Jillian Michelle Photography

I’ve been nervous and excited for days now thinking about my new brand and I’m so happy to finally share it! This makeover has been a long time coming because I wanted my online presence to be something I was proud of while still reflecting me. My previous blog was just there, but not something I really loved.

To shed a some light on the new look, I thought I’d give a little “behind the scenes” of the design process. First, I started by gathering inspiration (thank goodness for Pinterest!).  Because I wanted my site to reflect me, I collected things I like and am drawn to. I used to play a game while reading magazines (not gonna lie, I still do it sometimes)–it’s sort of a “If-I-had-to-choose game” where I quickly pick my favorite item on the page. If there’s a series of shoes, I pick my favorite, if it’s an article of home floor plans, I pick the one I’d live in, you get the idea. Little did I know,that playing that game helped me subconsciously define what I like and what aesthetics I’m drawn to. So, when it came down to what I wanted on my website, I sort of already knew.

All of this being said, I’m very indecisive!  So, even though I know what I like, if I’m presented with several options that are all similar, it’s hard for me to choose. It’s definitely something I’m working on and re-branding was a good exercise in making decisions and not second-guessing myself once I make them.

Here’s some of my inspiration:

I also wrote out words that would describe the feel I was going for which helped solidify the themes I would carry through all aspects of my brand.

Keeping with the theme of a blog that reflects me, I wanted to include areas where readers can connect with me and what’s happening in my life. My life on the farm, for example, is something that I want to share!  It’s a semi-new lifestyle for me that is unlike anything I ever thought I’d be doing! So, I created a quick link that takes people directly to the “Farmtography” section of my site. And, who doesn’t love a good home video…or Vimeo in this case?! So I created a link to my vimeo page. (I’m excited to add more videos soon!)

When it came to my logos, I wanted a cohesive series that I could use for different purposes, but that were all clearly within the same brand (ie. letterhead, business cards, stamps, blog header, etc…). I did this by maintaining the same feel through all of the marks and adjusting for each purpose. For example, I wanted to create a stamp that felt like an old wax letter seal. To do this I made the entire mark circular.

So, welcome to the new and improved, and more JILL Jillian Michelle Photography blog!

Happy Monday!