Custom Website & Brand Design – Natalie Jayne Photography

We’ve been working with Richmond wedding photographer Natalie Jayne for quite some time and we’re so excited to debut her new brand and website this week. We loved working with Natalie to create a brand that feels like Anthropologie went camping in Montana. Wildflower illustrations, loose scripts, natural textures and gorgeous video footage of Natalie all come together to create the perfect home for her gorgeous work.

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started in photography?
I’m Natalie Jayne, an almost-always-barefoot fine are wedding photographer based in Richmond! My story actually starts with my love for couples, not photography. I hate to admit it, but I have the typical story of my parent getting me my first DSLR camera for my birthday when I was 14. I never really picked it up until four years later, when it was historic technology at that point. I started my business when I was 19 (in college) after a friend asked me to do photos of her and her man, and the rest was history. I started off charging close to nothing when I wasn’t very good, and as my craft grew so did my business. From there, I grew my photography business over the years and here I am! Okay, it wasn’t so black and white. I wish it was actually THAT simple. There were a lot of challenges along the way for me, but I think the great thing about a photography business is you don’t need some huge startup to start a business. All it takes is one old camera to begin growing a small empire.


Why did you decide to rebrand + redesign your website?
I have been in business for a few years, and while I always tried to brand myself I knew I wasn’t a professional. I never felt truly proud of my branding, and I didn’t feel it fit my business after a few months. I would even go as far as to say that I didn’t understand what my business stood for until I started this process. I also always felt an inconsistency in my brand, even when I tried hard to hold back from hiring someone. I started off with a rebrand because the financial commitment was scary at first, and then decided to take the leap to redesign my website as well.

After my rebrand with you, I knew I needed a professional to make all the puzzle pieces fit to truly create a full brand. I was more than ready to take my business to the next level when I made the decision to reach out about rebranding, it was just a matter of doing it! I knew it would be worth every penny because I trusted you. I feel like everything had fallen into place first such as my style, my workflow, the things my clients were saying about my experience, etc. I wanted a visual representation of that experience!

What is your favorite part of your new brand (or website)?
Where do I begin! I love the entire thing visually, and I absolutely love the consistency given to my site. For the first time, I feel like I was given branding and a logo that actually fits me and my ideal client. There are a lot of intentional moments created by you that add value to my brand. I never would have thought of them alone.

The simplicity of the site as a whole and the way it flows my potential clients through the site is so nice. I feel like this is the website I’d like to be on if I was a potential bride.
I also adore the small moments where script comes into the design throughout the website. I tend to get heavy handed with moments I love like that, but I think it makes it special.

Is there anything else you think people considering re-branding (or re-designing) their website should know?
I think that it was important for me to start understanding my brand and my experience I was offering before I jumped in the deep end and got professionally branded. Finding myself along the way was important too, but I can’t imagine going through the process a few years ago!

I always think professional branding is important, but I think you have to have a base knowledge of your business first and hear what people are telling you. I totally believe that your brand is what other people think it is. If you’re a few years in and still are branding yourself – invest!! I’m not sure what someone else’s holdup would be, but the investment was the scariest part of making the leap for me. I can already tell it’s so going to be worth it! I liked to think I could brand myself, mostly because I was an art school student with a minimal understanding of design. I can now preach that I needed a professional. Outsourcing your rebrand and website design is probably the smartest outsourcing you can do for your business in my opinion. If you’re on the edge at all, just do it!!

Find Natalie Elsewhere
Instagram | Facebook | Website