Company Name and Multiple Types of Photography

Tom Potter

Hi There,

My company name is Tom Potter Photography. I offer landscape / nature prints for sale. I am now considering also getting into (while still doing nature) any or all of the following types of photography over time:

Real Estate / Pet / Portrait / Children / Model

Maybe it's just me, but, it would seem odd to me if I went to a nature photographer's site and saw that he also offered the other above-mentioned types of photography on that same site. I would not think it so odd, though, if I went to a photographer's site and saw that he offered: Real Estate / Pet / Portrait / Children / Model photography.

Do you agree? I'm thinking it would make sense to keep Tom Potter Photography for my nature site, but, to perhaps create another business name to offer the other types of photography.

What are your thoughts on this please? Ideally, I would like to just have Tom Potter Photography for a business name and to not have to make an additional site using a name other than my own. Using my name for the biz would simplify the business set up part of it.

Appreciate any and all input.....

Thanks a lot.....Tom

Ferguson

I don't do this as a business so take this just as a customer type comment.

I would find it a little odd to see all those listed, but I think it may come more from my time as a photographer. I hear all too frequently "specialize", that "you can't be all things" and do it well or make money at it.

I'm not at all sure the general public would think that way.

Now the general public may get confused when they see too many things if the site is not clear, so there is a danger of overload => move on to another site.

But for the flip side -- if I found your name on multiple photography sites, e.g. if you did separate sites for Nature vs Portraits vs Event, and somehow I found more than one of them, I might find that a bit odd also, maybe moreso. One of those darned if you do, darned if you don't things.

I'd be tempted to have a landing page that emphasized "I do photography" and then paths that lead to different specialties that were simply and clearly labeled with separate portfolios for each.

But... there probably is some wisdom in the conventional "do one (or a few things) well". If I were in the market (say) for portraits, and in a dense market with a lot of people, I'd probably look for one specializing in Portraits unless there was some real hook in your home page.

Tom Potter

Thanks for your input :O)

Ferguson wrote: »

I don't do this as a business so take this just as a customer type comment.

I would find it a little odd to see all those listed, but I think it may come more from my time as a photographer. I hear all too frequently "specialize", that "you can't be all things" and do it well or make money at it.

I'm not at all sure the general public would think that way.

Now the general public may get confused when they see too many things if the site is not clear, so there is a danger of overload => move on to another site.

But for the flip side -- if I found your name on multiple photography sites, e.g. if you did separate sites for Nature vs Portraits vs Event, and somehow I found more than one of them, I might find that a bit odd also, maybe moreso. One of those darned if you do, darned if you don't things.

I'd be tempted to have a landing page that emphasized "I do photography" and then paths that lead to different specialties that were simply and clearly labeled with separate portfolios for each.

But... there probably is some wisdom in the conventional "do one (or a few things) well". If I were in the market (say) for portraits, and in a dense market with a lot of people, I'd probably look for one specializing in Portraits unless there was some real hook in your home page.

jonh68

I make my money as a portrait photographer but I have landscapes,wildlife and real estate on my website. If it scares off people so be it. I see all of them related to each other because what I learn with landscapes I apply to my portrait work. I have had a few clients tell me during the sessions they like seeing my wildlife and landscape stuff. I figure if I make my website with what I like, I am going to attract like minded clients. So far it has worked for me.

Tom Potter

jonh68 wrote: »

I make my money as a portrait photographer but I have landscapes,wildlife and real estate on my website. If it scares off people so be it. I see all of them related to each other because what I learn with landscapes I apply to my portrait work. I have had a few clients tell me during the sessions they like seeing my wildlife and landscape stuff. I figure if I make my website with what I like, I am going to attract like minded clients. So far it has worked for me.

Cool Jon! Appreciate your input! What portrait lens(s) do you use? GORGEOUS images on your site!

jonh68

I'm using Fuji mirrorless. My lenses are the 56 1.2, 50-200, 18-55, and a x100s. I use all of them for my portrait work.