Personal branding portrait session with a color stylist

I am so excited to be sharing Amy’s branding session with you! Amy is a color consultant with House of Colour, and she wanted portraits showing off all of the incredible work she does. During her session, I was so impressed with how much I learned about colors and clothing choices. Beyond taking portraits, I was truly getting a chance to learn from an expert. Not to mention, Amy looked AMAZING on camera. She chose outfits and colors that really made her features pop. She and her home studio were so fun to photograph because of that!

I love working with female business owners, and we created such a fun gallery together. I'm already looking forward to seeing how Amy uses these images to elevate her business and marketing!​​​​​​​​ Amy, thank you for trusting me with your beautiful branding session. I hope you love looking back on them as much as I do!

Tell us more about your business! How did you get started, and why are you passionate about it.

House of Colour is a UK Based Company that has been providing color and style analysis for almost 40 years and recently expanded their operations into the United States.

I discovered House of Colour during a search for information on building a capsule wardrobe. I had recently transitioned from over a decade of working in a professional setting as a CPA to being a stay-at-home mom and was struggling to figure out how to dress for my new lifestyle and body. I was frustrated with all of the closet clutter, my spending habits, and feeling like I never had anything to wear! The idea of a capsule wardrobe was very appealing to me. I was immediately drawn to the practical and formulaic approach to shopping, but many of the capsule wardrobe guides I found online consisted of lots of boring neutrals (think white silk blouse with black pencil skirt styled 10 different ways) and did not fit my lifestyle at all! Once I found House of Colour, everything began to click! After discovering my best colors and styles, I was easily able to purge unflattering items from my closet and began to build a mix and match wardrobe of clothing that looked amazing and felt authentic to me.

During my color analysis, I was also shocked to learn that the color I had been dying my hair for years, along with all of my makeup was completely wrong for me! I changed my hair color and my makeup and started wearing my best colors and immediately began receiving compliments on my appearance for the first time in my life! When our family relocated to the area from Southern California last year, I knew I wanted to bring House of Colour to Saratoga Springs!

I offer two different types of appointments:

During a color analysis, I will use a series of precision dyed drapes to evaluate the way your complexion reacts to different colors. When you are wearing the right colors, your face will light up, your eyes will brighten, your skin will clear and you will have a natural glow. When you wear the wrong colors, your complexion can look dull, tired, washed out or even sick. Wearing the wrong colors can also bring discoloration in your skin such as hyperpigmentation, under eye circles, redness and fine lines. For makeup wearers, I custom match foundation, blush, mascara and three shades of lipstick to your natural coloring and completely take the guesswork out of buying makeup! No more swatching lipstick on your arm! Every color analysis appointment includes a beautiful color fan full of fabric swatches in your best colors and booklet with detailed information about building a wardrobe around your best colors. It is a very in-depth appointment that lasts about three hours for an individual. Appointments are available for individuals or for small groups. Color analysis is for women, men and children too!

During a style analysis, I will evaluate your body architecture and show you which shapes, silhouettes, hemlines, and style elements will look best on you. We will also take into account your personality, lifestyle and personal goals to guide you in building a wardrobe that reflects the very best version of your authentic self and makes a strong first impression.

What made you want to book a personal branding session?

As the first to bring this brand-new service to the area, I needed to market my business and educate potential clients on what color and style analysis is all about! I wanted live action shots to convey the entire service experience. I wanted the vibe to be colorful, fun and professional. Nicole really took time to understand my business so she could nail the shots and vibe I was looking for!

Was there anything you were nervous about before your session? How did I help make that experience easier for you?

I really wasn’t very nervous! I had worked with Nicole previously for my headshots which turned out amazing and was a really fun experience, so I knew I was in good hands! Nicole sent me a thoughtful questionnaire about my business and my goals which allowed me to gather my thoughts about my vision and intentions for the branding session. Nicole also met with me prior to the photoshoot to go over all the details including inspiration shots and the props we would use.

Plus, thanks to House of Colour, I know my best colors and styles and love all my clothes, so I was not stressed about what to wear! In the past, a photo shoot like this would have been extremely stressful and I would have agonized about how to do my makeup and what to wear and probably ran out and bought five new outfits. This time, I was able to easily pull different looks together right from my closet and do my regular makeup routine!

Now that you have all of your gorgeous portraits back, how are you using them?

I recently appeared in Saratoga Living Magazine and was happy to have some colorful, eye-catching “action shots” for the write-up. I have also used the photos for marketing materials and handouts at several local events. I am so grateful to Nicole for creating these beautiful images that highlight my services!

Where can we follow you?

Instagram: houseofcolour_saratogasprings

Book an appointment!

Amy.Latta@houseofcolour.com

Website

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The Branding Series - Part 2 | Discovering your brand style with Guest Blogger Refinery Original

Welcome to the second post in our Branding Series, geared towards helping creative entrepreneurs delve into the story of why they do what they do, and discover the heart behind their brand so that they can make the best first impression on their potential clients.

Did you miss the first post in our branding series featuring my favorite designer of all time, Erica Clayton of Refinery Original?  Start there!

This week we're talking all about discovering your brand.  Let's be real for a minute...

At one point, every new business owner thinks that a pretty logo and some colors makes up a brand, right?  A few years ago, I was right there with you thinking, "I just need a pretty logo and two colors."

But oooooh, how quickly we learn that your brand is about so much more than that!  Your brand is far from simple -- it is a complex, living, breathing being.  Your brand is who you are.  It is the heart & soul behind your business.  It is your story, and your carefully crafted "why".  It is the first impression you give potential clients -- do you want it to be warm, welcoming, edgy, bold, whimsical, modern, moody?  Your brand can do all of those things, and trust me -- it takes a whole lot more than a logo and some pretty colors to do that!

When I first hired Refinery Original to help me with my rebrand 18 months ago, she had me start gathering visual inspiration for an inspiration board.  I pinned it all on a secret Pinterest board, from fashion to home decor, nursery details, paint chips, and fonts.  

Today on the blog, Erica Clayton of Refinery Original is sharing her tips for creating your own inspiration board to discover the heart behind your brand!  Read all the way to the end for the link to download a PSD template to build your own inspiration board!

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The process of discovery is huge in the design process, one that is often only touched on the surface but holds more weight than any other point in the process. The goal is to capture who you are, what motivates you as a photographer and why you choose to do this day in and day out. With the everyday demands of entrepreneurship, establishing the heart behind your brand keeps you focused and gives purpose to the monotony and expectations. This is the very first step in discovering your brand. Do this and everything else will flow naturally.

Now — the pretty things! The visual elements that make up a brand identity. While heart and narrative play massively into a brand, the visual elements bring your it full circle. 

Step 1: Home

Look at the design pieces you bring into your home, after all, your home is your safe place, the unfiltered expression of who you are and contains the things that draw you in. The artwork, paint colors, furniture pieces, decorations, tile choice, wood colors, etc., your style cuts immediately to the heart of you, which in turn defines your brand. 

Step 2: Nature

Get out and adventure. Walk through the places that inspire you whether it be a garden, the beach, downtown. Wherever you find makes your heart jump in excitement, go there and take note of the colors, textures, patterns you see and the emotions you feel. Those are elements that you want to take note of when you design an inspiration board.

Step 3: Pinterest

Now that you’ve honed in on who you are, you can now peruse Pinterest. I always advise my clients to stay away from pinning other logos and inspiration boards because you begin to morph into someone else’s brand rather than creating your own. Take step 1 and step 2 and beginning pinning images that represent these things. Pin to your hearts content, documenting what each pin speaks to you. Also pin typefaces (fonts) that draw you in but the fun comes when those pins come from items like invitations. At the end of the process, you should have 50+ images that outline your brand visuals. 

Step 4: Build Your Inspiration Board

Filter through your new Pinterest board and look for commonality in your pins, colors, textures, patterns, typefaces, etc. Screenshot 12-15 that have a cohesive feel, open up Photoshop and put them in an inspiration board. If an image doesn't fit the feel of your developing brand, find another that will! Be picky when designing your inspiration board. This will act as a filter for your entire brand!

I hope that helps you narrow down your style! Do the hard work now and everything else will flow naturally.

PS. To help, I’ve included a link to a inspiration board template for you to use when building your very own inspiration board. Download and start designing a brand that’s you!

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Now, before you click into a new window and continue with your day... stop whatever you're doing and enter this giveaway!  Refinery Original is celebrating their rebrand & launch by hosting a giveaway through June 23 with over $3000 in prizes, including a full brand experience, an Ona bag, coaching sessions, Showit subscriptions, and an Instax Mini Polaroid. No purchase necessary — enter here!  www.refineryoriginal.com/celebrate

Ready to do some shopping?  Check out their perfectly designed brand experiences, geared to help you tell your story in the most beautiful way!  These website templates will set you up for success in your rebrand, with incredible savings, too!  Save now with the discount code NICOLE, too!  http://shop.refineryoriginal.com/nicole