The Branding Crisis I Accidentally Created

Why I Chose “Laughlin Photography” and Then Immediately Had Regrets

Let me take you back to a simpler time — a time when I was just starting out in photography, full of energy, dreams, and, well...not a whole lot of branding foresight.

So, I named my business Laughlin Photography.

Why? Because it was available. And it was mine. And it sounded professional-ish enough. It wasn’t cringey. It didn’t include the word “Whimsy.” It was fine.

Until it wasn’t.

About a year in, once I had built a website, ordered a small nation’s worth of business cards, claimed all the social handles, and maybe told a few hundred people the name, it hit me:

Dang. I should’ve gone with something cooler. Something creative. Something that screams vibes instead of “this guy might also sell insurance.”

And that’s when “Onward Creatives” popped into my head.
Cool, right? Clean. Motivational. A little artsy, a little business-y. It felt like the name of a company that wears beanies unironically and drinks expensive pour-over coffee.

But by then, I was already deep into the Laughlin Photography brand — and changing it felt like trying to rename a kid at their kindergarten graduation. So, I stayed the course. Because... domains. And Facebook pages. And my wallet.

BUT HERE’S THE PLOT TWIST:
“Onward” didn’t die.
It became a whole new thing. A passion project. A creative outlet. A path that isn’t my main photography business — but still very much me.

So now I’ve got Laughlin Photography — the thing people know.
And I’ve got Onward — the thing that keeps me dreaming.

Moral of the story?
Sometimes the name you start with isn’t flashy. It might not be the dopest thing on the block. But if you fill it with quality, with heart, and with consistency — it still works. Just like your grandpa’s flannel.

And if you’re lucky, there’s always room for a second act.
One with a cooler name.
And maybe a beanie.