Ideas for Branding Your Photography

How cool is that cork ball chandelier?! Guess where it's from.

Anthropologie.

Not surprised, huh? I took that photo in Vegas, admiring the brilliance of the Anthropologie branding. I mean, people make photoshoots inspired off of this store, they design cards and stationary with Anthropologie as the driving force.

I bet if you asked 10 regular Anthropologie shoppers to choose 3 words to describe the store -- over half would have very similar descriptions. Why? Because their branding is consistent.

I decided to venture into a small project in furthering my photography brand. My packages. I needed more than a burned CD and delivered prints. I wanted my clients to see me in my delivery and not just my photos.

So I went shopping...

Without a plan, really. Armed with just a sticky note with 4 stores I scribbled down, I decided to just wing it. I ended up buying the following at Michaels and one of the BEST paper boutiques I've ever gone to: Mystic Paper.



Ugh, talk about overwhelming. I think graphic designers - or designers in general - have the HARDEST time designing for themselves. My mind thinks about a million directions and styles and "just winging it" is the dumbest plan.

Fortunately, I stuck to a color scheme (coral -- who is surprised?!) and forced myself to only buy "embellishments." I loooved Mystic Paper, but it would be so easy to turn my branding from Imaginale to Old Lady Scrapbooking if I wasn't careful with my purchases. Talk about paisley overload.



I got the greeting cards at Michaels and I loved how they had an opening on the front cover. I used the stickers I bought for my client's initials. They were typewriter stickers which is consistent with the way I label their names on the photos.



See?

Then I cut one of the flowers from the ribbon and played around with a leaf embellishment..



I also purchased a label maker for my CD's and carried out the same style. Typewriter font + my logo (in coral). I love combining modern lines with curves -- resembles my love of mixing fashion with feminine details.

And look! NOT planned at all, but their names on the CD fit perfectly behind the slot of the card!



I decided to move the flower and leaf on the envelope cover instead of the card cover so it wouldn't be squished inside. Then I wrapped the striped twine around and I was in love!!



I taped the ribbon with my special tape..



...and finished it off with a vintage stamp sticker.

Yes. That's what I was looking for.

Mind you, this is only a start. Obviously my goal is to continue developing and expanding my branding, but more than anything -- to be consistent. For people to know when it's my work and take home my love of detail.

Now, the challenge is going to be what I do when I have a male model or male high school senior. Clearly he will probably not enjoy a pretty little flower on his package ;) Or you know, maybe he will? :D

What steps have you taken to ignite your branding?