When you book a website with me, one of the first things we talk about is the power of killer imagery, especially in your website design. While there's nothing wrong with supplementing with stock photography (that's what it's for!), many of my clients are quick to line up a brand photo shoot as soon as their website is in the calendar. But then comes the big question: "What do I tell my photographer to make sure we get what we need?" It's a question I hear a lot, and it makes total sense! So, here’s a little guide I’ve whipped up to help you chat with your photographer like a pro and nail those brand vibes right from the get-go.

Color is one of those tricky things that can look different depending on so many factors. Something blue on my screen, might look more purple on your due to the quality of your device, resolution, and individual settings. It gets even more complex when you're comparing the colors on a digital screen, which uses a 3-color process (RGB), to printed colors, which uses a 4-color process (CMYK). Not to mention the differences you may see depending on your printer brand, the quality, ink levels, etc. So, if you've ever wondered why the engaging colors on your screen lose their luster on paper, you're not alone. Let's demystify the reasons behind the color discrepancy between digital screens and print.

You've got a business that you work hard on day in and day out, and you're ready to take it to the next level by developing your brand + website design. Now, you're faced with a crucial decision: do you hire a local freelance designer here in Denver, or do you go the agency route? Before you start summoning the corporate cavalry, let me share a few of my thinking-est thoughts on why hiring a freelance designer might be your best choice — or not!

I know that your business is your baby. You've birthed it, raised it, and watched it develop. So, when it's time to level up your branding or website it's important to decide whether or not working with a freelance designer in Denver is the right choice for you. If you're on the fence, I'm dropping 5 compelling reasons why partnering with a freelancer can be the secret sauce to your business's success.

I open my email to 5 new messages from my web design client and fight the urge to roll my eyes. It's not that she's a bad client — but we've been working on her site for months, and instead of moving forward, she's asking for punctuation updates on already approved pages. I don't think that's what it's really about. I think it's the fear of putting herself out into the world that's losing her time online, which means losing potential business. Which brings me to the hard news I’ve got for you today: no matter how hard you strive, you'll never achieve a perfect website, brand design, or image. So, I want to talk about how embracing imperfection is the only way to move forward.

When I moved to Denver, I was terrified to enter the field as a newbie graphic designer. I knew how saturated the city was with multiple design schools spewing out amazingly talented people every year, while I was mostly self-taught and fairly inexperienced (I even considered going back to school to get some sort of degree or certificate to prove I knew what I was doing). Now I've got over a decade living + working here under my belt, so I feel pretty confident in what I’m doing. And I can say that while there definitely are tons of designers in the Denver market, doing your due diligence to find the right one for you will pay off in the end.

HERE ARE MY TOP TIPS FOR HIRING A BRAND + WEBSITE DESIGNER IN DENVER TO MAKE YOUR PROJECT A SUCCESS.