designs clean, simple brands.
Ask around and get referrals from others on the forums you follow or Facebook groups you like. Check out the advertising sections on the sites and forums you frequent…you can usually find some great options that way too!
