A few nights ago I was watching a video on the internet from the Freedom Tour featuring the lovely Jasmine Star. It was chocked full of amazing information about your identity and brand as a photographer. One of the things that she said that stood out to me was “You can rent a camera or a lens, but you cannot rent your brand.” And it is SO true. People may see that you take great pictures of X,Y, & Z but are they going to remember who you are? People know Nike for their check mark, and Walmart for that bright yellow smiley. The same goes for us as photographers – there is something about someone’s brand that sticks out and makes a mental note in people’s brains about who we are and why they love us.
A few months ago I met the amazing and talented Korie Lynn her work seriously stood out to me, and the more I saw the more I LOVED. I would change one thing here, and another there. Fast forward to last week and I found myself in the most uncomfortable situation ever. Not only had I hurt myself, but I had hurt my friend. I had taken her identity. Something she had worked SO hard at. You have no idea how hard it was to look at what I had done – and not feel like a complete pile of poo. There was me in my work no doubt – but there was too much Korie there. She had inspired me to no end – and to the point where I lost Rachel. I have spent the last week … away from blogs… away from reading about others – and centered on myself. Thinking about what I love. Who I AM, Rachel in the raw. And it’s SO perfect for my new brand coming.
I am pretty, I am feminine, I am soft, I am real, I am dreamy.
This post goes out to all of those out there in this creative business searching for their identity. Stop looking at others, and look within. Because within is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen.
-R
by Rachel
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