Leah Hoskin Photography brand case study
Project: Full rebrand for Waikato birth & family photographer, Leah Hoskin
The Client
Some projects are just meant to happen — and this one had been years in the making.
I met Leah from Leah Hoskin Photography around the time our kids started school. Since then we've spent years doing what good friends do: chatting about kids and work, collaborating on a school cookbook, sending each other referrals, and cheering each other on. Leah is even my own business photographer. So when she finally asked me to work on her rebrand?
Dream. Come. True.
Leah specialises in maternity, birth, and family photography — and she has a rare, beautiful gift for capturing real emotion. The raw, unguarded, completely genuine moments that people want to hold onto forever. Her work is deeply personal. Her brand needed to be too.
The Challenge
Leah's existing brand had done its job — but it had simply grown past it. She was evolving as a photographer and as a business owner, and she needed a visual identity that reflected where she was now, not where she'd started.
She needed a brand that:
Felt as warm, natural, and emotionally resonant as the photographs she takes
Reflected her personal aesthetic — earthy, modern, and quietly beautiful
Gave her a complete, versatile toolkit she could use consistently across digital and print
Felt unmistakably, personally Leah
The Approach
We started — as I love to do — with inspiration before decisions.
Leah built a Pinterest board, which immediately told me everything I needed to know: a love of warm brown and green palettes, modern fonts with a twist, and florals — particularly cherry blossoms. (And if you know Leah, you'll know the cherry blossom tattoo on her arm. Of course that had to make it into the brand.)
From there we moved through a proper discovery process:
A discovery session to understand Leah's business, her clients, and where she wanted to go
A mood board to set the tone and direction before a single logo was sketched — getting us both aligned on the look and feel before the design work began
Sketching and hand-drawn exploration — including original cherry blossom drawings that would become the heart of Leah's new brand icon
A fully developed concept presented with all logo variations, icons, and mockups so Leah could see exactly how everything would come to life in the real world
Then we refined, proofed, and polished until every element was exactly right.
The final brand identity includes:
A primary logo — the hero mark that will feature across most of Leah's touchpoints
A stacked logo variation — condensed and versatile, perfect for social media profiles and tighter spaces
A brand mark — a clean, simple initial logo that works beautifully as a watermark on Leah's photos
Cherry blossom icons in varying colours — for adding warmth and personality across both digital and print spaces
A rich, earthy colour palette of browns and greens that feels completely cohesive with Leah's photographic style
A full visual brand guide covering colours, fonts, and logo usage — so Leah always knows exactly how to show up consistently
The Solution
The result is a brand identity that feels as considered and emotionally rich as Leah's photography itself.
Every element has a purpose. The cherry blossom icon is personal and meaningful. The earthy palette mirrors the warmth in her images. The logo suite gives her a tool for every situation — from a website header to a subtle watermark on a birth photo. Nothing is accidental, and nothing is wasted.
A complete, versatile logo system built for real-world use
A brand mark that doubles as a beautiful, unobtrusive watermark
A warm, earthy colour world that feels cohesive across every platform
A brand guide that makes consistency effortless going forward
The Results
Leah Hoskin Photography now has a brand as beautiful, warm, and genuine as the moments she captures through her lens.
Years of friendship, collaboration, and mutual cheerleading — and it all led to this. Honestly, one of my most treasured projects.
Kind words from clients
"So damn excited about this!! Kelly got it bang on!"
Leah Hoskin, Leah Hoskin Photography, Waikato
Ready to work together?
Ready to dive in? Book a free 20min discovery call and we'll talk through your goals and get the ball rolling!
Not sure what you need? Start with a Brand Audit, we'll figure out exactly what's holding your brand back and what needs to happen next.
Based in Kihikihi, Te Awamutu, working with ambitious growing businesses across New Zealand.
ABOUT
A Waikato graphic design studio helping New Zealand businesses show up with confidence and attract the right clients through strategic branding & websites.
GET IN TOUCH
kelly@creativebox.co.nz
0272468761
INFORMATION
About
Recent Work
The Process
Blog
Contact