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brand words 

“if you don’t have your 3 branding words in 2 weeks, i don’t know if you care about this enough to make it your career.

and those are really deep, fighting words, but i care about your business.” – jasmine star

the above is a quote from the lovely jasmine star and her class that i attended in seattle called reSTARt. this is a business focused course for photographers to jumpstart the new year and make some big changes in their business. i have to preface this post with the fact that i went to school for business. i was focused on marketing and public relations and i was blessed that god put that on my plate when he did because my education has paid for itself many times over. you see, i never dreamt i would be a photographer. i honestly didn’t even consider it, i thought i would be some stark business woman who wore power suits and stilettos everyday. i laugh now because i am oh so content in bed proudly wearing unwashed hair and yoga pants… i tell ya, god sure laughs when i try to plan, he has quite the sense of humor. 

i can honestly say that when getting my business started i relied on my business education to help me carefully set things up the right way. of course there are things i wish i could do over and some changes i hope to make but i have to say that i thoughtfully laid out the foundation to create a business i was proud of. unlike a lot of photographers, i excel in the area of business and play catch up when it comes to shooting. so i was super excited to be a part of this reSTARt to see what things i could do to take my business to the next level. one of the first things we learned was the importance of branding. now, call me a branding freak but i am obsessed with business branding. i have done some consulting for small businesses and i love analyzing the brands people create – ask drew, i will have ten minute long dialog about a logo. i have always loved creative a cohesive look to my stuff but i never really had three words that totally encompassed everything about my brand. 

i reached out to YOU on facebook and got an overwhelming response of suggestions – you guys rock! it is interesting for me to read the responses and see what words you would use to describe me! there was definitely a trend in the response which was super encouraging, i didn’t want the words to be all over the board – if they were, that would be a warning sign stating i needed to reign it in. here are a few of the common ones: natural, romantic, breathtaking, authentic, pure, honest, cozy, real. all of those words are right inline with what i hope to emulate through each facet of my business. but, the fun isn’t over yet – i know, right? i’ve got to choose three, three words i want to plaster on my desktop, write in my journal, tattoo on my arm (only kidding.. but seriously.) and remember each time i shoot a frame or send an email. 

romantic, authentic, natural

it also helps the the acronym “ran” totally fits me and my marathon running. i feel like these are the perfect combination of my work, i am all about the romantic side of relationships, capturing the love you have but in an authentic way that showcases your unique relationship. i want you to feel beautiful, natural, and comfortable in front of the camera so that you can let go of your fears and work your way to gorgeous photos that fit you perfectly. so, here we are: “ran” for the win! 

thank you all for your awesome suggestions… what do you think? does it fit?