Biz Tips

Branding Depression

When you're in a real life depression you go to the doctor they put you on some drugs & hopefully with time you're good to go...

WHAT CURE IS THERE for a branding depression. Let me tell you, I have yet to find one.

I have countless graphic design friends, industry professionals I know, none of which can help me. I don't understand, they are all talented beyond belief but everything I see I'm like, "ugh, that's cute but that's not "Brooke Photography." AHHH. When will I find something.

I've looked on blogs, how to design a brand, you know... I even wrote a guide about this, which was fine when I wasn't completely bored with my brand.

I feel bad for Pedro because this has slowly gone from, I want to redo my branding to I'm damn near a mid life crisis because suddenly I don't feel like I know myself, because I can barely come up with an idea that is uniquely me. ISSUE.

I fill out forms, what do you like, what do you not like. I don't know. Make something, and then I can tell you. Then they have me go to other sites, figuring out what I like about other people stuff but that only sends me into more of a depression because what if I really like it, then I'm screwed bc clearly it's on someone's else site.

Coming up with my first branding concept a breeze. I don't know why this one has been so hard. My only thought can be because I do finally have a vision and have yet to find it. It's almost like the perfect wedding dress. WELL, I'M READY TO SAY YES TO THE BRAND. Where's Randy when you need him.

Alas, instead of branding drugs I'm turning to you... any suggestion, ideas... anything outside of the box. Feel like I've tried everything. :) Any input would be MUCHO appreciated!

2 Responses

brooke

July 15, 2011

…. i have to kindly disagree (no worries – u still rock)

my first graphic designer – just went off my basic flow.

as a wedding photographer.. if someone comes up to me and says.. i want this & this & this.. if it's not my style, i refer them to someone else bc deep down i know they will never be happy with what i give them bc its not my style.

doesn't the same hold true for graphic designers? i'm attracted to bold, straight lines & oh so bright things – (which is why i <3 your work), but i would never go to a frilly froo froo designer & expect them to come up w/ something like based off their portfolio. know what i mean.

i think the problem is – everything that i want and ask for.. since i'm not a graphic designer looks god awful to me. bc i don't know what actually looks good. just like how when you shoot a couple and they say…. hey lets go over here to the pretty flowers.. most of the time in my head – i'm thinking that's not going to look bc there's a giant crane in the background… then i say lets go over by this crane (knowing the flowers are the background) & they look at me like i'm half crazy. but thats where i take their direction & their style & switch to what i know will look hot.

hopefully that jargon – made some sense. :D

Adam Lowe

July 15, 2011

I'm a photographer on the side, but as my day job / career, I'm a branding manager. Here's my best advice:

You have to know what you want. What your goals are, what you want to achieve. You have to be able to articulate it. "Make something and then I can tell you" just doesn't work.

Look at that from a photographer perspective. What if a client booked you for a shoot and told you "take the pictures and I can tell you if they work". You do the shoot, take the pics, send them to the client. "Nope, that's not what I'm after." Are you going to keep going back and doing reshoots for them till they're happy, or would you have sat down in the first place and asked "What's your style, what kind of pictures are you after, do you have anything in particular in mind?" etc.

Just like real depression, when you want someone to help you, you have to be willing and able to help yourself too.

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