5 ways that professional photography will enhance your business’s image

These days, everyone’s a photographer. And it’s true. Thanks to high quality cameras on phones, with a minimum of skill, adequate photographic shots can be taken and used. There are also stock libraries, featuring thousands of images at a range of prices.

But nothing, and I mean nothing, can reflect you and your business’s image better than professional, bespoke, high quality photography and expert production.

And I don’t just say this because I’m a photographer and love the artistic and creative aspects of my work. I say this because I’m also a business person, working with other business people to bring about the best possible outcomes from their marketing and advertising. There are commercial, tangible, indisputable positive results of investing in commercial photography which may surprise you.

1. Professional photography looks exactly that – professional. And as a business I’m sure that coming across as professional will be pretty high on your list of priorities. Yet how many websites are let down with cheesy, dated photography or poor gallery images of work or products? Your website is your shop window. Your marketing materials are a reflection of you. Quality and professionalism can be portrayed, or negated, by the quality of the imagery you use.

And don’t forget about you. If you are the business owner, and feature on your website or network via LinkedIn, your personal image will also be significantly enhanced through a good quality, flattering profile picture. Red eyes, pub signs in the background and a bit of arm of the person next to you who has been crudely cropped out, really do not make the best impression.

2. Bespoke photography the only way to be sure of genuine individuality. The danger of stock imagery is that it could be used by someone else. And that person could be your main competitor. There are some industries where identical stock images feature on virtually all the websites in the field. I don’t know about you, but this practice causes me to question the authenticity and credibility of those businesses. Are they real, do they actually exist? As a business you should be displaying your own work, your own products and your own people, so that customers engage with the real you, not an artificial image.

3. Commercial photography is one of the strongest methods through which to develop, convey and reinforce your organisational brand. It’s not just about the subject of the image, it’s about the lighting, the style and the production. Perhaps your brand reflects traditional values, so imagery can be captured in sepia or traditional styles. Maybe you’re a new, innovative business that needs to reflect this in quirky, fun, contemporary style pictures. Or are you a luxury business that needs to exude class and quality to high end customers? Whatever it is, bespoke photography can meet the brief and create a tone and brand for your business that becomes instantly recognisable and engages your audience.

4. To use a cliché, a picture paints a thousand words. But it’s saying the right words that count. Amateur or stock photography will never be able to escapsulate a specific message the way a professional photographer can. To bring an advertising campaign to life, you need the image to be exactly right. Shoehorning an idea around poor photography or stock images will never have the same impact. A commercial photographer will not only select the right model or subject, but create the atmosphere and finish with the production that gets your message spot on. You’ll be able to say exactly what you want to say, how you want to say it.

5. Commercial photography sells. And this is the crux of why you should invest in it. This is unarguably the case if you are in ecommerce, and seeking to persuade customers to buy your products based on the pictures on your website. The higher the quality of photography, the higher the sales and the lower the returns. But commercial photography sells services too. Would you be more attracted to a classy, sophisticated hair and beauty salon website that featured stunning shots of the Salon, hair styles and photographers at work, or dark poor quality images or stock shots of models? If you’re looking for a company in building, decorating or interior design, will you be impressed by poorly lit, amateur pictures of jobs or well presented high quality images that truly showcase the quality of the work?

It may sound dramatic, but while professional photography can enhance the image of your business, poor photography can damage it.

If you’re concerned about the cost, don’t be, it’s likely to be far more cost effective than you think. If you’re concerned about the time and effort, don’t be, photographers work quickly and flexibly, using mobile studios and the latest production technology.

To discuss any questions or needs you have without any obligation, call me on 07767 776839 or email [email protected]

David Patrick Owner Hair & Beauty Salon Epsom – Amanda took some creative portraits of our staff and business for our website which we are absolutely delighted with, we would highly recommend her.