24/03/2025
And hereās why: the world isnāt the same place it was 5 years ago. Sure, it feels like itās burning to the ground most days, kinda like March of 2020 (thanks C*VID), but so much has changed since then. The algorithm is different. Society is different. Your audience is probably a little different. As you grow your business and learn as you go, you tweak your identity and how you communicate that to your ideal customers.
Take me as an example. The photos in this post are my ābrandā photos since getting serious about photography.
Pic #1: Me in a colorful dress on Rainbow Row in Charleston, SC before I even started my business. I had no idea who my ideal client was or why I even wanted to take these photos aside from having a fun time with a photography friend.
Pic #2: Looking all casual on the beach - I had a better idea of what I wanted this time around, but it still wasnāt super strategic. My clients mostly wanted beach sessions so I did my brand photos on the beach. But I wore jeans and a dark t-shirt when I was wanting clients to wear flowy dresses and light colors.
Pic #3: I got REALLY off track here. This was when I was between niches. I wasnāt sure if I was doing families or brands or weddings or a little bit of everything, so I tried to be all things to all people. These pics did their job at the time, but they are no longer representative of me or my business.
Pic #4: When I decided I was going to do brand photography *someday* - I didnāt have a plan. I just knew I wanted it to happen. So I started to prep for it. I honed in on my vibe and my visuals and booked a studio that kinda matched. But since then Iāve moved, had another kid, and changed a lot of how my brand looks online.
So for the 4th year in a row, Iāll be updating my brand photos. Iāve been collecting outfits, scrolling for inspo, and asking myself tough questions to make sure Iām really strategic in my approach.
How has your business changed in the last 5 years? Drop a comment below and share how different it is!
