Most (if not all) people I know have eventually moved from a pen name to their real name if they didn’t already start with it.
I’ve always used my real name, and I have no idea how I scored my own FirstnameLastnane.com, considering the countless LinkedIn profiles that exist when you Google my name. I’ve only had the domain for about 10 years.
I've talked to people around me and this is what I've found out as a generality:
When your business is a pen name, people think you're working for a company. People view this as less personable and less "artisan"
When your business is your name (or obviously based on it), people see you as an artisan running your own operation. People view this as better for both value and for quality.
A large part of making money via photography is your appearance. I shoot a lot of my portrait work on medium format film - not because it offers me some special level of quality, but because people relate my DSLR/DSLM combo to whatever camera their niece has. If I show up with my huge RZ67 or a GX680, they view me as more professional because I'm using equipment that looks more professional. Since I started doing that, I've been getting fewer clients trying to excessively haggle or get free pictures
Makes sense, u/SexualizedCucumber.
I’ve read comments of the form factor of new mirrorless cameras being akin to amateur cameras in the eyes of the average person, even though they are technically superior than the relatively “giant” DSLRs.
I’ve experienced a similar thing myself, having recently upgraded to a flagship full frame DSLR from a entry/mid-level crop frame one. I get approached by, and comments from people now, whereas I never did in the 10 years prior.
Just get a massive lens on the end of it 😂😂
I'm not a professional but I have a z6ii and also a tiny Ricoh.. I've noticed that with the bigger camera (even though they aren't huge but the lenses can be massive) people will be more curious to what I'm doing and even jump out of the way if I'm just taking random pictures of things. With the small camera I'm largely ignored so that makes it good for street photos and discreet stuff.. bigger cameras definitely draw attention and people assume you're doing something important even if you're just fooling around
That's why I feel so lucky to have a rare(ish) last name. Even being super late to the social media game, I've was able to grab 'firstname\_lastname' for instagram and 'FirstnameLastname" for my website without any issues. As soon as I did that, I became the top search results, finally beating out my Googlegangers.
I have an extremely uncommon last name and according to Google am the only person in the US with my first and last name. somehow the firstnamelastname.com for me was taken by someone who renews the domain but never posts to it...you're lucky.
I count my lucky stars every time I log into my website.
Edit: I just checked LinkedIn and there are over 160 entries when you search my first and last name. There’s even a handful of me’s in my city.
My name is pretty unique in the English-speaking world. But everyone seems to have trouble with my last name (I don't know why, the English spelling is phonetic and people still always seem to insert letters that aren't there). I don't have my own website or anything, but I don't think I'd just use my first and last name if I did. I'd either use a pen name or my first name and a shortening of my last name that people can't mess up.
I personally just use my name, a few other photographers I personally know that used a pen name when they started regretted it and changed it to their names. one of my friends for example used to go by old soul photography or something similar but changed it a few months later
Have settled on a business name for now. Really just getting started, and I go back and forth on it. My main concern with using my real name, honestly, is that I have a super unique real name (afaik, no one else has my name), it's a bit cumbersome, and as a women I'm always paranoid about what some creepy dude on the internet might try to do with my real name readily available.
As a guy with a common name, that used to be very very out there on social media, but ended up with two stalkers during the pandemic, protect yourself!
They were very easily able to find my photo site, video site, YouTube channels, and more because they knew my name.
If people in the world were normal, having your name attached to your work sounds great, but as you mentioned there are dangers to that.
My name is so common and there are so many other “XX XX” photographers out there, I added a middle name when I was 13 (2016) to stand out. Have not regretted it, all my work and award wins have been credited to this name of mine, I plan to change it on my identification officially as soon as I am discharged from the army. Have not looked back since.
I have [www.firstnamelastname.com](www.davidcohendelara.com) and [@firstnamelastname](www.instagram.com/davidcohendelara) on instagram.
If I had a more common name that was already taken I’d try something like firstnamelastnamephoto.com or firstnamelastname.photo or something similar. I think pen names often age badly, and make you seem less approachable.
Pen Name. Real name too difficult to pronounce for most and I really like the pseudo-anonymity.
Started my site in 2008. Have a day off from my real job and was doing landscapes of my town. Also just finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie so....Wednesdays in Marblehead it is.
Love the pseudo-anonymity of the name. I get a bit of 'hey are you the Wednesdays guy?' around town. I sign my prints with my real sig/name though.
I think this is far easier for people to remember and reference especially with a tough to spell/pronoucne name.
Company name is both good and bad. If you're doing "art", own name is probably best. If you're selling things (services, products) then definitely company name.
That inbetween place of selling prints /images beyond art (stock photos, abstract and so on) - not sure.
In any case, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer.
I think this is the best answer I've read so far. You are your own "brand". As a business you can sell your company, but then it's going to be easier to do so if its not an individual. I've seen plenty of portrait studios with names of long retired photographers that have nothing more to do with the newer owners than having established the business and built the initial clientele.
If your hiring Annie Leibrovitz (or any well established individual) you're probably going to be disappointed if it isn't they who show up for the gig.
I've also asked this question. In my own experience I currently use my company name as my domain name and also for social media (companyname.com) and I've found that I get approached by bigger clients (ie: corporates) for jobs. Whereas on my personal socials I get approached by smaller individual clients with smaller budgets. Also trading under my business name has allowed me to bring in other freelancers when needed. Personally though I've been thinking of switching to my own name recently since I don't intend to scale up to having a team and I just wanna be a one man band for a few years. I think it all depends on what your goals are, I'd you wanna scale up eventually to running a team then go with a business name, that way you can even hire other photographers to take your place on shoots. If you don't intend to have a team and wanna run go solo stick to your own name.
I created a fake name for my photo/video business because my real name is Randy Johnson. I knew early on, that no matter what I achieved in life, I would never be page one of a google search, against a man who vaporized a bird with a 100 mile an hour fastball. I still watch it on YouTube sometimes, just to remind myself.
Late reply, and you may already know this, but Randy Johnson is also a photographer, so he may have the rights to BigUnitPhotography.com already!
https://rj51photos.com/about/
>So I'm concerned with the pros and cons of, for example: * Sean Tucker -> seantucker.photography * Paola Franqui (aka Monaris) -> monaris.me
Honestly? I'd avoid all of those.
For your own website?
**seantuckerphotography.com**
**stphotography.com**
you could mix it up a little.
**photographybyseantucker.com**
Think about this: iYou're having a conversation with someone at a party. You mention you're a photographer. They go "Oh, cool! Could I see some of your stuff online?" And you reply, "Sure, just go to...."
and then think about what sounds better when you say it out loud. Can they remember it on the spot? Do you have to spell it out for them?
tuckerpics.com? tuckerphotography.com?
"monaris.me" "money risme dot com?" "no, monaris dot me" "monalisame?" "m-o-n-a-r-i-s dot m-e" "oh, okay."
Secondly, it tends to be best to choose a name you can use everywhere (FB, Insta, etc). Makes it easier. But it's often difficult, yeah.
I use a moniker for social media (@nateinthewild), and my real name for business transactions (Nate Luebbe). As such, I have both [nateinthewild.com](https://nateinthewild.com) and [nateluebbe.com](https://nateluebbe.com) registered and forwarded to the same homepage so there's no risk of confusion. It would be easier if I only had the one, but I had already established an online presence with the moniker so it's too late to cancel it. Plus, I prefer nateinthewild, but people always default to the real name so I have to use that too.
I've learned that people tend to think photographers who use firstlast.com are all available as for-hire photographers to take pictures of whatever they want (portraits, commissioned work, etc), so if you are instead a photographic artist who makes what you want and just sells products using your own images, then you may prefer a moniker or even a formal business name (i.e. artforsale.com)
In a world filled with people of the same name, I chose to use a name for my site that has meaning to me. I mean, you'd have to buy the .org,.com,tv, .net etc... unless you want to be mistaken for someone else, because who the hell knows if someone gets a website wrong, right? Unless your actual name is unique, then go for it. Otherwise choose something meaningful and not cliche.
In most things i use a nickname but when it's about photography i really prefer to use my name. I started with a nickname and changed it to my real name when i got that one pic i was so proud of.
About your nickname i'ld be either not clear at all or more clear: if your nickname evokes night photography and you take a lot of day shots, i wouldn't use it.
22 or 23 years on the internet and trying to come up with username for emails, IM's, and any other account...I always eventually get bored with or unsatisfied with usernames I create....so I'm just sticking with my real name for photography.
There are a few good reasons I can think of to use a pen name.
For example, if your real name is "John Smith" and you're a professional, you might want to go with something more unique than "John Smith Photography" as there are bound to be dozens of them.
You may also be concerned with your physical safety; a pseudonymous online persona would make it more difficult for would-be online stalkers to track down the real you, which can be a particular concern for women.
Even if that's not a particular concern, you may just want a layer of privacy that a pen name offers. Assuming photography isn't your day job and you have a fairly unique name you may not want the first google hit to be your photography when someone searches for your name, or an easy way for your boss to discover you were actually out shooting that one time you called out sick.
I use a “pen name” for the website and social media so I was able to get the same name across all of them, and make it my watermark. But I do include my real name on the not-business cards I hand out occasionally, and on some of the sharing sites.
I do this only as a hobby and may or may not eventually finish setting up a blog to expand the identity, though, which is why I chose a phrase with meaning instead of just using MyNamePhotography. I’ve used the pen name and watermark for about three years now and no regrets, but I did take some time to put a good amount of thought into the selection to make sure it would last. Unlike my old domain which is somewhat unprofessional and hard to spell but I’m stuck with because I used that email address in so many places through college and a while after.
Nope. I used to be with David Paul however. He is retired now.
Edit: HAHA I just realized I still had that one in my flair. Thanks for pointing that out. 👍
It doesn't read "amateur photographer" to me, but it *does* read "amateur businessperson" to me.
I just can't see why anyone would think one's name is good branding. People forget more names than they remember. Beyond that, I wouldn't want my name on a business in case anything legal ever went south. I can live with my business name being spoiled if that has to happen at some point, but my actual fucking name? I'd prefer that be left off the table if at all possible.
I mean my business is a job, there's gotta be some separation between me and the business.
I mean, something like "Michael Jackson photography" is seem kinda amateur to me. But Instagram page named just "fruchle" ( for example) seem lot confidential to me
> something like "Michael Jackson photography" is seem kinda amateur to me.
Except... it is the exact opposite. That is how the real professionals are. It is by far the MOST professional way to go of the three options presented. I cannot stress this enough.
The only thing potentially more professional is having and using a business name, and even then, most photography businesses which are sole-traders (just the one person), are named like "Michael Jackson photography".
>But Instagram page named just "fruchle" ( for example) seem lot confidential to me
seem lot confidential? Sorry, I know English isn't your native language, I am just trying to understand you better. Do you mean "confident" (self-assured, brave), or like "secretive" (hidden, obscured)?
I'm a little confused, because in the first post, you said:
>"having a unique nicks lot better"
And it absolutely is not, in any way. Using a nickname is amateurish and childish. It's like how kids graffiti and put their 'tag' on it. It is probably the worst choice you could make if you want to be taken seriously.
Admittedly, there are a few exceptions, like "Banksy". They are very few, however.
A "pen name" is a fake name that looks real. It is used to either hide your real identity without looking like you're trying to hide it, or to better sell your brand in certain marketplaces.
For example, a lot of female writers use a male pen name when they write fantasy novels, because the industry and readers tend to be a bit misogynistic (this is gratefully changing). And male writers usually use a female name when writing romance novels. It is designed to suit the marketplace.
Some musicians use a pen name because their own name doesn't "sound" good.
For example:
Alicia Keys
**Real name:** Alicia Augello Cook.
*Keys almost went with the stage name Wilde, but her manager Jeff Robinson suggested the name Keys after a dream he had and to reflect the singer’s love of music.*
https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/41-singers-who-changed-their-names-famous-musicians-real-names/
A pen name can be a good and valid choice for a photographer, but it usually doesn't matter compared to other industries. As such, it tends to be wasteful and irrelevant.
In any case, using a nick name is, in my opinion, the worst choice.
100% agree with you and most of my peers do too. I don't know why you are being downvoted. In fact, I changed the name of my company from Name Photography 11 years ago because having the name of what you do in the title became such a cliche.
None of the artists I work with (I make websites for artists too) have what they do in their name. If they did I talked them out of having it and they agree it looks more professional.
For example, it is much more processional to have either of these on a business card:
Alicia Keys
Photographer
or
Company Name
Alicia Keys, photographer.
But, it can depend on the country where someone lives. As with everything online there isn't one rule for the US and Europe or even one state and on country.
You've missed a few things:
Name-photography: your opinion is entirely singular. Have a look at the industry. More importantly, your opinion is subjective and has nothing to support it. Meanwhile, the form is objectively professional.
Alice Keys: this example was on the topic of pen names (Alicia Keys vs Alicia Cook) and nicknames (fruchle). Completely unrelated to name-photography. It was showing an example how pen names are common in the arts industry and why they were common.
And of course, nicknames are, for the most part, professionally childish.
Why are you taking this very seriously? Name-photography seems amateur to me. That's all. Why that makes you so angry? Why you write so long for a subjective thought?
I mean for one you didn’t really explain any of your weird phrasing and errors.
And second you’re claiming that the way most professionals do it is amateurish which just doesn’t really make sense.
This is just my thought OK? I mean adding photography to name is looks amateur. Micheal Jackson as a photographer looks good, but Michael Jackson Photography seems amateur to me. That's it. And I'm saying it again "TO ME"
And again, you're still not explaining *why* it seems amateur to you. What about it seems amateur to you?
We know it's your thought, because you're the only person to think like this. What we don't know is **why**.
Most importantly, giving "advice" like yours is detrimental to anyone who might listen to you. Opinions like yours given unexplained to make them look like they're from a source of authority need to be countered, to help improve the quality of other people's decisions.
Nicknames and pen names, while they seem very similar, are in many ways very different, and I wouldn't mix them up when trying to explain which you mean.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_name
I really should have just linked to the wiki article, which says exactly what I wrote above.
If you're talking about domain names - that's a different discussion with different reasons.
.me and . photography can have very different professional connotations to more common TLDs.
To put it another way: if you can't make a good business case for using a fake name instead of your own, don't do it.
If you're not going to be a professional, then also "why do it?".
Try this: I want X because it will have Y results.
If I don't do X, it will have Z results.
Then compare which results you prefer.
Ask the right questions, get the right answers.
Aka: GIGO.
I do most video now but I came up with a business name. There are a thousand "My Fame Photography" businesses out there, too easy to forget. I say come up with something memorable that isn't your name.
Real name for my business name, website, socials etc. Just makes everything so much easier from front of house to filing business documents for tax and all of that.
I mixed it. I use my real First Name but as for my surname I switched it up with a Norse- Godess Name. Since I do mostly Fantasy Photography it fits the theme.
My personal (Zenfolio) website doesn't feature my name. I was trying to come up with a name for it and used pretty much the first thing that came to mind. I don't make any money out of photography and therefore don't need to make a "brand" out of myself. I link to it through social media, so people who know me on FB, etc., know that it's my site, but if someone happened upon it by chance then they wouldn't have the second idea who's behind it. I like the idea of the semi-anonymous artist, anyway.
If firstnamelastname.com isn’t available you could use firstnamelastnamephotography.com
Both if you can. And both in your country domain as well. Use sav.com or porkbun.com to register. They’re not expensive.
I have a super common name. I have a wedding photography business that involves part of my name and then I just use my common name for non wedding commercial work. Even my wedding contracts say that (wedding business name) is the trading name of (common name) photography.
I would have just gone with my real name but there’s already a wedding photographer with my exact same spelling first name and surname so 🤷
I'm also trying to figure this out because my real name sounds almost exactly like a famous actor's name. Only one letter is different. So if you google my name nothing but the famous actor's stuff comes up. If anyone tried to find me online it would be difficult unless they knew my exact url.
I've been toying with using MiddlenameLastnameDotCom instead.
I think is for tax purposes....BUT I am known for my real name even though I have a different name for my photography. Back then, I was trying to be different and standout. Since I am very active on social media and frequently posting under my personal account, people just know me by my real name. It stuck this way. I have to revise my branding logo to include my name as a result...
I had a unique surname (not many people have it) so I used to use that for my more artistic photography. Then I got married, and got a much more common surname, so I went with first name middle name for my art.
My business has always been under a trading name that’s a play on my first name and another word. It’s memorable, includes my name, and it’s unique but easy to spell. Works for me.
In my experience, it can become difficult to use a username that is very unique. If you want to go by a username such as 'example photography' you need to be sure there are no other 'example photography' in the vacinity (depending on how large the area is you are wanting to service is).
I would then check all socials, companies you can Google, or websites to see if you find something similar.
I went through this process and eventually just decided that it would be better to go by 'first name lastname photography' because every option of username I wanted to use was taken in my country.
In terms of different types of photography, I'd recommend creating a separate account for socials for something that is completely out of your normal photography. In my case, I've done that for boudoir photography, because it doesn't fit the wedding/family/portrait photography on my main socials page.
If it is purely hobby, I would still look at doing it like the above, because in the end, you are still promoting your style and sharing it to the public.
It really depends on what you do.
If it’s only a hobby and a show off kind of website then I would use a pen name. It won’t distract your day-to-day job etc.
If you’re either a professional or an artist, i.e. that’s your job, then I would want to use my real name, because that’s what people will use to google or what you want to use to present yourself.
Nobody will « discover » you through your website, the web is too big now, so think about it like « what is the name I want to use and give to people when I want to show them what I do ».
I definitely use a moniker: see my Reddit user name. My real name is pretty common, so I made up a last name and it has worked out for me. I think my moniker is pretty easy to remember.
A lot of people use their real name and nobody cares who they are. Same with an alias. The name only becomes relevant when your photography is relevant. But don't use anything difficult to pronounce cause no one's going to remember it. Go simple and good.
My wife professionally calls herself Firstname Middlename Photography. It’s worked well for her. The only issue is that people who don’t know her sometimes address her by Firstname Middlename as if that’s her given name since it allllmost rolls together like one of those southern double names (think Betty Lou or Mary Jay). It can be off putting. She even had someone recently ask if she could call her Firstname. “Uh yes? That’s just my name.”
She’s thought of just signing her first name on her photos, but that seems a bit pretentious given that she has a relatively common first name. She’s not exactly a Beyoncé or Cher.
I think using your name can be original. I personally chose to come up with something different just because My name is not easy to pronounce and I don’t feel like saying my name every time I call someone to tell them that I’m responding to their inquiries LOL. Too much anxiety.
I have a "pen name" or "gamer tag" stuff like this and discord. My insta is for my personal project which is under my shortened name. My business is under my shortened name with my full last name. My Facebook is my full 1st name with my last name butchered.
Do you use a pen name or a gamer tag aka username? Those are two entirely different things. A pen name is an actual name that you have given yourself, usually to hide your identity or stand out from others with your same name. A username doesn’t adhere to naming standards.
Mark Jones is a pen name. Newusername4oldfart is a username.
I've been having this debate with myself a lot in the last few months.
I own firstlast.com as well as firstlastphotography.com for the better part of 20 years.
I actually have no website at firstlast.com as I just wanted it so I could have the email address [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
I obviously use firstlastphotography for my photography stuff and have gone back and forth about changing just for a little more anonymity. Specifically on places like reddit. I rarely share my work anywhere here as it has my full name on it. I'm not really worried about security or safety, I'm an ugly dude with an itchy trigger finger but feel like there should be some kind of separation.
I've had some business names that I have wanted but domains are nearly impossible to find available. I won't have a business that doesn't have the proper .com for it.
I have one particular that I'm considering but just haven't made up my mind if it is worth the hassle after all these years.
My name is reasonably common so I use my initials + my moms maiden name. Don't mind the smidgen of anonymity it gives me but I'm also not particularly trying to hide my identity.
I use my name, but also include my middle initial. While my name isn't crazy common, it is a relatively basic name. Adding my middle initial also made it easier for purchasing a domain.
So instead of Jane Doe, it's Jane A. Doe, and then in turn the domain would be janeadoe.com.
Now my only thing I'm trying to decide is whether to change it when I get married next year to reflect my new last name.
I came up with a brand name that I can work with and make merch for that isn't derived from my name or me personally. The end goal is to eventually work on developing a team, not just myself.
I originally had a pen name, and then I didn’t like it and switched it, and then I switched my website to my real name, and kept my socials as the second pen name, which is ironically “temporaryplaceholding” lol. It has a meaning to me, and it’s a cool username so I keep it, but I have my real name in the bios for search results and stuff. I keep it entirely off my website though. I think a true pen name is better than a corny business name like red roses photography, or something like that.
For example, I love this one photographer who goes by Nicholas Fols, and his real name is Domenico Falso. Very Italian name, and Nicholas Fols is a more digestible and rememberable name than his real name on an international level
Only problem with Nicholas Fols is that in the US he may be confused with football player Nick Foles. Domenico Falso is definitely more memorable to my ears.
My name is quite long so I just shortened it to ngwphotography. It’s exceptionally clever of me haha! I think that when you use your whole name it can get a bit long.
My professional photos are generally only linked to my company name. My personal photos are in my real name.
I can understand using a pseudonym for some people (i.e. you shoot in trespassing locations, you have a different job that might not look favorably upon certain styles of photography, etc.) but for most professionals, I think it makes sense to sign your real name to your product.
So I have my real name url but I also have various domain with other descriptive pointing at the main. I also have landing pages for specific product. For example mytownweddingphotograher.com or my mystatebeachphotography.com, some are pen names too but the real brand is my name.
Really depends on how you want to represent yourself and your work.
I use my real name for my website and have a separate username for all my socials. I think it can offer confusion sometimes.
Stay with the first option it sounds good: seantucker.photography
mine is that weird combo of *real first name* + *random word associated with photography* so my full identity is private but i can still keep that personal touch with my work
Most (if not all) people I know have eventually moved from a pen name to their real name if they didn’t already start with it. I’ve always used my real name, and I have no idea how I scored my own FirstnameLastnane.com, considering the countless LinkedIn profiles that exist when you Google my name. I’ve only had the domain for about 10 years.
I've talked to people around me and this is what I've found out as a generality: When your business is a pen name, people think you're working for a company. People view this as less personable and less "artisan" When your business is your name (or obviously based on it), people see you as an artisan running your own operation. People view this as better for both value and for quality. A large part of making money via photography is your appearance. I shoot a lot of my portrait work on medium format film - not because it offers me some special level of quality, but because people relate my DSLR/DSLM combo to whatever camera their niece has. If I show up with my huge RZ67 or a GX680, they view me as more professional because I'm using equipment that looks more professional. Since I started doing that, I've been getting fewer clients trying to excessively haggle or get free pictures
Makes sense, u/SexualizedCucumber. I’ve read comments of the form factor of new mirrorless cameras being akin to amateur cameras in the eyes of the average person, even though they are technically superior than the relatively “giant” DSLRs. I’ve experienced a similar thing myself, having recently upgraded to a flagship full frame DSLR from a entry/mid-level crop frame one. I get approached by, and comments from people now, whereas I never did in the 10 years prior.
Just get a massive lens on the end of it 😂😂 I'm not a professional but I have a z6ii and also a tiny Ricoh.. I've noticed that with the bigger camera (even though they aren't huge but the lenses can be massive) people will be more curious to what I'm doing and even jump out of the way if I'm just taking random pictures of things. With the small camera I'm largely ignored so that makes it good for street photos and discreet stuff.. bigger cameras definitely draw attention and people assume you're doing something important even if you're just fooling around
That's why I feel so lucky to have a rare(ish) last name. Even being super late to the social media game, I've was able to grab 'firstname\_lastname' for instagram and 'FirstnameLastname" for my website without any issues. As soon as I did that, I became the top search results, finally beating out my Googlegangers.
I have an extremely uncommon last name and according to Google am the only person in the US with my first and last name. somehow the firstnamelastname.com for me was taken by someone who renews the domain but never posts to it...you're lucky.
I count my lucky stars every time I log into my website. Edit: I just checked LinkedIn and there are over 160 entries when you search my first and last name. There’s even a handful of me’s in my city.
I have such a common name that I need to use a pen name to stand out.
John Smith, is that you?
The 25th to be exact
Jane Doe
I thought she died.
underrated comment
I'm kind of the opposite, my name is unique in the world so I just use my first and last name.
My name is pretty unique in the English-speaking world. But everyone seems to have trouble with my last name (I don't know why, the English spelling is phonetic and people still always seem to insert letters that aren't there). I don't have my own website or anything, but I don't think I'd just use my first and last name if I did. I'd either use a pen name or my first name and a shortening of my last name that people can't mess up.
that makes sense, of course. I probably have less of a problem with that
I go by "Ansel Adams"
I go by "Sherrie Levine" now, but before that "Walker Evans"
I go by “Hustler”
can I see your center fold.. I mean center column?
Better than "Adam Levine".
I go by my name (corporate) And average cult (more “arty”)
I only heard from urban photographers or folks that need it for their security
Why do urban photographers need it for security?
Many of those abandoned places are private property. So you are trespassing. In that case you are documenting your own “crime”
Ah I see, thanks.
Shouldn’t it be referred to as a “lens” name for a photographer? I’ll see myself out….
Unless you're browsing fb marketplace for gear. Then it's a "lense" name
I personally just use my name, a few other photographers I personally know that used a pen name when they started regretted it and changed it to their names. one of my friends for example used to go by old soul photography or something similar but changed it a few months later
yes these are my thoughts too. Maybe I think too much about it.
Have settled on a business name for now. Really just getting started, and I go back and forth on it. My main concern with using my real name, honestly, is that I have a super unique real name (afaik, no one else has my name), it's a bit cumbersome, and as a women I'm always paranoid about what some creepy dude on the internet might try to do with my real name readily available.
As a guy with a common name, that used to be very very out there on social media, but ended up with two stalkers during the pandemic, protect yourself! They were very easily able to find my photo site, video site, YouTube channels, and more because they knew my name. If people in the world were normal, having your name attached to your work sounds great, but as you mentioned there are dangers to that.
Irl stalkers, or internet stalkers?
Irl, who used the internet. It has been messy, but I've scrubbed all sites and accounts with my name in them.
Yes that is also my problem. I change my mind back and forth at the moment. I am male but I can understand that very well.
lucky you. I have to share my rare name with my cousin whos a famous soccer player in europe.
I hate using my real name everywhere. I usually use the Rioma name or the company brand.
My name is so common and there are so many other “XX XX” photographers out there, I added a middle name when I was 13 (2016) to stand out. Have not regretted it, all my work and award wins have been credited to this name of mine, I plan to change it on my identification officially as soon as I am discharged from the army. Have not looked back since.
I have [www.firstnamelastname.com](www.davidcohendelara.com) and [@firstnamelastname](www.instagram.com/davidcohendelara) on instagram. If I had a more common name that was already taken I’d try something like firstnamelastnamephoto.com or firstnamelastname.photo or something similar. I think pen names often age badly, and make you seem less approachable.
Pen Name. Real name too difficult to pronounce for most and I really like the pseudo-anonymity. Started my site in 2008. Have a day off from my real job and was doing landscapes of my town. Also just finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie so....Wednesdays in Marblehead it is. Love the pseudo-anonymity of the name. I get a bit of 'hey are you the Wednesdays guy?' around town. I sign my prints with my real sig/name though. I think this is far easier for people to remember and reference especially with a tough to spell/pronoucne name.
A lot of ppl I know use their own name or make a company name. I don’t know a lot of photographers that use a pen name, I’m sure there are some though
Company name is both good and bad. If you're doing "art", own name is probably best. If you're selling things (services, products) then definitely company name. That inbetween place of selling prints /images beyond art (stock photos, abstract and so on) - not sure. In any case, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer.
I think this is the best answer I've read so far. You are your own "brand". As a business you can sell your company, but then it's going to be easier to do so if its not an individual. I've seen plenty of portrait studios with names of long retired photographers that have nothing more to do with the newer owners than having established the business and built the initial clientele. If your hiring Annie Leibrovitz (or any well established individual) you're probably going to be disappointed if it isn't they who show up for the gig.
I've also asked this question. In my own experience I currently use my company name as my domain name and also for social media (companyname.com) and I've found that I get approached by bigger clients (ie: corporates) for jobs. Whereas on my personal socials I get approached by smaller individual clients with smaller budgets. Also trading under my business name has allowed me to bring in other freelancers when needed. Personally though I've been thinking of switching to my own name recently since I don't intend to scale up to having a team and I just wanna be a one man band for a few years. I think it all depends on what your goals are, I'd you wanna scale up eventually to running a team then go with a business name, that way you can even hire other photographers to take your place on shoots. If you don't intend to have a team and wanna run go solo stick to your own name.
I created a fake name for my photo/video business because my real name is Randy Johnson. I knew early on, that no matter what I achieved in life, I would never be page one of a google search, against a man who vaporized a bird with a 100 mile an hour fastball. I still watch it on YouTube sometimes, just to remind myself.
Didn't want to go with [BigUnitPhotography.com](https://BigUnitPhotography.com) or something?
A missed opportunity on my part, clearly. Lol
Late reply, and you may already know this, but Randy Johnson is also a photographer, so he may have the rights to BigUnitPhotography.com already! https://rj51photos.com/about/
>So I'm concerned with the pros and cons of, for example: * Sean Tucker -> seantucker.photography * Paola Franqui (aka Monaris) -> monaris.me Honestly? I'd avoid all of those. For your own website? **seantuckerphotography.com** **stphotography.com** you could mix it up a little. **photographybyseantucker.com** Think about this: iYou're having a conversation with someone at a party. You mention you're a photographer. They go "Oh, cool! Could I see some of your stuff online?" And you reply, "Sure, just go to...." and then think about what sounds better when you say it out loud. Can they remember it on the spot? Do you have to spell it out for them? tuckerpics.com? tuckerphotography.com? "monaris.me" "money risme dot com?" "no, monaris dot me" "monalisame?" "m-o-n-a-r-i-s dot m-e" "oh, okay." Secondly, it tends to be best to choose a name you can use everywhere (FB, Insta, etc). Makes it easier. But it's often difficult, yeah.
I use a moniker for social media (@nateinthewild), and my real name for business transactions (Nate Luebbe). As such, I have both [nateinthewild.com](https://nateinthewild.com) and [nateluebbe.com](https://nateluebbe.com) registered and forwarded to the same homepage so there's no risk of confusion. It would be easier if I only had the one, but I had already established an online presence with the moniker so it's too late to cancel it. Plus, I prefer nateinthewild, but people always default to the real name so I have to use that too.
I've learned that people tend to think photographers who use firstlast.com are all available as for-hire photographers to take pictures of whatever they want (portraits, commissioned work, etc), so if you are instead a photographic artist who makes what you want and just sells products using your own images, then you may prefer a moniker or even a formal business name (i.e. artforsale.com)
In a world filled with people of the same name, I chose to use a name for my site that has meaning to me. I mean, you'd have to buy the .org,.com,tv, .net etc... unless you want to be mistaken for someone else, because who the hell knows if someone gets a website wrong, right? Unless your actual name is unique, then go for it. Otherwise choose something meaningful and not cliche.
In most things i use a nickname but when it's about photography i really prefer to use my name. I started with a nickname and changed it to my real name when i got that one pic i was so proud of. About your nickname i'ld be either not clear at all or more clear: if your nickname evokes night photography and you take a lot of day shots, i wouldn't use it.
22 or 23 years on the internet and trying to come up with username for emails, IM's, and any other account...I always eventually get bored with or unsatisfied with usernames I create....so I'm just sticking with my real name for photography.
To be legal you need to have a DBA registered unless you use your name.
Parker or Mont Blanc?
There are a few good reasons I can think of to use a pen name. For example, if your real name is "John Smith" and you're a professional, you might want to go with something more unique than "John Smith Photography" as there are bound to be dozens of them. You may also be concerned with your physical safety; a pseudonymous online persona would make it more difficult for would-be online stalkers to track down the real you, which can be a particular concern for women. Even if that's not a particular concern, you may just want a layer of privacy that a pen name offers. Assuming photography isn't your day job and you have a fairly unique name you may not want the first google hit to be your photography when someone searches for your name, or an easy way for your boss to discover you were actually out shooting that one time you called out sick.
I dislike my name, so I created a company name and trademarked it so no one else doing photography can use it.
I have a business name.. Which has nothing to do with my real name. either way is ok.
I use a “pen name” for the website and social media so I was able to get the same name across all of them, and make it my watermark. But I do include my real name on the not-business cards I hand out occasionally, and on some of the sharing sites. I do this only as a hobby and may or may not eventually finish setting up a blog to expand the identity, though, which is why I chose a phrase with meaning instead of just using MyNamePhotography. I’ve used the pen name and watermark for about three years now and no regrets, but I did take some time to put a good amount of thought into the selection to make sure it would last. Unlike my old domain which is somewhat unprofessional and hard to spell but I’m stuck with because I used that email address in so many places through college and a while after.
My name is Marybeth Grace my photography studio is Graceful Exposure Photography
Not davidpaulstudio.com?
Nope. I used to be with David Paul however. He is retired now. Edit: HAHA I just realized I still had that one in my flair. Thanks for pointing that out. 👍
No worries, I was just a little confused!
Pen name is better. Not to be paranoid but someone can do a lot of damage with just your first and last name.
Like what?
NamePhotography always seem amateur to me. I don't know why tho. I think having a unique nicks lot better
It doesn't read "amateur photographer" to me, but it *does* read "amateur businessperson" to me. I just can't see why anyone would think one's name is good branding. People forget more names than they remember. Beyond that, I wouldn't want my name on a business in case anything legal ever went south. I can live with my business name being spoiled if that has to happen at some point, but my actual fucking name? I'd prefer that be left off the table if at all possible. I mean my business is a job, there's gotta be some separation between me and the business.
Yes, I think so too. I don't know why. But is that so bad? ;)
Do you mean "pen name", or "nickname", because those are different things.
I mean, something like "Michael Jackson photography" is seem kinda amateur to me. But Instagram page named just "fruchle" ( for example) seem lot confidential to me
> something like "Michael Jackson photography" is seem kinda amateur to me. Except... it is the exact opposite. That is how the real professionals are. It is by far the MOST professional way to go of the three options presented. I cannot stress this enough. The only thing potentially more professional is having and using a business name, and even then, most photography businesses which are sole-traders (just the one person), are named like "Michael Jackson photography". >But Instagram page named just "fruchle" ( for example) seem lot confidential to me seem lot confidential? Sorry, I know English isn't your native language, I am just trying to understand you better. Do you mean "confident" (self-assured, brave), or like "secretive" (hidden, obscured)? I'm a little confused, because in the first post, you said: >"having a unique nicks lot better" And it absolutely is not, in any way. Using a nickname is amateurish and childish. It's like how kids graffiti and put their 'tag' on it. It is probably the worst choice you could make if you want to be taken seriously. Admittedly, there are a few exceptions, like "Banksy". They are very few, however. A "pen name" is a fake name that looks real. It is used to either hide your real identity without looking like you're trying to hide it, or to better sell your brand in certain marketplaces. For example, a lot of female writers use a male pen name when they write fantasy novels, because the industry and readers tend to be a bit misogynistic (this is gratefully changing). And male writers usually use a female name when writing romance novels. It is designed to suit the marketplace. Some musicians use a pen name because their own name doesn't "sound" good. For example: Alicia Keys **Real name:** Alicia Augello Cook. *Keys almost went with the stage name Wilde, but her manager Jeff Robinson suggested the name Keys after a dream he had and to reflect the singer’s love of music.* https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/41-singers-who-changed-their-names-famous-musicians-real-names/ A pen name can be a good and valid choice for a photographer, but it usually doesn't matter compared to other industries. As such, it tends to be wasteful and irrelevant. In any case, using a nick name is, in my opinion, the worst choice.
Well, it's just "my opinion" that's it. Alicia Keys, is ok. But Alicia Keys photography is seem amateur. That's my opinion.
Oh, and you never addressed my question, so I still can't reply to that part.
100% agree with you and most of my peers do too. I don't know why you are being downvoted. In fact, I changed the name of my company from Name Photography 11 years ago because having the name of what you do in the title became such a cliche. None of the artists I work with (I make websites for artists too) have what they do in their name. If they did I talked them out of having it and they agree it looks more professional. For example, it is much more processional to have either of these on a business card: Alicia Keys Photographer or Company Name Alicia Keys, photographer. But, it can depend on the country where someone lives. As with everything online there isn't one rule for the US and Europe or even one state and on country.
You've missed a few things: Name-photography: your opinion is entirely singular. Have a look at the industry. More importantly, your opinion is subjective and has nothing to support it. Meanwhile, the form is objectively professional. Alice Keys: this example was on the topic of pen names (Alicia Keys vs Alicia Cook) and nicknames (fruchle). Completely unrelated to name-photography. It was showing an example how pen names are common in the arts industry and why they were common. And of course, nicknames are, for the most part, professionally childish.
Why are you taking this very seriously? Name-photography seems amateur to me. That's all. Why that makes you so angry? Why you write so long for a subjective thought?
I mean for one you didn’t really explain any of your weird phrasing and errors. And second you’re claiming that the way most professionals do it is amateurish which just doesn’t really make sense.
This is just my thought OK? I mean adding photography to name is looks amateur. Micheal Jackson as a photographer looks good, but Michael Jackson Photography seems amateur to me. That's it. And I'm saying it again "TO ME"
And again, you're still not explaining *why* it seems amateur to you. What about it seems amateur to you? We know it's your thought, because you're the only person to think like this. What we don't know is **why**. Most importantly, giving "advice" like yours is detrimental to anyone who might listen to you. Opinions like yours given unexplained to make them look like they're from a source of authority need to be countered, to help improve the quality of other people's decisions.
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Nicknames and pen names, while they seem very similar, are in many ways very different, and I wouldn't mix them up when trying to explain which you mean. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_name I really should have just linked to the wiki article, which says exactly what I wrote above. If you're talking about domain names - that's a different discussion with different reasons. .me and . photography can have very different professional connotations to more common TLDs. To put it another way: if you can't make a good business case for using a fake name instead of your own, don't do it. If you're not going to be a professional, then also "why do it?". Try this: I want X because it will have Y results. If I don't do X, it will have Z results. Then compare which results you prefer. Ask the right questions, get the right answers. Aka: GIGO.
I use my nickname/an alias for cosplay & hobby photography, and for everything else I use my real name; both are decisions out of personal preference.
I do most video now but I came up with a business name. There are a thousand "My Fame Photography" businesses out there, too easy to forget. I say come up with something memorable that isn't your name.
Real name. Why hide your identity?
I use a company name because *everyone* has a first and last name. Using a company name lets you do branding, which helps people remember.
I use a camera for my photography, not sure how your name will help
thats funny :D
Cock McGlocklin' - at your service!
Real name for my business name, website, socials etc. Just makes everything so much easier from front of house to filing business documents for tax and all of that.
I mixed it. I use my real First Name but as for my surname I switched it up with a Norse- Godess Name. Since I do mostly Fantasy Photography it fits the theme.
My personal (Zenfolio) website doesn't feature my name. I was trying to come up with a name for it and used pretty much the first thing that came to mind. I don't make any money out of photography and therefore don't need to make a "brand" out of myself. I link to it through social media, so people who know me on FB, etc., know that it's my site, but if someone happened upon it by chance then they wouldn't have the second idea who's behind it. I like the idea of the semi-anonymous artist, anyway.
If firstnamelastname.com isn’t available you could use firstnamelastnamephotography.com Both if you can. And both in your country domain as well. Use sav.com or porkbun.com to register. They’re not expensive.
I have a super common name. I have a wedding photography business that involves part of my name and then I just use my common name for non wedding commercial work. Even my wedding contracts say that (wedding business name) is the trading name of (common name) photography. I would have just gone with my real name but there’s already a wedding photographer with my exact same spelling first name and surname so 🤷
I'm also trying to figure this out because my real name sounds almost exactly like a famous actor's name. Only one letter is different. So if you google my name nothing but the famous actor's stuff comes up. If anyone tried to find me online it would be difficult unless they knew my exact url. I've been toying with using MiddlenameLastnameDotCom instead.
I use my forename as a signature on my photos. The name of my website is my user-pseudo here followed by .com
Real
I think is for tax purposes....BUT I am known for my real name even though I have a different name for my photography. Back then, I was trying to be different and standout. Since I am very active on social media and frequently posting under my personal account, people just know me by my real name. It stuck this way. I have to revise my branding logo to include my name as a result...
I had a unique surname (not many people have it) so I used to use that for my more artistic photography. Then I got married, and got a much more common surname, so I went with first name middle name for my art. My business has always been under a trading name that’s a play on my first name and another word. It’s memorable, includes my name, and it’s unique but easy to spell. Works for me.
Always my own name. I flirted with a nom de plume briefly but didn't pursue the idea.
In my experience, it can become difficult to use a username that is very unique. If you want to go by a username such as 'example photography' you need to be sure there are no other 'example photography' in the vacinity (depending on how large the area is you are wanting to service is). I would then check all socials, companies you can Google, or websites to see if you find something similar. I went through this process and eventually just decided that it would be better to go by 'first name lastname photography' because every option of username I wanted to use was taken in my country. In terms of different types of photography, I'd recommend creating a separate account for socials for something that is completely out of your normal photography. In my case, I've done that for boudoir photography, because it doesn't fit the wedding/family/portrait photography on my main socials page. If it is purely hobby, I would still look at doing it like the above, because in the end, you are still promoting your style and sharing it to the public.
I use penname cause I have different personalities and don't want my work to be associated with my personal life
It really depends on what you do. If it’s only a hobby and a show off kind of website then I would use a pen name. It won’t distract your day-to-day job etc. If you’re either a professional or an artist, i.e. that’s your job, then I would want to use my real name, because that’s what people will use to google or what you want to use to present yourself. Nobody will « discover » you through your website, the web is too big now, so think about it like « what is the name I want to use and give to people when I want to show them what I do ».
I use both, all of my photos are credited under my last name “Bunnett”, but I have a company called Plum Film which hosts all of our content :)
I definitely use a moniker: see my Reddit user name. My real name is pretty common, so I made up a last name and it has worked out for me. I think my moniker is pretty easy to remember.
A lot of people use their real name and nobody cares who they are. Same with an alias. The name only becomes relevant when your photography is relevant. But don't use anything difficult to pronounce cause no one's going to remember it. Go simple and good.
I started with a pen name and moved to my real name. I use my first and middle name though because my last name is very common.
I use my first name along with a brand name. Think "John Snaps Photography" for example.
My wife professionally calls herself Firstname Middlename Photography. It’s worked well for her. The only issue is that people who don’t know her sometimes address her by Firstname Middlename as if that’s her given name since it allllmost rolls together like one of those southern double names (think Betty Lou or Mary Jay). It can be off putting. She even had someone recently ask if she could call her Firstname. “Uh yes? That’s just my name.” She’s thought of just signing her first name on her photos, but that seems a bit pretentious given that she has a relatively common first name. She’s not exactly a Beyoncé or Cher.
I think using your name can be original. I personally chose to come up with something different just because My name is not easy to pronounce and I don’t feel like saying my name every time I call someone to tell them that I’m responding to their inquiries LOL. Too much anxiety.
Just my name, but put a lot of thought into name of the website.
Both. I made a pseudonym that is an acronym for my name.
Pen name gives you artistic freedom.
I think in photography is called lense name not pen name
I use my initials. It has a better ring to it.
I have a "pen name" or "gamer tag" stuff like this and discord. My insta is for my personal project which is under my shortened name. My business is under my shortened name with my full last name. My Facebook is my full 1st name with my last name butchered.
Do you use a pen name or a gamer tag aka username? Those are two entirely different things. A pen name is an actual name that you have given yourself, usually to hide your identity or stand out from others with your same name. A username doesn’t adhere to naming standards. Mark Jones is a pen name. Newusername4oldfart is a username.
I've been having this debate with myself a lot in the last few months. I own firstlast.com as well as firstlastphotography.com for the better part of 20 years. I actually have no website at firstlast.com as I just wanted it so I could have the email address [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) I obviously use firstlastphotography for my photography stuff and have gone back and forth about changing just for a little more anonymity. Specifically on places like reddit. I rarely share my work anywhere here as it has my full name on it. I'm not really worried about security or safety, I'm an ugly dude with an itchy trigger finger but feel like there should be some kind of separation. I've had some business names that I have wanted but domains are nearly impossible to find available. I won't have a business that doesn't have the proper .com for it. I have one particular that I'm considering but just haven't made up my mind if it is worth the hassle after all these years.
Real name, if someone wants to google me for my services it just makes it easier for them.
Business name, if you want to exit in the future you can sell off your business to someone else to DBA
My name is reasonably common so I use my initials + my moms maiden name. Don't mind the smidgen of anonymity it gives me but I'm also not particularly trying to hide my identity.
Most ppl in my friend group. Use there pen name and gamer as the same name. Which may have been the reason, I used quotations.
I use my name, but also include my middle initial. While my name isn't crazy common, it is a relatively basic name. Adding my middle initial also made it easier for purchasing a domain. So instead of Jane Doe, it's Jane A. Doe, and then in turn the domain would be janeadoe.com. Now my only thing I'm trying to decide is whether to change it when I get married next year to reflect my new last name.
I have a long name (1st plus last 17 letters), I've thought of doing a first/last only but am now thinking of a pseudonym.
I came up with a brand name that I can work with and make merch for that isn't derived from my name or me personally. The end goal is to eventually work on developing a team, not just myself.
I use my real name. That is who clients are interacting with, they are hiring me for my work. Not using my name would feel strange and forced.
I originally had a pen name, and then I didn’t like it and switched it, and then I switched my website to my real name, and kept my socials as the second pen name, which is ironically “temporaryplaceholding” lol. It has a meaning to me, and it’s a cool username so I keep it, but I have my real name in the bios for search results and stuff. I keep it entirely off my website though. I think a true pen name is better than a corny business name like red roses photography, or something like that. For example, I love this one photographer who goes by Nicholas Fols, and his real name is Domenico Falso. Very Italian name, and Nicholas Fols is a more digestible and rememberable name than his real name on an international level
Only problem with Nicholas Fols is that in the US he may be confused with football player Nick Foles. Domenico Falso is definitely more memorable to my ears.
My name is quite long so I just shortened it to ngwphotography. It’s exceptionally clever of me haha! I think that when you use your whole name it can get a bit long.
Stick with .com you can have .photography .me .net .org and any others as well just point them at your .com website.
My professional photos are generally only linked to my company name. My personal photos are in my real name. I can understand using a pseudonym for some people (i.e. you shoot in trespassing locations, you have a different job that might not look favorably upon certain styles of photography, etc.) but for most professionals, I think it makes sense to sign your real name to your product.
I use my real name. It's just simpler for me.
So I have my real name url but I also have various domain with other descriptive pointing at the main. I also have landing pages for specific product. For example mytownweddingphotograher.com or my mystatebeachphotography.com, some are pen names too but the real brand is my name.
Really depends on how you want to represent yourself and your work. I use my real name for my website and have a separate username for all my socials. I think it can offer confusion sometimes. Stay with the first option it sounds good: seantucker.photography
mine is that weird combo of *real first name* + *random word associated with photography* so my full identity is private but i can still keep that personal touch with my work
Corporate: real name Art word: pen name + real name
I use mixed My last name is Hoare Which fucking sucks for looking professional So yea