Proud to Present: a retro inspired brand for The Swans
Ahhhhhh, The Swans. Lovely Kelly and Nathan are simply wonderful people with humungous hearts and the kind of reassuring presence that you know everything's going to be ok. Kelly has been photographing weddings for years under the banner of Shooting Suzie Photography, with Nathan joining her more recently to create a very awesome husband and wife photography double act. The Shooting Suzie name was no longer working for them; they wanted to rebrand to celebrate their combined talents and to create a feel that really reflected the gentle nostalgia and warmth of their photography. Here's their story...
As well as taking gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous photos, The Swans are THE people to have around when you’re planning an offbeat wedding! They smile their way through every wedding and are highly practised in the art of getting married. They're warm, easy-going and a pleasure to have around. Of course, as a couple they’re able to provide brilliant coverage of a wedding day. But beyond that there’s something almost magical about the way they welcome their clients into the married club; they look after them, take them under their wing and make sure that when it matters, it’s all about the bride and groom.
The recent addition of wedding films to their roster of services has elevated The Swans to something really rather special, and their ability to capture weddings in digital, polaroid and film means that they tell the story of their couples' weddings through as many mediums as possible.
The season personality
The seasons which best represent The Swans are Autumn and Summer. Autumn personalities are bold, independent and love anything that challenges established norms. They’re passionate, hardworking and unafraid to roll their sleeves up to get stuck in when a job needs doing. They’re warm, friendly, utterly passionate and so much fun to have around.
Summer personalities are gentle, nurturing and intuitive. They’re observant, perceptive and incredibly supportive of those around them. They’re artistic, timeless in their approach and have a love of creating anything heirloom-worthy.
The brand
I love this brand! Inspired by Kelly and Nathan's love of Wes Anderson, art deco and the 1950’s, this is a brilliantly quirky brand which feels warm, bold and welcoming. Typography is inspired by 50’s TV listings and 1950’s Americana for a mood which is established and has a retro twist. Slightly broken san serifs contrast beautifully against clean lined scripts for a sense of energy and a burst of movement. There’s a romantic twist thanks to feminine patterns (how amazing is the art deco pattern?!) and delicate flourishes, which are toughened up with strong graphic shapes.
The brand elements have been considered for the way in which they enrich The Swans brand story and work alongside their images – there’s energy and abandon, intimacy and plenty of smiles in their photography which we wanted to bring to the fore.
The Swans logo is inspired by 50’s nostalgia. A beautifully expressive monoline script creates a bold, energetic and incredibly distinctive shape with a fabulously retro twist. We love the strapline: ‘love struck’. Perfect for a brand that's all about being loved up to the absolute max.
