Every piece of marketing needs to tell a story, from a social post to a new website to a major campaign. And often, it’s the imagery or brand photography that people notice first. In fact, we’d go as far as to say that poor photography has the power to undermine great branding. Let’s not forget that people make an instant judgement when they first look at your website – and a lot of the time, photography is a crucial part of that first impression.
Think about brands built around travel, conservation or experiences. Authentic branding photography can transport an audience somewhere they’ve never been, helping them connect with a place, a cause or an experience before they’ve encountered it for themselves.
Product-led brands face a different challenge. Here, carefully art-directed photography can do far more than simply show what something looks like. When every image shares the same visual style, personality and creative direction, the photography itself becomes part of what makes the brand recognisable.
The subject matter may be completely different, but the principle is the same. The right photography can transform how people perceive a brand. Get it wrong and it can undermine everything else you’ve worked hard to create.
© The European Nature Trust
The problem with taking the easy option
Brand photography is often one of the first considerations when we begin a new creative project. Do suitable images already exist, or do we need to create them?
That imagery could include your people, products, premises or services in action, as well as more illustrative photography that helps tell your wider brand story.
Understandably, commissioning a brand photographer can feel like a significant investment, so businesses often look for shortcuts. Existing imagery gets repurposed long after it has become outdated. AI-generated images are explored. Stock libraries are searched. Or somebody reaches for their phone and takes a few quick shots.
Sometimes those approaches have their place. But when the imagery doesn’t feel authentic or consistent with the brand, the overall marketing suffers. We’ve all seen the clichés. For technology brands, there’s the familiar stock shot of the smiling woman wearing a headset. In some cases, AI can create beautiful images, but it can’t photograph your people, your culture, or your products. What you really need is imagery that’s unmistakably yours.
AI-generated or stock imagery don’t necessarily look bad. The problem is that they could belong to almost anyone. And the last thing you want to be is forgettable.
© The EcoVenturist
Authenticity builds trust
As marketing becomes increasingly social and personal, audiences want to see the real people, places, products and experiences behind a business. It goes without saying, if you’re selling an experience, show the actual experience. If your people are central to your service, then introduce them. If you’re asking someone to care about a conservation project, let them see the place and wildlife they’re helping to protect.
Authentic photography helps people understand what they’re really buying into, and that builds something increasingly valuable in marketing: trust. Not only that, it also gives your brand greater visual distinction. Rather than relying on imagery that could appear on hundreds of other websites, you’re building a unique visual library that becomes part of your brand identity.
That’s why we don’t always see brand photography as something that simply supports a campaign. Sometimes, the photography can become the creative idea itself.
© Toolbank
Five tips for a successful branding photoshoot
If you’re thinking of commissioning a brand photographer to get shots for your brand, whether independently or through an agency like ours, here’s a few tips to get you started:
Plan what you need
Create a clear shot list before the day. Think beyond the immediate project too: could you capture headshots, workplace imagery, products and services in action at the same time? A well-planned shoot can give you content for multiple channels and campaigns. It’s also well worth briefing your photographer on the style of photography you’ll want – editorial, documentary style, minimalist, action shots, personality style. In fact, this is something you’ll need to consider before you even book your photographer since some brand photographers specialise in certain styles.
Think ahead
Consider what you’ll need over the next 12 months, not just next week. Photography is often commissioned by the day or half-day, so capturing additional useful imagery while you have everyone together can make your investment work much harder. That being said, it’s worth considering the application of the imagery, e.g. is it for a website? Social media? A specific campaign? And what’s the brand messaging that may be used alongside it? You want the imagery to both best portray your brand image and be as relevant and useful as possible.
Prepare properly
Good photography relies on good logistics. Make sure locations are accessible, products and equipment are ready and any necessary permissions have been arranged before the photographer arrives. When it comes to location, consider the lighting. If indoors, is the space well lit, or will the photographer need additional lighting or other props? Visualise how your whole space should look – ensure its tidy, any confidential documents or items are hidden and the space best represents your brand. It’s a good idea to catch up with the photographer beforehand to double check what they expect from you too. Remember, every minute spent solving avoidable problems is a minute you’re not creating useful content.
Get the right people involved
Give your photographer a clear point of contact and schedule people or teams into specific time slots where possible. Having someone from your marketing team present is particularly useful, as they can help art-direct the shoot and make sure every image answers the original brief.
Brief everyone beforehand
People, products and locations should all be shoot-ready. A photographer’s time is much better spent behind the camera than waiting for a room to be tidied, equipment to arrive or somebody to get ready. It’s worth making sure beforehand that the teams or people being photographed or filmed are presentable and know what they’re doing, and relevant staff have signed any necessary permission slips to appear in the footage or imagery.
Photography is a brand asset, not a project cost
A well-planned photoshoot isn’t simply about getting some nice pictures for your next campaign. If you’re going to invest in brand photography, remember to look at it long term. One day’s photography can form a complete distinctive library of authentic brand imagery that truly embodies your brand and can strengthen your marketing across websites, social media, campaigns, presentations, exhibition stands and much more.
At Shine, we can help with every stage, from developing the creative concept and planning the shot list to sourcing brand photographers, art-directing shoots and bringing the resulting imagery to life across your marketing.