I was looking through files on my computer and I found my very first website I designed lying around. It gave me the idea to show everyone how far my website, blog, and branding has come in just a year, along with a small tip to businesses and other photographers.

My very first website for Heather Garland Photography that I found lying around:

Ok, you can laugh if you want, it still has the filler text on it because I posted it up for opinions. I had my own personal websites before this but this is Heather Garland Photography 1.0! This was before I had shot any portrait sessions or weddings and still planned to be a photojournalist and art photographer.

My website now is so much better! (There were two more versions of my website before this one, but they are lost, to never be seen again most likely.) I now have my website split into weddings, portraits, and a blog to keep it organized. It is a bludomain template from bludomain.com customized to my branding.

Speaking of blogs here is one of my first blog headers for my business:

Now, my blog has a flash header, and is a prophotoblogs.com template. These blogs are amazing! Although I can code my own blogs, why should I when they make the perfect template for photographers? If you want to purchase this template you can get $10 off with this code: HGARLAND232. It is fully customizable to branding, flash headers and is so lovely!

Another huge improvement has been my business cards. My first business cards were glossy cards from gotprint.net (I highly recommend them for business cards!) and I designed them myself. My new cards are recycled cards from gotprint.net and designed by Tracy.

Last, but FAR from least is my logo. Here I get to my main little rant. My first logo I designed by myself, go ahead, you can laugh! I promise my feelings will not be hurt. My new logo was designed by Tracy, my designer.

Now what is the point of all of these amusingly, terrible past things that I designed, along with my new lovely thing that my designer designed? GET A PRO! We, as photographers or other professionals, should understand this best. We like people to come to us to have professional pictures made even though they could take their own, because we are professionals and promise the best quality. However, we do not take our own advice. We think because we have photoshop, and we might know a bit about it, (along with some of us having coding backgrounds) we should design our own logos, websites, and blogs. This is the pot calling the kettle black. We are not pro designers, and we know they can do a better job, so why do we not hire them? This was my biggest career move, to get a logo designed. It all started when I was sitting in a lobby at a hotel looking out at the Grand Canyon, and I realized my host had accidentally cancelled my account without my knowledge. I knew then that I did not need to try and recreate my old website. I needed a pro designer, a pro website, and pro blog. Tracy was great, we went through lot’s of ideas until we came to the logo that encompassed my style.

Why care about what your website, branding, blog, business card, etc. looks like? This is everyone’s first impression of you as a professional. Personally, if a website does not look professional or is disorganized I always click the little x and never take a second look. You may have the most beautiful product in the world but if no one likes your initial presentation, they will never see this product. The same with business cards, if you don’t catch anyones eyes no one will visit your website. A brand is key. You need to have a recognizable brand out in the world that people recognize and are drawn to.

I am off my soap-box now, but I see so many professionals trying to sell products with horrible branding and horrible websites but have beautiful products. So get a designer, invest some money (it is SO worth it!) and get a brand for yourself!