We have this saying in Norwegian: kjært barn har mange navn. Directly translated, it means that a beloved child has many names.
When I first moved to Colorado, my name was Nina Larsen. When I later married, I took my husband’s last name, Reed , as I was tired of everyone spelling Larsen as Larsson. (It’s not the same thing, iykyk.) In 2013 I started my photography business as Nina Reed Photography, and it served me well until I was ready to move into the wedding industry.
I used to photograph dance, yoga, performing arts — anything and everything with bodies in creative motion. And because I was worried about folks googling Nina Reed Photography and getting confused about what I offered, I started photographing weddings as Larsen Photo Co.
Fast forward to three hundred weddings later, and I don’t think there’s any confusion about what I offer. But I continue to get inquiries addressing me as Larsen, and at networking events people ask if I’m working for someone else because my name tag says Nina Reed but my business name says Larsen Photo Co. I miss being “just” Nina.
And as I’ve also started photographing weddings in Norway as Fotograf Nina Reed, it’s getting hard to keep up with two separate business names, brands, and everything that comes with it.
By unifying my Norwegian and American businesses under one name and brand, I hope to make it clear that it’s all me, Nina, behind the scenes of both businesses. I will continue to keep my websites separate so that I can write in the appropriate language for each, but beyond that I just want to be me, no alias needed.
To my existing clients, you will still receive the same service, care, and of course photos that you booked me for. To future clients, I hope that going by my name makes it immediately obvious that you’ll be working with me as your photographer. And to everyone who has supported my business over the past thirteen years, thank you for helping me grow.
Much love,
Nina Reed, formerly known as Larsen Photo Co.
