Kayla is a brand, family, and wedding photographer who treats every session with a level of care rarely seen. Her clients think of her as a friend, and her work goes so far beyond taking photos. She's building something that creates ripple effects: her clients feel more confident, their businesses grow, and they serve their communities better.
Yet five years into business, Kayla didn’t have a brand established. There was a clear gap in her identity– her Instagram posts felt unaligned, her fonts weren’t consistent, and her website felt like someone else’s. The more she grew into her voice, the more she realized her brand wasn’t keeping up with her or aligning with the women she serves.
Brand, Family, and Wedding Photographer
Kayla Raquel Photo
Together, we started to uncover what her brand is truly about.
When Kayla created a Pinterest Board of inspirations, she didn't know how to embody those images, feelings, and visions into a brand.
...but felt confused by all the brands she’d pinned and didn’t see herself in all the conflicting concepts. I asked her to start fresh, without pinning other brands created for someone else. Instead, I encouraged Kayla to pin textures, colors, fashion, and places that inspired her.
(I do this with all my clients, so we create something so unique you won’t be able to find it on Pinterest!)
With fresh inspiration, a clear theme was coming through– recurring western imagery. Kayla spends days on horseback, mornings with her bare feet in the grass, afternoons collecting eggs from the hens. She wanted a brand that would not only reflect the raw, real essence of her daily life, but also convey her incredible talent as a photographer.
From speaking with her, I started to find out what she connected with– community, hard work, and legacy– but had a hard time explaining. Some research and brainstorming revealed that she embodies the cowboy spirit, which isn’t about horses or hats. It’s about integrity, courage, and honor. Cowboys understand that true success isn’t measured by individual achievement, but in how well you’ve served something bigger than yourself.
As we started the project, Kayla came in with an existing Pinterest board...
THE PROCESS
I knew the brand needed a grounded, steady feel with a sense of authenticity and warmth.
"A brand that carries the cowgirl spirit - steady as the sunrise, honest as hard work, and invested in your success like it's her own legacy she's building. A brand that feels polished enough that you trust her with your biggest dreams and authentic enough that you feel seen exactly as you are."
When I explained this to Kayla, she told me I created a brand from her heart: "Kaitlyn literally put my heart into a brand plan today. I am so excited to bring this vision to life. She is incredible y'all."
With the vision coming into focus, I wanted to present the creative direction in a way that embraced what she loved, but brought all the connections together.
THE PLAN
All in all, I chose a bolder serif font and anchored it with a horseshoe pattern that acts as an overlay, a logo mark inspired by the curve of the cowboy hat, and a color palette of muted, natural colors. Each detail adds visual interest and feels fun, while the hand-drawn, imperfect style portrays her raw, real spirit.
Every color in the brand takes its reference from the earth and portrays a deeper, more rooted feeling. It conveys a sense of legacy and of building a strong foundation.
Another detail I love is that it reads as a "K" for Kayla.
When you cover this, it reads as an "R" for her middle name, Raquel.
I drew inspiration from the lasso ropes for all the loops you see.
You can also see the inspiration of the bottom of the curve in the cowboy hat and incorporated into this logo mark.
Every element, from fonts to colors, went back to that cowboy ethos. I started by exploring those elements of cowboy hats, patterns on cowboy boots, lassos, and horseshoes. In my sketches, I could see a connection between the shape of the bottom part of the cowboy hat, the lasso rope, and a looping, cursive K. (She later commented that she writes her K’s with that same loop!).
Still, every element needed to reflect Kayla, not be a literal Western brand. We also wanted the brand to align with her powerful imagery and complement her work, not compete with it. For typography, I went for fonts that feel grounded with just enough character to be memorable, like the way that Q loops downwards! Professional enough for corporate clients, warm enough for the entrepreneur types. A cursive accent font keeps it personal and fun.
process.
A look behind the
BUILDING THE BRAND
She stopped playing small and started showing up fully as herself. Through every phase of the process, she became more and more intentional about the work she’s doing and why it matters. It wasn’t just a rebrand– it was an opportunity for her to feel brave and attract more of the clients she loves working with.
We took her messy, heart-on-sleeve vision and turned it into something beautiful and strategic.
Kayla fell in love with her brand.
THE SUCCESS
Kayla Raquel
"This year I stopped playing small and started saying out loud what I've known in my heart for a long time... I'm meant to do this work. This brand didn't create a new version of me. It just gave me permission to be who I already was."
It’s time for your brand to become a genuine invitation to your best clients yet.
From what service best aligns with your goals, your biggest opportunities for growth, and anything else that’s on your mind. I’m here for when you need a true partner to design your brand with and for you. No more navigating your brand on your own.
To start your project, book a discovery call with me, and we’ll chat about it all.
YOUR BRAND DESERVES BETTER.
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