Meet Anna

Anna is a wedding photographer based in Copenhagen. When she started, she did what most new photographers do. She said yes to just about every inquiry that came her way. City hall weddings, backyard celebrations, budget-conscious couples who asked for discounts. She gave the discount. She believed that if she worked hard enough and slowly raised her prices, she’d eventually attract the clients she truly wanted: couples who are laid-back, love refined, elegant destination weddings, value artistry, and are happy to invest in quality.

Years passed and nothing changed. She was still working with price-shopping couples, still struggling to justify her rates, still feeling like she was stuck in the same cycle. Frustrated, she decided it was time for a rebrand. She thought a new logo, new website, and some fresh colours would finally give her the business she dreamed of.

But rebranding isn’t (just) visual.

Where Branding Actually Starts

Anna’s real problem wasn’t her website or her logo — it was her positioning. Branding starts with clarity: who are you, what do you stand for, who do you want to attract? She had never taken the time to define those things. She was marketing to sort of to everyone and as a result she was attracting clients who weren’t aligned with her vision.

Before touching the visuals, she needed to ask herself:

• Where do I want my business to be in five years?
• What kind of work lights me up?
• What do I believe in, and what experience do I want to create for my clients?
• Who are those dream clients that align with all of the above, and what do they truly value?
• How do I need to position myself to attract them?

Putting strategy into action

Now having the answers to all the most important questions, it was time for Anna to align everything within her business with what she truly wanted to achieve. One of her biggest frustrations had always been pricing. Her inquiries were filled with couples looking for the cheapest option. But she finally realised that pricing is such a big part of branding. The way you present yourself, the language you use, the experience you offer — it all signals something about your value.

If Anna wanted to book high-end destination weddings, she needed to position herself as a luxury service – and charge accordingly. That meant refining her messaging, adjusting the way she spoke about her services and adjusting the way she priced her work.

Instead of offering wedding packages for all budgets she started saying, “I create timeless, emotional wedding photography for couples who value artistry and experience.” Instead of listing wedding packages priced upfront, she began emphasising the personalised, refined service she offered. Her ideal clients would never book a package holiday and in the same way she understood that they didn’t want pre-packaged wedding coverage. They want to feel special and catered for with highly personalised services.

The Visuals Bring It All Together

Once Anna had clarity on her brand strategy; her vision, values, ideal clients, positioning, and messaging; then it was time for visuals.

This is where her website, colours, typography and imagery came into play. But now they weren’t just random aesthetic choices. They were intentional. Every design decision reinforced the high-end, refined, yet laid-back feel she wanted to create. Her portfolio followed a quality over quantity approach, showcasing only the kind of work she wanted to do more of (and yes, she had to invest in some brand-building shoots for this too). Her copy spoke directly to couples who valued storytelling and emotional connection. Her overall brand felt like the experience she wanted to deliver.

The Shift

As Anna’s brand changed, so did her inquiries. She started attracting couples who resonated with her work, her process and her vision. She raised her prices confidently, knowing her brand was positioned to support them. The people who reached out weren’t asking for discounts — they were excited to work with her.

She had a new logo, sure, but her brand was about so much more than that. It was about alignment. Everything in her brand — purpose, strategy, messaging and visuals — finally worked together to attract the kind of clients she truly wanted.

Disclaimer: Anna isn’t real, but many photographers like her are.

Anna is one version of my ideal client, and I picked her to tell this story – and not a real past client of mine – so they can tell as much of their own business and branding journeys as they like. There are many Annas. If you are where Anna was at the beginning of this story, you might have a “where do I even start” feeling, but if you go step by step, I promise you can get there. Send me a message, if you need help, advice or just a little encouragement.

Cheers,
Michaela

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