The Oma Connection
My journey as a photographer began long before I first picked up a camera – it started in my Oma’s garden, where rows of vibrant tulips danced in the Montana breeze.
My Oma (German grandmother) was my favorite person in the world. She was also the person who taught me that I can be anything I want to be. That I can do anything in life that I want – as long as I put the work in. So it’s really no surprise that she’s the influence behind my branding.
Growing up in Montana, she was just a Greyhound bus ride away and I spent as many weekends with her as I could. My Oma was an avid gardener; there was nothing she couldn’t grow, but flowers (mainly tulips!) were her favorite. I remember her having tulip beds at both homes she lived in in Great Falls. When she passed away in 2010 at the age of 99, my only regret was not thinking to dig up some of her tulip bulbs to bring back home with me before we sold her house. Then I could continue to enjoy “her” tulips.
The Evolution of Candace Hires Photography
When I created my first logo, of course it was a tulip. I was a brand new photographer and we all know that logos are quote, unquote…everything ( I saw this in a most facetious way). But I didn’t want to spend the money on a proper logo so I DIY’d it. Green tulip. Pretty straight forward. This would have been sometime around 2009, when I was first getting serious about photography. You can see it here. Looking back, it’s sooooo bad, but it makes me laugh.
That logo didn’t last long at all – I pretty quickly changed my business to my name – Candace Hires Photography. But kept the tulip.
Sometime after, I was growing weary of the single tulip and how plain it was. But I still didn’t want to invest in a designer – so I went DIY.
Sometimes I used just a single tulip from this logo, sometimes multiple. I remember thinking how high-end this new logo looked, haha.
From there, I changed my logo several more times. For one of the early logos with the greenery, I did actually pay a graphic designer (the cheapest I could find at the time) to design it for me. And I did like it. But it didn’t stay long.
You can see here that I was following design trends of other photographers for inspiration and trying to make my logos look like theirs …but still on a DIY budget. The most current logo prior to rebranding is the one on the bottom right above. I still love the simplicity of it. Nothing trendy there, but just matter-of-fact as to what I do/who I photograph. But it just doesn’t have any personality to it. I have always wanted tulips to be a part of my branding as a tribute to my Oma and our special connection.
For almost fourteen years I had gone the DIY path and just somehow never could quite capture what I felt and bring it into my branding/logo/website. I realized that I needed to let go of doing everything myself to achieve my vision.
The Professional Transformation
Early last year I stumbled upon a beautiful web and brand designer on Instagram. Her name is Josephine and she lives in Sweden. I started following her about a year ago and after seeing posts for nearly 6 months that just really resonated with me, I set up a consultation with her. We immediately hit if off. She knew all of my pain points and we discussed plans on what to tackle first and where to start. We started with the redesign of my logo. Josephine is VERY thorough. She asked questions that really made me think. Hard. She didn’t want the easy answers. I did a deep dive into my business like I’ve never done before. I shared my story with her about my Oma and the significance of the tulips. That’s where we started.
When Josephine emailed me the picture of the tulips that she hand-drew, I wanted to cry. Happy tears. I cannot even begin to explain how she brought my vision to life. Two tulips – one, my Oma. The other, me. Brought together and tied with the ultimate classic southern grandmillenial style, the bow. The perfect bow. All the years of trying myself to create the perfect tulip for a logo without success…and she nailed it on the first attempt.
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Download File: https://candacehiresphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Adobe-Express-2025-01-05-11.46.57.mp4?_=1From there, we went back and forth a few times on the rest of the details for the rest of the logo and brand elements until everything fit perfectly into place. During our conversations, I realized that my website needed a makeover as well so that the story of my brand as a whole would speak to my ideal clients. So once she completed my new branding package, I hired her to update my website to make everything more cohesive.
The Investment Perspective
Like many entrepreneurs, I started as a DIY enthusiast. Sometimes it was about saving money, other times simply because I enjoyed creating things for my home and studio. But after years of struggling to make my brand truly reflect my vision, I realized some things are better left to professionals.
My search for the right designer wasn’t rushed. Instead of sending inquiries based on pricing, I immersed myself in different designers’ work. I followed their social media, read their blogs, and studied their portfolios. One name kept drawing me back: Designs by Josephine. Her posts spoke directly to my challenges, and I knew she had to be the one – whatever the investment might be.
I reached out to Josephine exclusively, and our initial Zoom meeting confirmed everything. Was it a quick process? No. Was it a small investment? Also no. But watching her transform those tulips from a simple design element into a deeply meaningful symbol that perfectly captures my story made every penny worth it.
The parallels between Josephine’s approach and my own photography services struck me deeply. Just as she guided me through the branding process with continuous communication and education, I walk alongside my clients – especially my newborn families – through their photography journey. It’s never just about delivering digital files that might only end up on social media.
While some clients prefer the DIY route for printing and organizing their photos, others value having an expert guide them through creating heirloom albums and perfectly sized wall galleries. Like Josephine did for me, I’m there to support my clients through each step, bringing years of expertise not just to the photography session, but to helping them enjoy their images for generations to come.
The investment in professional branding taught me an important lesson: when something truly matters, expertise and experience aren’t just nice-to-haves – they’re essential. This is the same value I bring to my clients, helping them preserve their precious moments in ways that will last far beyond a social media post.
Aside from how professional she is, she’s also a mother and a photographer – and 2024 was a year that she and I bonded personally as well. Between life’s ups and downs – she kept me on track and never once made me feel like she was rushing me through any of the decisions. You can find out more about Josephine HERE on her website or find her on Instagram HERE. I promise it will be one of the best things you could ever do for your business!
Bringing It Full Circle
For those of you who have actually made it to the end of my long-winded post, I’d love to introduce you to my Oma. Meet Anna. These are some of my favorite snapshots from the most recent years with her before she passed away at age 99 in 2010. She was a proud, strong-willed German woman who lived independently until 6 months before her passing. She was a medic in WWII in Germany, where she met my Opa who was a German that immigrated to the US around when he was 17 years old (in 1920) and was an officer in the US Air Force. My Opa passed away when I was just one year old so I don’t remember him. But Oma…I sure remember her and am ever grateful for everything she taught me.
While I have these snapshots and they mean everything to me – I know firsthand how precious professional portraits would be now. These casual photos tell our story, but they also remind me why I’m so passionate about capturing generations together through my lens. Every time I see my new logo – those two tulips intertwined – I’m reminded of the threads that connect us through time: grandmother to granddaughter, photographer to client, moment to memory.
That’s why this rebrand means so much more than just a beautiful design. It’s a reminder of my mission as a photographer: to create the kind of timeless images I wish I had with my Oma. When I work with families now, I think of her, and how every portrait becomes a bridge between generations, a testament to the relationships that shape us.
My Oma’s tulips have finally bloomed into the perfect symbol of who I am as a photographer – someone who understands deeply that some moments are too precious to leave to chance. Whether it’s professional branding or professional photography, investing in expertise isn’t just about the end product – it’s about honoring the stories and connections that make us who we are.
Thank you, Oma, for planting these seeds long ago. Your legacy blooms in every image I create. Sending love and hugs to Heaven.