The Journey Continues

So, my new website has been up and running for a couple of weeks now.  I've had some great feedback and lovely comments from you all about the new look, thank you.  This is something that has been a long time in the planning!  It was about this time last year that I had a bit of a eureka moment.  I'd just had a revamp of my Zebra Photography website.  But, after a few weeks, a little niggle began.  I just wasn't sure about my company name anymore.  Something had changed in my photography and I was no longer sure if Zebra Photography reflected my new direction.  I knew if I was going to change it, it needed to be over the next few months.

I was heavily influenced by black and white photography when I was setting up my business in 2008, and I was mainly taking black and white images myself - hence the zebra was born:

Last year, I noticed that quite a few of my clients were referring to me as 'Sarah from Zebra' as if it was a bigger company than just me.  I didn't want to give people the impression that it was a larger company as I like to offer families and couples a personal approach.  So, after a little bit of pondering, I decided that as it is me running the business, it should be my own name!

After this massive decision, all the parts of the jigsaw then seemed to fit into place.  I had a strong sense of how everything should look.  All my work is outdoors and I knew this was going to be a key factor in the new image.  I spoke with my fab web designer Catherine Byrne about a new look website and a sparkly new logo. 

We had a few goes with peacock feathers:

 and then with a bird on a branch: 

but then we stripped it down to the swirly branches and leaves and I knew that was right for me:

 

This then naturally led to the feel of the website.  Catherine and I discussed all the little details that would help to bring the site alive, including her own lovely illustrations.  As well as a sense of the outdoors,  I wanted to give the website a 'brown paper packages tied up with string' feel, as I knew this was how my work was going to be packaged in the future - so the background has that lovely mottled brown effect and a little label at the top of the homepage.

Around this time, I met up with Fiona from Happy4pr and we had a series of one to one business mentoring sessions.  This helped to focus me, and reassured me I was heading in the right direction with my re-brand!  She's an incredibly insightful person and has a great eye when it comes to creative businesses.

Then, I came up with my 'photography for life' slogan as I felt it reflected my passion to document people's lives through my images.

To the last hurdle - my new promotional material.  After meeting Jacqui from Print For The Love Of Wood earlier this year, I knew she was definitely the right person for the job!  There will be a separate blog post soon about my trip out to her letterpress workshop - I felt like a kid in a sweetshop!  Each of my business cards have been individually printed.  It was an amazing process to watch.  I've also had tags created for my new packaging and CD cases for my wedding discs.  In true photographer style, I thought I'd have a little shoot with my new products and took the box of letterpress treats down to Hardcastle Crags early one morning:

I feel so much happier.  The journey continues and a new chapter begins!