Naming Your Business

[WolfHeart704]

I'm looking to start a business eventually with my photography. I just started getting into photography about a year and a half ago. I am getting better ever we time I go and practice but realize that I'm not anywhere near ready to start selling my prints for profit. I was just curious, how do you name your business? Just First and Last Name Photography, or do you go with something more creative? What led some of you to the name you chose for your business?

Thank You

[rachb]

I am using Rachel Baldwin Photography. One big thing- if you are thinking of creating a website- make sure that the name you want to use is available. I wanted to shorten it and use R.B.Photo at the start, but someone was already using that domain name and wanted $1k for it. No thanks! I also polled some friend and coworkers about prospective names, and they agreed on the one I chose. It's simple, doesn't involve anything that some clients/photographers (not saying I do) might see as cliche (creative, emotion, memory, etc..) and is to the point. It also depends on the type of photography in my opinion. If you are focusing on wildlife, food, commercial, animals.. pretty much anything other than portrait/lifestyle.. I think your business name needs to be a little more specialized- if I just see "first, last, photography" I automatically think "people photography".

Overall, choose something you can live with throughout your career- once you "brand" yourself it might be tough to rebrand down the line.... 10 years ago I might have used "Super Cool Photography" or " or something as my business name

[BigFuzzy]

Rachel gives some good advice. I would add that IF the name you want is available, buy it now just to make sure it's available when you feel you're ready.

Also, though I used my name, I still want something more catchy and were I to ever actually go full-time, I'd consider switching. Though I think it's perfectly acceptable/appropriate to use your name, I do find it a bit boring.

I want something cool sounding like Smashbox Studios or Garage Studios.. you know.. something that says it's a brand more than just your name.
But alas, anything I've thought of is already taken...

I was once part of that two-man team that was "Fuzzy Monkey Photography" which is a fun story.. but now it just links to me seeing as my photo-partner dared up and leave and get a better gig elsewhere haha.

Never been a fan of naming the business after me. We don't do that in other areas of business.


Joe Blow Dentistry Office - Where we blow that smile right off your face!
Jane O'Face Bank of monetary thingies.

Think about it.

~Eric

[LewisCanon]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

Never been a fan of naming the business after me. We don't do that in other areas of business.


Joe Blow Dentistry Office - Where we blow that smile right off your face!
Jane O'Face Bank of monetary thingies.

Think about it.

~Eric

but its all situational... i do know of dentists, doctors, opticians etc named after the original starter of the company...... if you had a name like joe blow its not gonna work with any type of business....

I went with my name because in the area that i get work im already known... so its an easy association with myself... its to the point and i dont think its too ridiculous...

my business sort of grew out of no where, people asked me to do a bit of this or a bit of that. They asked me, they didnt ask a persona of myself. So that's why i went with my name... If my name was Ben Dover, then of course, i probably wouldnt have used my name....

But then my business is still very small and no where near full time... its all situational and in my opinion there is no right or wrong answer!

I was lucky enough that www.lewisfielding.com was free.....

[WolfHeart704]

Thanks for the answers guys/gals. Like I said, it will be a while before I open my own business, but you have given me some ideas and hopefully I'll think of a great name! Thanks again.

[Biomech]

Here too, we have "Geoffrey Gay Opticians", "J Sainsbury", "WH Smith"... :P

But in all seriousness, and hypocritical as it may appear, it's best not to name your business after yourself purely because if you get a bad reputation, YOU get the reputation and, more importantly, if you want to sell the business in the future A: no one will want it, B: it'll have your name on it but in someone elses hands

[rachb]

Great point, Jamie... I didn't think about it that way!