Hello all,

Reading through a bunch of past threads on business names, it looks like having my own name as part of the business name would be a good idea. However, I'm one of the people who doesn't think their name has a nice "ring" to it.

My full name is Alexis Caitlin Hall...I was thinking about "Alexis Caitlin Photography", but is it too long? It seems like a mouthful to me.

The other name I like is "studio ach", because (to me, at least) it sounds more modern and fresh, which is how I would describe my emerging style. Here's my question: is it silly to have "studio" in your name if you don't actually have one? I am just barely starting out with portraits, which I love, and would like to start assisting/second shooting weddings sometime in the near future, but I definitely don't have a studio!

Any other suggestions are welcome!

I think you could call it anything you think sounds good. Call it anything memorable. That's the goal.

Personally, I think AlexisStudio (all one word) could be cool. I think your idea of studio ach could be good, but I'd put periods between the letters "ach" so they don't try to pronounce it. That would be unappealing!

Eddie was mulling this over a couple months back and he made the switch.
Here's the thread about that:
http://www.opensourcephoto.net/forum/index...ic=7185&hl=
I don't think it really matters either way.
Go with what you're comfortable with.

Thanks for your reply, Matt. Good call with a.c.h. versus ach. I definitely don't want people trying to pronounce it! Sounds like a noise a choking person would make .

Mark, I appreciate the link to that thread - off to check it now!

I think your name has a great ring to it! Alexis Hall? Very clean, modern, and it's you! Your name over and over again everytime someone sees your site or business cards, etc...

As far as "studio" goes... maybe I'm greedy, but as photographers i think the whole stinkin' world is our studio! I mean, really. Our job is to capture life whenever and wherever it's happening . So if you like "studio" I'd say you have every right to use it. hahahaha!

Studio H

Hallmark (wait, that's taken)

I think Studio A. C. H. still sounds weird. Reminds me of Bill the Cat.

Portraits by Alexis

We put the "X" in Pix. No, that could be taken the wrong way. We put the "ach" in action. No, I think a shoe company does that already.

I like Ashley's idea. Just your first and last names. Sounds good to me.

I love your name - have you considered using just your first name?

I think alexis photography if its not already taken, but maybe Studio Alexis.

Think also of how you want to brand yourself to your clientelle. Eddie made the switch a while back and he has been doing fantastic under studio 512, he just kept eddie bojorquez in the logo design to keep him still involved within his business name.

I had to look up Bill the Cat to see what you were talking about. Yeah, a.c.h. and ack are pretty close, that's definitely something to think about.

Maybe I should look again at using Alexis Hall Photography. I'm not married, but want to avoid confusion when that does happen and I change my name (no plans in the works yet, though).

Jill - Do you mean just using Alexis Photography? That looks a little strange to me, but that's probably just because it's my name. Naming is tricky business! I really appreciate all the feedback so far!

EDIT: Just checked and alexisphotography.com is taken. There's no site there, but someone has purchased the domain. studioalexis.com is gone too

sorry second post!!

about the name drop, i did something for Oleksandr on the osp, and he was formally oleksandr havrylyuk photography and now is oleksandr photography. His name change is only new but he took the step in his name.

my photography name is rosstanner photography however i have branded myself as rtp.

I like Alexis Hall...

Yes - I meant Alexis photography. I don't think many "names" can pull off the one name thing, but I think yours sounds great. My friend Josie recently did the one name thing and her logo looks great. She has JOSIE big and a small "photography" under it. She did that b/c she knew she would be getting married in the future and would have a new name.

Good memory, Mark.
Thanks, Ross.

Yeah, the transition has been fine. I've come to realize that studio is not so much referring to your space so much as your products, the efforts you put into them, the art and images that you produce and the people who help you accomplish it. I struggled at first with 'studio' sounding like there were a bunch of us when really it was just me. But it's not just me. My second shooter is a huge part of it. What about the people who referred me? Then there's Ross, who's helped me get my logo, impending website (flosites) and marketing together. How about all the amazing information and encouragement from the folks here on OSP? They are a part of who I am as a studio too. Sounds a little corny, but it's true and I already feel perfectly comfortable using it.

The only thing that has been tricky, incidentally, has been how I communicate my work to clients. Sometimes I say "we do this and that" and other times I say "my images". I'm sure that even that part of it will be natural in time. Anybody got an insight for us on the we/my verbiage?

I hope that helps!
-E

OOOOOoooo! I LIKE!
<3 kristy

I agree that "studio" does not have to refer to a place but rather what you offer and what goes into your buisness. I like Alexis Studio. Maybe I am a little biased because my buisness name is MIND|Castle Studios I think whatever name you go with, it should be the one that is important to you, in the end the name will really not matter, rather the work you do will speak for itself.


-danielle

My business name is Franklin Photographs. I chose " photographs " over
" photography " about 28 years ago and still like it.
Alexis Hall Photographs, has a nice ring to it, I think.