Recently I set out on the task of overhauling my business website. There was so much to consider: imagery, fonts, color scheme, wording, layout. It all was a little overwhelming and yet I enjoyed it because it was a way to share my work with the world.
What I did not enjoy, however, was creating my “About Me” section. In fact, I strongly considered excluding it altogether! I am a photographer because I enjoy being behind the scenes with the attention directed toward my work — not me. There was something that felt so strange about having a whole page dedicated to the person of me rather than my work. I mean, people don’t care about who I am, right? They just want me to make them look pretty in pictures, right? …Right?
Wrong! Of course potential clients want to see my work and the colors and fonts of my page reflect my style of shooting. But as much as these prospects are hiring my talent and skill set, they are also hiring me. They want to see my face, know my likes and dislikes, and feel like we could be friends. They want to feel comfortable with me and honestly, it makes my job a whole lot easier if we are a match on a personal level as much as we are on a stylistic level. So I decided not to skip the “About Me” page after all, but I wanted to do it right. With little research, I found some photographers who have created artist biographies that I love. Here are a few of my favorites and what they do best:
1. Don’t let them miss you.
As soon as you land on Bre Thurston’s homepage, you find her sweet face and a little blurb about her. It’s as if we have walked up to her house and she has met us at the door like the perfect hostess. Immediately I feel like I am her friend. As I navigate further into her site, I can find a longer version of her bio with larger pictures, but I love that she introduces herself from the beginning before selling us on her work.
2. Be real.
Dylan and Sarah do such a fantastic job of introducing us to themselves as people and as artists. Their self-portraits are simple and their words are a peek into their quirks, passions, and motivations as artists. Their words fit their brand and create an authentic overall experience for their potential clients.
3. Fit your work.
Stephanie Rausser is a storyteller with her imagery, so it makes sense that her “About me” section would read like a story. From the collage of images encapsulated in a heart to the story of her birth to the story of her falling in love with photography, we get a sense not only for who Stephanie is as a persona but also what drives her as an artist. (pictured above)
4. Keep it simple.
Angela Ross’ profile reads in short, simple sentences. Double-spaced and easy to digest, it gives us a detailed glimpse into who she is without overwhelming us with paragraphs of text. Flanked by a sweet photo of her with her family, it is a short and sweet “About Me” that invites us to read the whole thing.
5. The whole package.
Sue Bryce is the queen of successful self-promotion. She finds the perfect balance between letting the world know she is an expert in what she does and yet remains approachable enough that we could all be her friend. It is no surprise that her “About Sue” page is perfection. It includes a big beautiful shot of her, a list of her accolades, a glowing review of her work, and a video of her in action. It is a multi-media peek into who she is as a professional, impressing her clients with her expertise and making them want to be a part of her experience.
Such great examples of “about me” pages. Very well explained and most helpfull for someone who hates writing about himself (me). Thanks Kellie 🙂
This is so helpful! Thanks Kellie! <3