Brand photography?
I was a few years into my photography business when I first came across the term "Brand Photography". I shrugged my shoulders and was eager to move onto the next conversation. To me, in that moment, brand photography was product photography, something back then I had no appreciation for. I was not at all interested (and oh boy, how wrong I was!). Little did I know that at that moment of ignorance the little seed had already been planted in my brain to subconsciously manifest itself out into full power that would soon dictate my business, life and every thought that then followed!
So let me tell you about brand photography and how important it really is...
Brand photography is the creation of a cohesive set of custom images that visually represent a business’s identity, values, and offerings. It goes beyond traditional headshots or product photos, encompassing the people, places, tools, and atmosphere that define a brand. Brand images and galleries are strategically designed to connect with the target audience and tell a compelling brand story. Why? Well that depends on the businesses targets but could be to increase sales, increase profit, increase a social media following, increase enquiries per month etc. And these targets are all factored in when designing a brand shoot (well, they are when the brand shoot is with me!)
What are the key elements of Brand Photography and what do the images look like?
- Firstly we are showing the people of the business; the business owner, the team members, or customers to build trust and reliability. The people images will usually be a mix of candid and posed lifestyle images that are easy on the eye so the audience can easily connect with them.
- Secondly we like to showcase the products or services that the brand has to offer. This can be physical products, digital services, treatments or experiences.
- Then we look at the tools and spaces. Close up images and pull backs of the room spaces and the details within the business. Building your own personalised bank of stock images.
- We capture the lifestyle of your brand and how it integrates into the target audience's lifestyle, reflecting its aspirational or practical aspects.
- And finally, we showcase the mood and personality of the brand by using lighting, colours and composition to evoke the desired emotions and brand tone.
Having a bank of on-brand, personalised, bespoke images is all well and good but why are they an important brand asset?
Brand photography...
- Builds Recognition: Being consistent with your visuals helps customers to instantly recognise your brand across platforms (A must if you are building/maintaining/growing your brand).
- Tells your story: Brand photography helps communicate your mission, vision, and values visually.
- Establishes Trust: High-quality images make a brand appear professional and credible.
- Increases Engagement: Strong visuals grab attention and boost engagement on websites, social media, and ads.
- Differentiates from Competitors: Unique, custom images highlight what makes your brand stand out.
And finally, where is brand photography used within a business?
- Websites (homepage, about page, service/product pages)
- Social media posts and ads
- Marketing materials (brochures, email campaigns, presentations)
- Packaging and labels
- PR and media kits
And the sales generated from the above because of the attractive on-brand images that have engaged the consumers makes brand photography an easy investment because the ROI is guaranteed.
If you need any assistance with your brand photography or have any more questions please get in touch!
You can also have a look at a few collections of brand galleries just here.