The Story Behind the Orange Chair, Katheryn Moran Photography’s Business Brand

When I started my business in 2010, I knew right away that I wanted a unique logo and punchy colors to set the tone for my brand. I didn’t want the typical photography logo revolving around cameras or shutters, but something different and memorable. I wrestled with this for months, until one fateful day in college when my family was helping to clean out the home of a family friend who had recently passed. As we were preparing for the estate sale, this bright orange chair emerged from the collection and caught my eye right away. My mom actually hated the color of the chair (😂) and was surprised when I wanted to bring it back to Bellingham. Little did I know that, as I watched that chair bob in my rear view mirror on our way home that afternoon, she would play such a significant roll in my life and business for years to come.

The Orange Chair was exactly what I’d been looking for- something that would stand out in a bright and colorful way. I approach my friend Claudia, a still local to Bellingham artist of Wild Medicine Tattoo, and she hand designed the first draft of my logo. It showed the imperfect character of the chair, which I loved. In order to start using the logo on marketing materials, I needed to have it digitized and I needed to add my name. With the help of another talented creative friend, The Orange Chair became a vector file and she customized a fun, carefree font specifically hand drawn for my business. From there came all sorts of fun branded swag from tote bags and magnets to stickers and keychains.

I’ve had one more brand refresh since this time, more strategically nailing down my branding color guide and creating a still playful, but more modern and mature font.

The best part about this logo is that it grown with me and my business perfectly. When I originally started this business, I focused solely on families and weddings. Over they years I have added newborns, headshots, business branding, product photography, food + restaurant and so much more to my portfolio. The one thing that has stayed the same throughout all of this growth is my love of props and styling. Any opportunity I have to include props with a family, pull together flatlays of details on a wedding day or style a food scene, I take it. I love utilizing items to help tell a story.

To me, this orange chair represents my creative side, my growth, my love for bright colors and storytelling and reminds me to pursue my dreams and keep going 💗 Below you can find a short and sweet journey of the evolution of my logo and The Orange Chair! You can read more about the evolution of my business and the local awards I have won here!