for photographers

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!Building a Brand for Photographers

First Edition

!For more information:

www.donaldohertyengage.com

donal@donaldoherty.com

!Cover design by Melissa Love

www.melissalove.co.uk

!Copyright © 2014 by Donal Doherty

All rights reserved.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dedicated to Margaret.

You constantly inspire me.

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!Contents

!Acknowledgements Page 4

Introduction Page 5

Resources Page 6

Find Your Why Page 7

Craft Your Visual Identity Page 14

Showcase Your Brand Page 21

Shoot For Your Brand Page 29

About the Author Page 37

More from the Author Page 39

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to those who contributed to the book including Melissa Love and Giorgio Rondelli for their expert take on branding. Alina Wheeler’s book, Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team was often quoted and was a great source of information. Thanks also to my Editor, Terry Hope from Photo Professional Magazine for his continued support. To Tara McGinley for her work on the project. Thanks to my dad, Thomas for his support in all senses of the word. Finally thanks to my fiancé Margaret for her love, support and everything she does on a daily basis to free me up to run my business and to write this book. !!!!

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Introduction

In recent years there has been an explosion in the numbers of photographers. With more competition than ever, it has never been more important to stand out. A unique and well executed brand is your best opportunity to do so, not only enabling you to differentiate yourself, but it allows you to charge a premium.

In addition to top tips from companies who specialise in producing branding materials, I share my brand story and I get the inside track from branding experts on how to create the ideal brand for your photography business.

The expert tips and strategies to help you understand your why, craft your identity, roll out your collateral and shoot for your band contained in this e-book will enable you to create a brand which is irresistible to your target client.

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Resources

Access lots more resources to help you to connect with your audience and to grow your photography business at Donal Doherty Engage. Sign-up fo r f ree t ips , news and exc lus ive o f fe rs by v is i t ing www.donaldohertyengage.com

!Like the Engage Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ddengage for a range of free content and advice on how to create a business and life you love.

!Read Donal’s column, Master Marketing in Photo Professional Magazine each month for the most up-to-date and insightful advice on marketing for photographers.

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FIND YOUR WHY Define the principles and philosophy of your brand !!!!!!!!!!!!

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What is a brand?

Many people misunderstand branding. They see it simply as visual identity, but it goes much further. Your brand represents the ethos of how you do business and it underpins why you do what you do.

In her book ‘Designing Brand Identity,’ Alina Wheeler explains: “As competition creates infinite choices, companies look for ways to connect emotionally with customers, become irreplaceable and create lifelong relationships. A strong brand stands out in a densely crowded marketplace. People fall in love with brands, trust them, and believe in their superiority. How a brand is perceived affects its success, regardless of whether it’s a start-up, a nonprofit, or a product.”

Those photographers who are able to charge a premium for their service have created massive value in their brand, so the importance of putting

in place a brand is evident. Senior Strategist at leading branding agency,

BrandCap, Giorgio Rondelli explains why getting a brand in place is

essential:

“You really have to understand what you stand for and what makes you different and unique. That’s going to become the philosophy of your company and it will inform how you will do your job, influence the type of people you might want to employ and will define the type of service, experience or product you deliver. Understanding your brand will also inform the way you communicate, your tone of voice, communication style and your visual identity. It will highlight the kind of activities you want to get involved in and will rule out others. It is almost like an organising principle. It focuses your business around something that is true to you. This all comes from your personal experience or something that you are really good at doing. By following this path you are not going to copy what other people are doing. It will ensure you have a coherent story and guide you through everything you do.”

My Brand Story ! 8

When I first started my business there were so many things to think of and in the first year branding wasn’t a priority for me. Like many photographers I knocked up a logo in Photoshop, which I thought was fine at the time. I concentrated on shooting and trying to get my name out there through marketing. While I still didn’t have a brand in place, I knew that it was really important. Creating a compelling brand would set me apart and enable me to charge a higher fee for my work.

I decided to develop a visual identity and asked someone I knew to help me out. What they came back with, while lovely, didn’t hit the spot. I was recommended a designer who came back with one option that I wasn’t sure about and he was livid I didn’t agree with his vision.

I put my failure down to trying to do things on the cheap, so I doubled my budget to £500. With the third designer things started out promising, but they missed the mark.

I began to think the issue was me, and I was right. I failed because I didn’t sufficiently understand what I stand for.

I decided to take a different approach. At the start of 2012 I enrolled on a project management course. This helped me to structure a process to achieve my goal of putting in place a brand and website which truly reflected me and my ethos.

As part of this new approach I read extensively on branding and began working on a brand document. The document pulls together your thoughts on the brand into one coherent document that everyone in the organisation can read, understand and act on. It outlines your businesses philosophy, from how you behave to how you look and talk.

The document is important because: • It sets a standard for how you should do things

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• Gives clear focus to your offer • Brings consistency to what you say and how you look • It is a reference to make sure you practice what you preach and

it acts an example for any future work !While time-consuming, developing the document was well worth it as it helped me to drill down to the core of the brand and to got me thinking about the type of experience I wanted to deliver. When you are developing your brand document you should consider the following:

Ambition !What do you aim to achieve in the coming year? What is it that you aspire to? and where have you come from? You may wish to set a new standard for wedding photography in your local area or offer a new service which was previously not available such as boudoir or pet photography. !Once you gain an understanding of your ambition highlight what you need to do to achieve your vision. Is it a better studio, or do you have to improve the quality of your photography, products and a visual identity that brings everything together? !Philosophy !The idea that defines you and that drives your business forward. Think hard about the ideals that are important to you. For me I believe in the importance of imagery to move you. Try to identify your approach to creating images and a remarkable experience. Work to find a core idea around which you can build your brand. Think hard about this one word, phrase or concept that will define your brand and how you do business. !Value Proposition

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!What do you offer clients? When you think of your value proposition don’t think of the prints, albums and wall art. Steer away from the physical items and define the experience you are delivering. A portrait photographer therefore may offer families a deeper connection and the promise of love and a better family life. This is how the world’s leading brands are successful. Disney doesn’t sell theme parks, films and toys, according to their vision statement they sell happiness. Build your value proposition around an idea and the impact of your service rather that the tangible goods. Your value proposition will define the experience you deliver. Think about how it impacts people in heart, mind and body. !Harry Beckwith in his seminal book, ‘Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing’ says: “What is your promise or value proposition? Are you just showing up, or does every day offer a chance for you to show your value in a specific way?” !Your Behaviours !How you act with customers, partners and each other. Think here about how you work together with your team. How you communicate with each other? How does this communication, be it informal or formal translate to the experience you deliver to clients. Do you treat your clients like friends or as business contacts? !!!Brand Personality !How you look, feel and your tone of voice is key. Put together a list of the behaviours you want to represent your brand, such as ‘be authentic, fun and laid back’ for example. It is important to stand out by being unique and building your brand around your differences.

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!Brand Expression

Melissa Love (www.melissalove.co.uk) is a brand specialist and web developer who works exclusively with photographers and artists. Her clients include Aspire Photography Training, Julia Boggio Studios, Zach & Jody Gray among others. Aware of Melissa Love for quite some time, I thought her work was fantastic. I had been considering approaching her to develop my brand and when I saw the website she designed for Zach and Jody Gray at WPPI. My mind was made up that Melissa was the person who could translate my vision into reality. !MELISSA LOVE’S BRANDING TIPS - PREPARING TO BRAND YOUR BUSINESS

Don't brand shop By all means, take inspiration from other artists, brands and websites you admire, but don't be tempted to simply copy a colour, font or feature. The end result will be pleasant enough, but you won't really identify with the end result as being 'authentically you'. When you come across something that inspires you, ask yourself, "What is attracting me to this brand?" !Don't start with a blank page It's tempting to open up Photoshop, start playing around with fonts and wait for inspiration to strike. It won't. Be methodical. Browse magazines, use Pinterest and explore the language you use to describe your business and photography to identify colours, shapes, patterns and styles of font that might work for you. !Don't forget the ideal client

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You might think you've come up with an identity that showcases your work and your personality perfectly, but remember to keep your ideal client in mind throughout the process. Your work, your personality and your ideal client are the three cornerstones of any brand. !Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater Rebranding your business doesn't mean you have to start from scratch. There might be elements of your existing identity that simply need updating. !!!!!!!!

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CRAFT YOUR VISUAL IDENTITY

Create a unique and compelling visual brand identity

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!Last chapter, I looked at finding your why and helped you to define what you and your brand stand for. Armed with this understanding you are now ready to craft a visual identity which is authentic, and irresistible to your target client. I will continue my brand story and share advice from branding experts on how to create a brand for your photography business.

Your visual identity is crucial in making a lasting impression on your audience. It does the communicating for your business, going beyond simple design; it should speak the same language as your photography.

In her book ‘Designing Brand Identity,’ Alina Wheeler highlights what the brand identity process demands:

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“A combination of investigation, strategic thinking, design excellence, and project management skills. It requires an extraordinary amount of patience, an obsession with getting it right, and an ability to synthesize vast amounts of information.”

Senior Strategist at leading branding agency, BrandCap, Giorgio Rondelli

explains why having a strong visual identity is so important for photographers:

“Photography should be the leading element of a visual identity and everything else, from logo to graphic devices and colours should complement it, yet not be overpowering as ultimately your audience will be compelled by the image style they can picture themselves in.”

When I had gained an understanding of what my brand stood for I approached Melissa Love to develop a bespoke brand for my business. To hire a designer of Melissa’s caliber I knew I would need to make a significant investment. I started investigating funding opportunities through government schemes and approached Invest Northern Ireland. As I could show that my new site would increase my export potential, i.e. destination weddings and bookings from couples outside of Northern Ireland, I was able to access a grant. The Management Information Systems (MIS) grant covered 50% of the costs for my website and brand which was a huge help. Get in touch with your local Chamber of Commerce and development agencies to find funding opportunities in your area.

Your brand doesn’t need to cost the earth though, as there are now tools out there you can use to develop a brand at a fraction of the price. Check out Melissa’s new project ‘The Design Space’ (www.thedesignspace.co) which helps you to build your brand across your whole business with editable logo kits, website designs and matching stationery.

With funding in place I was really excited to begin the process of

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developing my visual identity. The brand document discussed in the last chapter was a great help as I already had a defined idea of my brand and now needed to match the visual identity to characteristics of the brand. The first step required me to pull together four mood boards, which represented my personal style, and the colours, textures and typography that I love.

Putting together mood boards was a fantastic exercise. It involved me ripping out pages from magazines and placing them in a collage, then taking a photograph of the compiled images. Pinterest is a great alternative way to build your mood boards if you prefer.

Colours

Strangely in this colour board I pulled out colours I was attracted to and once I put them all together felt they all belonged to a certain palette. Once I showed my girlfriend Margaret she laughed as she said that the colours reflect the colour of clothes I wear everyday!

My-Style

On my style board I tried to reflect the style of my brand and what I am attracted to.

Texture

To me these textures give the feel of quality. They portray the professional style I wanted.

Typography

I love the typeface/fonts used in fashion magazines and like the idea of overlaying text on images. I think the combination of serif and sans serif

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fonts looks cool.

In addition to filling out the mood boards, I had to give a lot of information about the ethos of my brand and me as a person. I had found that many American photographers centre their business around themselves and appeal to customers on a personal level. I wanted to share personal information in this way as I knew this would attract clients I love!

From these ideas Melissa developed a brand board as a starting point. When I saw this it completely blew my mind. I could not believe that this was my brand and was delighted with how well it had come together. I absolutely loved it!

Brand Board

Using the mood boards as inspiration, Melissa then developed the brand and a set of guidelines, which include the colour palate, fonts, symbols, and instructions for how to use across different media. This document has informed future development of marketing collateral, which has a consistent look and feel.

Branding Guidelines

Before undergoing the branding process my existing website was developed by a student, Andrea Epifani (www.andreaepifani.com) who pulled together a simple but elegant design. It worked well at the beginning, but as it wasn’t content managed I had to go back and forth to have amendments made to the website.

Old Website

Melissa then created my new website on a platform called Showit, which

among other benefits has a fantastic content management system

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(CMS) so it’s really easy to make changes to the site. As the brand and site developed, Melissa referred back to me for input and to make sure everything was progressing in the right direction for my business. The brand development process was seamless and the finished product exceeded my expectations. !New Website

Since launching the new brand and website so many other photographers and clients have commented on how impressive it is and it has provided a boost in bookings, particularly from those based in Australia and USA.

As a wedding photographer I feel when people are coming for a viewing at the studio they already like my work and are happy with my prices, so they are coming to see if they like me. Before creating my brand I met with 99% of the people who booked me to capture their wedding. Now, because I have a really extensive about section on my website and I give people a strong impression of what I am like online, I only have to meet with about 5% of the couples who book. Imagine how much time you would save if you did the same?

Creating a visual identity not only makes business sense but surprisingly I felt a sense of pride and had more confidence in my work as the custodian of my brand.

MELISSA LOVE’S BRANDING TIPS !Take inspiration from your own life and style Look at the clothes you wear, the colours you choose for your home, things you have that you particularly treasure. Your personal style will tell you a lot about how you are projecting yourself, and by extension, your brand.

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!Make the ideal client real Most people have a good idea about the clients they want to attract but are a bit vague on the details. Ask yourself, “What would they wear?”; “Where would they shop?; “What would they read?”. Get to know them inside out and spend time focusing on what the collection of brands they are likely to use means and how your brand will be a good fit for their lifestyle !Be Personal Don’t be afraid to reveal a little of yourself. Letting your clients in on some quirky details will help you stand out from a sea of photographers and be memorable. !!Get a second opinion from someone you trust Whether you’re working with a designer or putting together your brand yourself, it is really worthwhile to get a sense of your authentic self. Enlist a friend’s help from the very beginning to give you feedback rather than bringing them in at the end. Avoid sharing the final brand choices with a whole group at the end of the process. People will always disagree and you will end up second-guessing yourself. !!!!!!

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SHOWCASE YOUR BRAND Develop marketing collateral and select products to fit your brand

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By now you will have learnt how to find your why and how to define what you and your brand stands for. I went on to provide an insight into crafting a visual identity that is authentic and irresistible to your target client. These exercises will inform both the development of your marketing materials and the products you select to represent your brand. This time I explore creating your marketing materials and selecting on-brand products with the help of a range of industry experts.

With an understanding of the brand, which underpins your visual identity, you should also now have your online presence in place. The next step is to develop and roll out your collateral. I cannot stress how important it is to keep everything consistent. This helps you to stay true to your organising principles, while ensuring instant recognition and a unique experience for your clients.

Many of us are owner operators and as such have limited resources and brand development takes time. Get in place the key items of your brand and roll out the others in due course. Opt for a good quality designer if

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you plan to develop bespoke branding materials.

Or check out The Design Space (www.thedesignspace.co) and Sim Express (www.simexpress.co.uk) who offer templates that you can customise to fit with your brand at a fraction of the cost.

Branding guru, Melissa Love, recommends the essential items you must have in your branding kit:

• Business card • Thank-you card or compliments slip • Social media headers and profile pictures • A postcard or small tri-fold brochure !

A business card still matters today in the digital age. I prefer not to have an image on my card as how I feel about an image tends to change over time, especially in the early years of starting a photography business. On the first wedding workshop I attended I shot an image that I thought was amazing. It was a bride outdoors and at the time I really loved it and selected it for my business card. What I didn’t realise at the time was that the bride’s dress was completely blown out, with no detail at all. It was essentially a white blob. I since perfected my craft, no longer blowing highlights and I was embarrassed to hand out my business card. At WPPI in 2011 I had the chance to shoot alongside one of my all time photography hero’s, Mike Colon, (www.mikecolon.com) at the Thirst Relief Benefit Shoot. At the end of the day Mike asked me for my business card! I shrunk a little inside and felt as if the ground had opened up under my feet. I was going to have to give him one of my cards and was highly embarrassed. As I passed my business card over I apologized, blurting out, “great detail on the dress” and he looked at the image and laughed!

I now laugh about this experience with Mike, who’s shooting my wedding next year in Ireland. The moral of the story is, you want to feel proud

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when you hand over your card and you shouldn’t have to apologise. Think about the message you are you trying to send with your business card? It will showcase your personality and the value of your work. It allows for creativity, but less is more. I’m a huge fan of Moo.com and their Luxe range is gorgeous.

Thank-you cards and compliments slips are really useful and I think handwritten notes add a personal touch that your clients will love. !Social media headers are great for keeping your online experience consistent. Facebook timeline covers can also be a fantastic marketing asset. Have your designer develop a template you can use to drag and drop images from your latest wedding or portrait session and tag your client. They will more than likely change their cover photo providing you with a free ad on their page! You can also do this for vendors you work with by providing them with a template with their images and logo, and subtlety include yours. !Keep your profile photo consistent across social media. I strongly believe that having a photo of yourself helps people to connect with you and your brand. !I find brochures are great to give people who visit the studio and for events, such as bridal fairs. I had a simple tri-fold designed which packs a punch with gorgeous images and words that evoke emotion. Think not only of the design, but the paper stock it will be printed on. It is a visceral experience and the touch and feel will give people a sense of your brand. !You may wish to offer a digital brochure instead of, or in addition to a printed version and you can do this in the following ways: !1. Send PDF 2. Hosting PDF

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3. Hidden pricing page !Senior Strategist at leading branding agency, BrandCap, Giorgio Rondelli highlights three things to think about when producing engaging brand materials:

“Who are your customers and what gets them excited? Who are your competitors and how do they communicate with their audiences? What's your brand about and do your comms materials truly reflect it? The sweet spot between these three will allow to create relevant, distinctive and genuine communications that will attract the right customers and build loyalty.”

With your marketing collateral in place think about your brand as you begin to select products to offer your clients. Are they representative of your brand? Curate your product range, promoting or introducing products that fit the brand ethos. !From your Facebook page, to your website, your brochure to the experience and the products you offer, aim for a consistent feel and aesthetic across the brand. !Alina Wheeler in her book Designing Brand Identity believes you should look to your brand as an investment. Be a perfectionist, as the money you put into your brand will then in return make your brand more valuable and sustainable. She explains:

“Being Socially responsible, environmentally conscious, and profitable is the new business model for all brands. A brand is an intangible asset – brand identity, which includes all tangible expression from packaging to websites, upholds that value.”

SIM Imaging Branding Tips – www.simimaging.co.uk !! 24

You want your branding to be seen, but you don’t want it to be over-powering. Keep your logo and brand colours simple. An easy two-colour pallet is enough.

There are lots of simple tricks to brand your photographic products and make them take the feel of your business. Stickers are easy and fun; use when sending out letters, prints or parcels, enabling you to brand the packaging. When selling frames, simply put a sticker neatly on the back.

Personalise your packaging by adding coloured tissue or shredded paper that matches the colour of your brand.

Search online, there are lots of sites offering great packaging options, which don’t cost the earth and the minimum quantities are small.

Remember to always include compliment slips or branded postcards in the parcel when delivering the order.

Make sure any additional albums, books, proof books, thank you cards and photo gifts you sell have your website and logo printed on them somewhere. For example, albums or books typically might have this printed discreetly on the back cover or last page.

!Queensberry’s Branding Tips - www.queensberry.com !Your brand should be easy to remember and hard to forget. It supports two key facets of your business: how you look and sound and how you behave. !Ultimately, your brand's effectiveness is not based on how you want it to be seen, but how it (and you) are perceived by others. !What does your brand image say about you? Are your brand image and message consistent with who you are, how you present yourself and

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what you deliver? Would your clients look at your logo, fonts, colours, web design, blog etc. and feel that they are in harmony? !We're all in the image business and your image counts. !If your answer is yes, then you already have the beginnings of a strong brand and a clear message. Your clients come to you because they feel like everything 'flows'. It feels 'right'. !The ultimate brand is one that most people instantly recognise - think 'Apple' or 'Mini' or 'Harrods'. We know what to expect as soon as we see those brand-marks. Aim for that level of recognition in your own market. !Think about how your brand can be developed to attract the right clients, and start as you mean to go on. You can't be all things to everyone (and you shouldn't want to be). !Decide who you want to work with, find out what visually appeals to them and the kind of people and things they like to surround themselves with. Make sure you are comfortable in their world and then develop your brand to get you there. !And don't be afraid to change your brand. Businesses grow and change. So do their clients. Why wouldn't their brand change too? !Melissa Love’s Branding Tips – www.melissalove.co.uk

1. Do make sure you have your brand toolkit in place before you start to design new marketing materials. Use it like a handbook and follow your own branding rules by consistently using the same colours, fonts, shapes and textures. !2. Less is more. Using one large image has more impact than using

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several small ones. !3. Look for images you can use with negative space, where you can position your logo, or a phrase or caption. Try to remember to shoot images with negative space for marketing purposes. !4. Be simple and specific with any calls to action. Instructing people to do just one thing. i.e. Visit my website for further details, will be easier to remember than giving several options and addresses. !5. One well-designed piece of literature will achieve a lot more than several complicated marketing items with too much information. The end goal, in nearly every case, is to persuade people to visit your website, where they can find all of your information in detail. Don’t sacrifice dramatic impact by including too much text. !

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SHOOT FOR YOUR BRAND Take gorgeous photos that are consistent with your brand ethos

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!I have looked at finding your why, crafting your visual identity, developing your marketing collateral and curating your product range. In this final look at branding I share my story, highlighting why what you shoot and the images you showcase is key.

!Senior St ra teg is t a t lead ing branding agency, Brandcap (www.brandcap.com), Giorgio Rondelli explains why photographic style is so important:

“As photography is the product you're selling, you must ensure that the tonality and characteristics of your photographic style are perfectly aligned with your brand personality - otherwise you'll end up with a contradictory story that may confuse and ultimately put off your audience.”

!Jasmine Star (www.jasminestar.com) provided a highly insightful structure for developing an onbrand photographic style in her ‘Restart’ course on CreativeLive. She choses to have three keywords that represent her brand, ‘fun, fresh and fabulous.’ These words should describe the overall experience of the shoot and the images you wish to present to your clients. View the blog comments on Jasmine’s page and many people use the word ‘fabulous’ to describe her. The photographer uses this word liberally throughout her blog and in the videos she displays on her website. Fabulous comes to mind when you think of Jasmine and that is not an accident, rather the result of great branding.

If you understand your why and your brand ethos, you should have an idea of your three brand words. Are you, romantic, natural, vintage or

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something else? By locking down your three words, you can use these to influence you both when you shoot and when selecting images for your website and marketing materials.

!My words are: natural, fun and editorial. Lets look at how I developed my style to begin shooting for each of my chosen words.

!NATURAL

From the moment I decided to become a photographer I knew I wanted my images to be relaxed and natural.

As a wedding photographer I feel a pre-wedding shoot is a great opportunity to get my clients relaxed in front of the camera and to get them used to the way I work. Having an opportunity to get to know one another helps them to relax in front of the camera as you build trust. Keep it professional, but don’t be afraid to connect with your clients on a personal level. By understanding their story, I feel I can deliver a more authentic and compelling narrative in my images.

Next, I started investigating how I could get real emotions from my subjects and I found the answers in the Beloved technique.

The Beloved Collective’s (www.belovedcollective.co) website describes the method:

“Beloved is an emerging portrait based photographic genre that celebrates and emphasises the importance of relationship. Blending the visual aesthetic of portrait photography with the authenticity of photojournalism, the Beloved technique gives photographers a simple way to create meaning-rich, fulfilling and valuable experiences and imagery for those they photograph and themselves.”

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What this all means is that rather than telling your subject (or muse as they are referred to in Beloved) to smile, you have a range of techniques to evoke a natural interaction.

!At the beginning of my sessions I get couple’s together and ask them to say a colour at the same time on the count of three to see how in tune they are with one another. I count 1, 2, 3, and then they say the colour. Sometimes they match and sometimes they don’t, but they always laugh and fall into one another. Other techniques include getting your couple together and asking them to tell one another what they thought of each another when they first met. I often ask a groom to whisper a word into his bride’s ear that she’s never heard him say before, or give the bride twenty seconds to whisper into her groom’s ear and make him blush! All of these techniques create natural moments which are beautiful to photograph.

!As part of a move to incorporate the Beloved technique into my work, I reduced the number of camera aware images I was shooting of the couple looking straight down the barrel of the lens and now include a lot more story telling images of them interacting together.

!FUN

I don’t myself too seriously and I love looking at fun images of couples who look like they are having a blast together.

If you turn up tired and with low energy, expect the same from your clients. Your subjects feed off your energy. Want your clients to be fun? Then you’ve got to bring the party to them! Keep your energy levels up and make sure to come to each session with bags and bags of

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enthusiasm. However, if you want chilled out sessions, don’t be too over the top!

!Constantly speak to and reassure your subjects that they are doing great and they look amazing. I was recently shot by a photographer for the launch of my first book, ‘Engage! Social Media Marketing for Photographers,’ and he had me in stiches the whole time. From telling me “one of these is bound to come out,” to “don’t look so scared.” It got me laughing and the resultant photos are really fun. Develop your banter to get clients laughing and to interject fun into your sessions.

!The Beloved method has really helped with some ideas on to how to create fun interactions. Think unconventionally about posing to add a fun element to your work. Use Pinterest to find images of couples and families that evoke the fun feeling you seek within your images and use these as inspiration.

!EDITORIAL

I’ve always loved fashion imagery and when I first started learning photography my ambition was to be the next Rankin or Mario Testino. I later fell in love with wedding photography, and I now aim to shoot bridal images with fashion flair.

!Posing in fashion is so important and I have worked to develop an editorial style of posing my subjects. Looking through fashion magazines, I tore out editorials and ads and stuck them to the walls in my studio. I recreated these poses in my own work, challenging myself to try one

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each time I went on a shoot. Over time these poses became second nature to me.

!I also began to brief my clients more in advance of sessions. Providing input on wardrobe and encouraging female subjects to have hair and make-up done professionally has made my shoots look more professional and my subjects are more confident.

!F a s h i o n p h o t o g r a p h e r , L i n d s e y A d l e r (www.lindsayadlerphotography.com) moved from shooting portraits to shooting for leading fashion brands and magazines. She explains how she began to treat her portrait clients like fashion models:

“I would do my normal portraits and at the end I would say, so since we’re done, do you mind dressing up, do you want to play, do you want to do something fun? We would do something different, go to a cool location or put on a cool hat. Eventually, I developed my business to include portrait sessions with a fashion flair.”

!Like Lindsey, I get my safe shots and then begin to experiment, trying something new and fashion influenced. I am delighted to say that taking this approach has earned me the title of Fashion Photographer of the Year and Creative Photographer of the Year in the Professional Photographers Association of Northern Ireland (PPANI) Awards.

When I shoot, I constantly think, ‘is this image natural, fun, or editorial.’ If not, I pinch myself metaphorically and try to rethink the image. Likewise when I cull my images, select images for my blog or website and for marketing collateral, I refer back to my brand words.

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!Your brand words will be completely different to the words I choose to represent my brand. I would urge you when you have locked them down to identity how you can adapt your work to evoke the feeling your words represent.

!By following this process you will develop a photographic style that fits with your brand and which is consistent and unique to you.

!Melissa Love’s Branding Tips

• Be ruthless about the images you use, particularly on your home page. Every image needs to be a knockout.

• Your clients will be trusting you to deliver on some of the most emotional days of their lives - weddings and family events. Be sure to include images on your homepage that deliver an emotional punch

• Take a long hard look at the ‘old favourites’ in your portfolio. Do they represent where you want your business to be heading? It might be time to retire a few.

• Consciously shoot images with good negative space that you can use on marketing materials and as website & social media headers

• Do you have a defined photographic style that matches your logo and brand colours? A few signature images that are in harmony with your brand will have a much greater impact than a wide collection of images which are not.

• Is your profile picture up to scratch? Team up with a photographer friend to make sure your image matches your brand, in a way that will appeal to your ideal client

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About the Author

Donal Doherty previously spent many years working on marketing and PR for some of the world’s leading super brands such as Walkers, Specsaver’s and Matalan to name but a few. Shortlisted as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2009, and twice as Outstanding Young Communicator by

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the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), he went on to start-up his own consultancy helping businesses to communicate with their stakeholders and to grow market share.

!Four years ago Donal followed his passion for photography setting up Donal Doherty Photography (www.donaldoherty.com) and he has since positioned himself as one of the leading wedding photographers in the UK and Ireland. His brand is known for excellence and using his experience in driving business forward he is now in demand for commissions on a global level from Australia to Mexico, the USA and across Europe.

!His work has been featured in Vogue in addition to a range of leading bridal magazines and blogs such as Junebug, Getting Married NI, Destination I Do, Ulster Bride, One Fab Day and Wedding Journal Magazine among others.

!Donal, who is currently PPANI Fashion Photographer of the Year and Creative Photographer of the Year has a strong interest in helping other photographers. He does so through Donal Doherty Engage (www.donaldohertyengage.com), an online resource that helps photographers to create a business and life they love.

!He writes a regular column and features in the UK's leading magazine for professional photographers, Photo Professional and speaks at conventions around the world.

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He lives in Derry~Londonderry, Northern Ireland with his fiancé, Margaret, her daughter, Jenny and their Yorkshire terrier, Milo.

!Donal loves his work and is delighted to be able to share his insight into social media.

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More from the Author

ENGAGE! – SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Through this book you will find expert tips and strategies to help you use social media to market your photography business. You will learn how to drive sales and how to use social media to deliver a remarkable customer experience. !With such a wide range of low and no cost marketing solutions now at

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your fingertips, social media has turned the way in which you reach potential customers on its head. With these challenges in mind, there has never been a more exciting time to be in the photography industry where potential clients can be accessed in ways never before possible. !Through this book you will be given an insight into a wide range of social networks including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube, in addition to looking at a number of the latest social networks. !I have used the strategies outlined in this book to grow a 29,000+ following on Facebook and to grow influence on other platforms. !Paperback - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Engage-Social-Media-Marketing-Photographers/dp/1499110022 !!Kindle Edition- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Engage-Social-Media-Marketing-Photographers-ebook/dp/B00KXP20KU !!!!

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