What is Brand Photography and Why is it Important?
I’ve said it before and I will continue to say it again and again…
Branding is more than a logo, colors and fonts.
There are actually so many elements to this, including photography. But before we dive into that, let’s first talk about brand photography and what it is because it is something that can really impact your business growth.
Your brand is how your business interacts with your clients and how those clients and perspective clients perceive you and your business as a whole. Your brand is what sets you apart from others in your industry.
Brand photography is the next step in your branding.
So you’ve got the logo, fonts, and full brand package. Brand photography is the next piece that puts it all together.
Brand imagery includes your headshots as well as images of the physical products you may sell or services you promote.
Based on the images below, can you guess what they do for a living?
Ding, ding, ding! They are real estate agents (and also some of my favorite clients ever!)
Brand photography is taking what was discovered through the branding process and reflecting it into the photos of your products and/or services.
If you’re a florist, it would most likely include pictures of you arranging and working with your hands, as well as pictures of your gorgeous floral blooms out in the world or in your studio. I’ve had the honor of working with several florists and they are always some of my favorite pictures!
If you’re like me (a photographer and/or designer), it tends to become more about you. When I approach my own images for my brand, you will notice that most of them have me at a desk working on a laptop, phone, or iPad because that is where I am 95% of the time when it comes to running my business! If you are a photographer full time, you might want to think about pictures of you with your camera, interacting with clients and also in your office working behind the scenes! The fun thing about brand photography is how creative you can get when it comes to the images and how you want to represent your brand through the photos.
Then of course, if you’re a product based business, brand photography would be creating emotional attachment to the items you sell through beautiful imagery.
So how do you find the right photographer to capture your brand photography?
Now that you know what brand photography is, I think it’s important to chat about finding the right photographer to help tell your visual story! You need to make sure they have a similar style, or can mimic the style you need easily.
I truly believe in the investment that is brand photography, so try not to get too caught up on the price tag (especially if you love their work) because focusing on the numbers can easily overshadow the beautiful outcome and art your photographer can produce.
Obviously you’ll have a budget you need to adhere to but all I’m saying is keep an open mind, especially if you absolutely love their work! Brand photography is an art and when you find the right fit, amazing photography isn’t cheap.
I also would encourage you to get the photographer on the phone to discuss your goals and vision to ensure you are a good match. Ask to see a few full galleries of past branding clients that possibly have a similar aesthetic to you so you can see what to expect. If a client asks to see past galleries, I always send them along and if I don’t have them saved in Pixieset, I’ll share the blog post with them!
Take your time with this to ensure you find the right match to capture your personal brand photography.
I think it’s a safe bet to say that we, as humans, are drawn to imagery. Imagery helps us break down and easily digest information. As a designer, brand photography plays a role in virtually all I do, including graphics for social media. I actually just created these graphics for upcoming posts on Instagram, and all of them incorporate brand photography.
Obviously these are all photos of myself, but I also use stock photography. I love to take my own and have filler images taken for me during a personalized branding session but I’m also open-minded to purchasing stock images. Here are a few of my favorite stock shops to use for filler content:
Places you can use brand photography:
Social media profile pictures
Instagram/Facebook (posts and stories)
Your about page (and throughout your website)
Blog posts
Ads
To highlight and show your process
Email signature
Business card
PDF opt-ins/freebies/downloads
Thank you notes to clients
Podcast artwork
Online course content
Pintrest graphics
Examples of a few brands I personally love who incorporate imagery beautifully!
In conclusion
Standing out in a positive way with consistent branding that speaks to your target audience will help you get a foothold in your market. You’ll earn the loyalty of the clients you most want to work with.
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