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10-29-2011, 03:48 PM   #1
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Naming a new photography business

I'm not saying I am starting a company or anything but I see hoards of people advertising themselves as photographers with window stickers and business cards. I am wondering if any of you here have an opinion on wether it is better to have a clever name like "Open and Shut Shutter Photography" (not that I would use this one, but if no one has it already then you have to pay me for it just pick something from my wishlist below and send it my way) or the usual first & last name "George Washington Photography" Which one do you think is more professional, is a clever name going to get you noticed more than Osama Bin Laden photograpy? Which way did you choose to go and why?
I have been throwing the idea around about trying to sell some photos locally and I am wondering if one is better than the other?

10-29-2011, 04:27 PM   #2
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IMO, I like to see the owners name as his business, ie. Owen Johnson Photography, Ansel Adams Studios, etc. Shows pride in his/her craft. Industrial can be named differently, such as Digital Concepts, Hot Shoe Graphics, etc. I think if you looked in the yellow pages for a photographer for the parents 50th aniversary photo, I'd call Owen, first, not Digital Concepts. And if I needed a medical device photographed, I call Digital Concepts first. I guess gearing the name of a photography business may depend on what type of photography is your niche. Just don't get to "cute" afterall, your clients are seeking a professional in every way.
10-29-2011, 05:49 PM   #3
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I too like having ones name in the company name, although I chose a different name since everyone spells my last name with a Mac instead of the proper spelling of Mc
10-30-2011, 10:06 AM   #4
gks
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Well, I named mine after my sail boat, Prairie Orchid---Prairie Orchid Images. I just liked the sound of it. much more than my own name.

gks

10-30-2011, 10:25 AM   #5
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My wife & I are a team so we'd either have to use both our names or only our last name. We decided instead to go with "Humboldt Street Photography", which is the street we live on in Denver. In our case, we just have a small internet shop (only on Etsy so far) and just sell prints we like of random subjects, so we don't have clients or anything where the name might be more important.
10-31-2011, 03:27 PM   #6
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This is one of the oldest questions in the business... And to be frank there is no correct answer, however there are advantages and disadvantages to each approach.

Using your real name, can be easier from a legal perspective when it comes to your county or state business licenses and at tax time. It can also work or be preferable if your name is well known, unusual or catchy in some way. On the other hand, if it ever comes time to sell the business, fewer people are likely to want to buy "Bob Littledrawe Photography." It can be very confusing if clients called up after the sale and asked to speak to Bob, not knowing that Fred Johnson now owns the business. It can also be confusing if there are other photographers in the same area with the same or similar names... "John Smith" for instance may want to reconsider calling his studio "John Smith Photography."

Using a "doing business as" (DBA) name is generally considered "more professional" and serious. Lending institutions are far more likely to lend to "Carpe Luminous Photography," my trademark registered business name, than they are to "Michael Riley Photography." It also gives you a chance to be creative and to define your philosophy. "Carpe Luminous" is bastardized latin for "Seize the Light" and is an instant conversation starter when I hand out or someone asks for a business card. It is also more memorable" and lends itself to differentiate yourself in advertising and online. It can also be more desirable if the owner ever decides or needs to sell... Prospective buyers are more likely to buy "Digital Masters Photography" and it's easy to transfer the business identity to the new owner without confusing the businesses existing or propective clients. On the downside, using a DBA can often complicate business licensing and conceivably even tax issues.

Just some things to consider...

Mike
Carpe Luminous Photography

Last edited by MRRiley; 11-01-2011 at 04:19 AM.
11-04-2011, 09:51 PM   #7
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I personally prefer using my name to do my business. It's certainly helps that people instantly associate my name with the work I do and vice-versa.

This also goes along with thinking about your marketing. How will the name look in letterhead, tshirts, hats, newspaper ads, etc. If your name is so long it will not fit in a marketing piece without making it 5pt font, you have a problem.

Keep an eye on your business name initials. Don't want any funny or dirty acronyms crop up.

And that brings us to a logo - just like your name it should mean something to people when they see it. My logo is a stylized L and it alone can represent my business name. The goal being that once people see that L, they should recognize whose work that is.

Also, I always recommend staying away from creative spellings of common words in naming their business. This kind of "creativity" could easily make it look like you can't spell. For example, using words like Photoz and Pixes (*shudder*).

And when thinking about the Internet, when it comes to website names, if at all possible, avoid using dashes and uncommon internet extensions like .biz, .name, etc. The simpler the better. Same goes for facebook, twitter, G+, etc.

11-11-2011, 06:36 AM   #8
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AAA Aaron Photography.

May as well be the first listing in the Yellow Pages.....
11-11-2011, 11:39 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Cash Quote
AAA Aaron Photography.

May as well be the first listing in the Yellow Pages.....
What are these "Yellow Pages" you speak of?
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