Wow! I can’t believe it but it is finally time to reveal the new look of Leslie Kerrigan Photography!! After working closely with an amazing graphic designer and branding expert, Sara of Salted Ink Design in Wilmington, North Carolina, the website and blog are ready to be launched! Branding is such a journey. Trying to figure out who you are as a business owner and in my case, as a photographer, takes some internal reflection. Branding is a lot more than just a logo; it is who you are and who you want to be to your clients. I started this new branding journey after having my old branding for several years. A lot of people ask me how do you know when it is time to change it or pay the big bucks to have your branding done professionally. In fact, my very own husband asked me that when I began this process. My answer is that you have to do it when it is right for you. I have been in the photography business for several years now. I started out with a homemade, DIY logo that I created myself in photoshop. And it worked fine for a while. I was still trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted to shoot so investing in something major at that point in my career seemed pointless. I had to wait until I knew exactly what I wanted and knew exactly who I was and wanted to be. As with most photographers, I started out photographing everything…kids, families, dogs, cats (just kidding sort of!), weddings, etc. You name it and I shot it.

Through that process, I started to realize who and what genre I connected with the most. Little by little I figured out that senior photography was the genre I loved and wanted to concentrate on in my business. I still photograph families and I love to capture a senior and his or her family before the senior goes off to college to embark on a new adventure. Once I figured this out, I knew I needed a brand that attracted that genre while showcasing who I am as a photographer. So to answer the earlier question of how do you know when it is time to invest and create your brand…I think once you are confident in who you are and what you want to offer your potential clients then you are ready to officially brand your business. Even though a logo is not your brand it is one of the pieces that helps to visually

establish you and your brand. Therefore, the first goal was to create a new logo. I have had a few different logos. The

first one being the DIY one I made myself. Eventually, I graduated to a professionally designed logo that was created back when I was in business with a good friend of mine and we were photographing kids a lot. That logo and brand was all about bright colors and fun and it fit both our personalities well. I held on to that logo and branding for a while until I was absolutely sure of where I wanted my business to go. My new logo is a representation of the classic yet modern senior portraiture that I create paired with a little fashion edge and a little sparkle. With a nod to my southern roots, the monogram (which is very classic and can stand the test of time) was paired with a modern vibe. Throughout all of my logos and branding, I remained true to my colorful side. I like to have fun with my clients and I try to put forth a sunny, fun attitude at all of my sessions so I wanted to use a color scheme in my branding that was sophisticated but yet, still fun and bright. The funny thing is that throughout the ears I have remained true to a color scheme. There have been variations of colors but all within the same basic color. I figure if every time I look in my closet or around my house and see the same colors, then I must love them! ? Why not incorporate those colors into my business branding? Finding the right person to take that new logo and build upon it to create a website that will serve as the first thing most potential clients see before hiring me took some

research. But once I found Sara of Salted Ink, I knew we would work well together and build my brand just for me! Pairing color schemes, logos and a feeling that I want to convey to my potential clients required a lot of time but Sara helped me through the entire process. I had to figure out what I wanted on the site and blog to grab the attention of my potential clients while expressing who I am and what I offer to those potential clients. Sara created a few different branding boards and I asked my senior clients which one they like the best. After all, they are my target market! After figure that out, it was all about building the best site I could for Leslie Kerrigan Photography. It took a few months but it was definitely worth the wait and I am so excited to reveal… The New and Improved Leslie Kerrigan Photography! I have all kinds of fun posts for you all and hope that you will check back often to see my latest photo shoots, tips for clients, fashion advice and inspiration and more! I have always heard that a good brand tells a story and makes the client feel something. So I hope that through this new site, blog and look that it tells the story of my love of photography and fashion and that it conveys the genuinely fun experience I strive to give each one of my clients. Enjoy!!