Storytelling Photography for Families
The family photography market is crowded with quick sessions and digital downloads that often end up forgotten. Bittersweet Books was created to change that. Combining my skills as a designer and photographer, I set out to transform fleeting moments into meaningful heirloom books families can hold, share, and revisit for generations. Printed books became the natural end point for every session, offering clients something lasting and tangible that digital files alone could never provide.
Book Series
Albums are designed like fine-art coffee table books—white‑space breathing room punctuated by full‑bleed spreads. Clients provide textual content for the books through a series of journal writing prompts that make it easy to capture their family’s “story”.
Project Goals:
- Replace high‑volume minis with storytelling photo sessions that sustain creativity and revenue.
- Attract families with a deep desire to safeguard cherished moments in lasting keepsakes.
- Shift the expected offering from digital images to high-end books and albums.
- Elevate the brand by crafting tactile experiences that stand out from those of typical family photographers.
Project Goals:
- Replace high‑volume minis with storytelling photo sessions that sustain creativity and revenue.
- Attract families with a deep desire to safeguard cherished moments in lasting keepsakes.
- Shift the expected offering from digital images to high-end books and albums.
- Elevate the brand by crafting tactile experiences that stand out from those of typical family photographers.
Logo
The word-mark features a classic literary serif that evokes both timelessness and the feel of a well-loved book title. The dragonfly icon, carried over from Reiley Photography, unites the brands while subtly honoring of Owen’s memory.
Typography
The typography system pairs a refined serif for titles and callouts with a clean geometric sans-serif for body text, creating a balance of timeless elegance and modern clarity. The serif brings an editorial, book-inspired feel, while the sans-serif ensures readability across layouts. A subtle script accent is used sparingly for personal touches, such as names or quotes.
Color Palette
The palette combines warm ivory, muted charcoal, and a distinctive Tiffany-blue carried over from Reiley Photography. This connection between brands builds recognition and trust while evoking both elegance and approachability. Colors were selected for their timeless feel and their ability to reproduce consistently across uncoated book papers, fine-art prints, and packaging materials.
Business Cards
The business cards feature the literary serif word-mark paired with the dragonfly icon, creating immediate brand recognition. Contact details are set in the brand’s sans-serif with Tiffany-blue highlights, reinforcing the design system in a clean, approachable layout.
Thank You Cards
The thank-you cards feature delicate line illustrations inspired by the dragonfly’s flight path, paired with a simple “Thank You” set in the brand’s serif. The interior is intentionally left blank to allow for personal handwritten notes. These cards extend the brand’s tactile, literary feel into client communications and gifts.
Referral Cards
The referral cards are folded note cards with a mounted gift card inside. Designed to feel like a thoughtful gift rather than a marketing piece, they align with the brand’s storytelling and book-inspired identity while encouraging word-of-mouth referrals.
Brochures
Two product brochures were designed to clearly display the differences between the Bittersweet Books and Albums lines. Each brochure outlines sizing, pricing, cover options, and unique features, helping clients easily compare and select the product that best preserves their family stories.
Quote Library
These typographic graphics were inspired by traditional book plates, designed to feel like labels that might be affixed inside beloved volumes. Created for use on Instagram and Pinterest, they served as shareable social media marketing assets that expanded reach while reinforcing the brand’s storytelling and literary-inspired identity.
Digital Image Packaging
Digital images are delivered on the same brushed-metal USB drives used for Reiley Photography, engraved with the dragonfly icon for brand cohesion. Each USB comes packaged with a compact 3×3 trifold card that includes care instructions, printing guidelines, and usage rights information, extending the brand’s thoughtful and professional presentation.
Results:
- Book and album sales became the primary revenue driver, doubling overall income.
- Clients are now better aligned with the brand’s storytelling approach to photography.
- Families feel more satisfied having tangible, lasting keepsakes to revisit and share.
- Fewer sessions with higher value created a more balanced and creatively fulfilling way to work.
Results:
- Book and album sales became the primary revenue driver, doubling overall income.
- Clients are now better aligned with the brand’s storytelling approach to photography.
- Families feel more satisfied having tangible, lasting keepsakes to revisit and share.
- Fewer sessions with higher value created a more balanced and creatively fulfilling way to work.
