Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => The Coffee Corner => Topic started by: Alex MacPherson on July 05, 2009, 02:51:15 am

Title: Professional Name
Post by: Alex MacPherson on July 05, 2009, 02:51:15 am
Most photographers go by their personal name for business purposes.

What about a case where your name is the same an established photographer in the same genre? (who's work i find quite awful).

I am considering using my middle name as my first name for professional purposes. I dislike my first name anyways.

Any thoughts?

My name is Tim MacPherson. timmacpherson.com is taken by whathisname  

I am considering Alex T. MacPherson or Tim Alex MacPherson

...or should I just go by Tim MacPherson and... let the ensuing confusion over which photographer is which go on.
Title: Professional Name
Post by: feppe on July 05, 2009, 04:26:57 am
Avoiding confusion is a prudent choice here, since the other photographer is already established and it doesn't cause you a lot of hassle to use your middle name.

I'm in a somewhat related situation: I'm expanding my photography to glamour and nudes, and since my daywork is in a conservative field (corporate finance), I have decided to go with a pseudonym for that photography. I'll keep my travel and cityscape work with my real name.
Title: Professional Name
Post by: LoisWakeman on July 07, 2009, 05:43:44 am
Keep it simple: if there isn't an Alex McPherson already hogging the scene, use that? Don't use T as the middle initial - that is confusing, as is having the identical name to an established practitioner. (They might still think you are brothers - but you can deny the connection!).
Title: Professional Name
Post by: Alex MacPherson on July 07, 2009, 07:58:27 pm
Quote from: LoisWakeman
Keep it simple: if there isn't an Alex McPherson already hogging the scene, use that? Don't use T as the middle initial - that is confusing, as is having the identical name to an established practitioner. (They might still think you are brothers - but you can deny the connection!).

Yeah. That's what I will do. Thanks
Title: Professional Name
Post by: Panorama on July 22, 2009, 09:30:27 am
Quote from: Dolce Moda Photography
What about a case where your name is the same an established photographer in the same genre? (who's work i find quite awful).

Any thoughts?


Thoughts? Sure, a few came to mind..

Besides this being a very common problem, why don't you ask the original TM what he thinks of "*your* work?

Also, would you like some cheese to go along with your post?