Cam Kirk on Brand-Building

Building a brand that resonates with your customers requires a thoughtful, methodical approach. You want a unique look and feel, messaging that emphasizes your competitive edge, and compelling marketing — which all rest on the foundation of your point of view and an informed understanding of your position within the market. But how do you actually get started crafting that identity and extending it through your business footprint?

In the video above, Atlanta-based creative entrepreneur Cam Kirk shares his expert advice on getting to the core of your brand, part of the CCNYC’s 2020 Creative Curriculum, launched in partnership with Squarespace. He also spoke with us about his own professional beginnings, carving out a creative career, and expanding upon it in the digital space.

Squarespace: What factors were influencing you when you launched your career as a photographer?

Cam Kirk: I just graduated from college and the only thing I knew for sure I needed to do was find a way to stay in Atlanta. At the time I was hoping to break into the music industry through artist management and I had a camera that a bought a few years back that was simply collecting dust. I would use my camera to shoot my artist and was able to scrape up some side money from other local artist who also needed content but couldn’t afford to hire a professional. I was the guy that had a camera and knew some of the basics so they would hire me for $50 here and there. Still, at the time I didn’t see photography as a career but simply as a side hustle until I figured out how to break into the industry. I was working at a sneaker brand part time also to pay rent, but I lost that job at the end of 2011. From there I decided to really focus on my camera and use it as an actual vessel that would change my life. LIterally two months after I decided to go full throttle with the camera as my main source of income, my career took off like a rocket and I was working with some of the biggest artists in the world.

SQSP: How did you approach marketing yourself to potential clients early in your career?

CK: I learned so much of the industry from an artist’s perspective so my main marketing strategy was to always mimic what the artist do. My mantra has always been to market myself like an artist. So if an artist is doing photoshoots of themselves, I should be doing photoshoots of myself, If artist are doing interviews on their work than I should be too and etc. etc.

SQSP: Your portraits combine authentic portrayals of your subjects with your own strong visual style. What helped you hone that style when you were first starting out?

CK: My personality is the main source of my style. I am a pretty quiet and laid back person, very soft spoken. When I started as a photographer I was always too nervous to ask my artist to move or pose so I focused on being a fly on the wall and just capturing candids to not disrupt their vibe. It turned out to be a style that people loved and why I got the nickname “The Eye of the Atlanta.”

SQSP: Why is a unique visual brand identity important in an increasingly digital world?

CK: In today’s world individuals are consuming visuals at a rapid rate so it’s important that you stand out amongst the crowd with striking visuals.

SQSP: What role does your online presence play in your business today?

CK: My online presence makes up about 50% of my brand’s presence. Outside of the work I do in my studio, the content we post on social media is just as vital and important. We always find a way to share our physical realities with the world via the internet. 

Discover more expert advice and inspiration from Black entrepreneurs and creatives.