How to hire a brand photographer that gets you
You’ve been hustling and working hard to get your dreams off the ground. You believe in your services and your brand. What’s next? Showing off your business with gorgeous photos.
Cue: Brand Photography.
Brand photography is such an important aspect of winning clients. It represent your business visually, and fit with your visual identity through their use of colors, tone, props, sets and more. These can include photos of you, your team, your products, your process, your space and other things that make your business unique.
Using photos on your website helps clients imagine what it would look like to work with you. They’ll get a sense of your brand personality, your company culture, and your products/services. You want people to be stunned and excited by the images and the story they’re telling about your company.
A note on stock photos
Although stock photos can work as a quick band-aid to get your brand launched, they are generally tricky to use. While they’re cheaper than hiring a brand photographer, stock photo websites vary greatly in quality ( from authentic to really cheesy pictures). Going this route tends to be more labor intensive because it’s hard finding a cohesive collection of images that match your brand. Stock photos differ so much in lighting, angle and subject matter that you end up compromising the “right look” for “the almost right” look.
Brand photography on the other hand offers a distinct look and a collection of pictures that show off your style and brand. There’s no sleight of hand photoshopping that needs to be done. Everything matches and looks fantastic.
So.. How do you find the right brand photographer for your business?
Set a budget
This goes without saying but you’ll need to set aside what you’re willing to spend. Rates vary considerably, so it’s best to know your budget before you fall in love with a photographer who’s outside of your price range.
Brainstorm where to use the photos
Where will be using these photos? Think of every channel you’re using to display content: your website, social channels, e-mails, blog posts, press package, product packaging and other printed collateral.
Plan out your content
This is the trickiest part for most businesses and — take it from us — the biggest mistake you can make is not planning out content ahead of time. Content writing is hard (we know). So it’s a smart move to plan out every single blog and insta post in large batches ahead of time. We’re talking 60 to 90 days out. Once your content is written and placed in a schedule, you can determine the shots that you’ll need to promote each post. Remember, the photos should amplify the content, not the other way around!
Create a shot list
Now that you’ve got your content squared away, create a list of the photos that will bring that content to life. If you have an amazing skin care line, perhaps it’s a photo of a customer using your top selling serum.
Own a service based-business? Have some photos taken that show how your clients imagine their life during and after working with you. Do they imagine writing in a beautiful journal all about their genius marketing plans for the future after a coaching session with you? Or whipping up weeknight meals in a gorgeous kitchen using your meal plans? Use these photos to tell them how great their life will be after working with you.
Just like we all love some good reality TV, we also want to peek behind the curtain of our favorite brands. It brings authenticity and allows for your audience to connect with you — and ultimately builds trust. Having a few images of your styled office space or a few “action” shots of you doing your thing will help potential clients get a sense of the person behind the business.
Find a photographer that matches your style
Every brand photographer has their own distinct style. As you research, focus on the photographer’s “look”. Are they dark and moody? Do they stick to earth tones? The most important part is whether their style matches your brand. An organic, sustainably-made tea company probably won’t fit with a photographer who loves ultra saturated colors and whimsical backgrounds.
Hire a photographer
You’ve found a photographer who matches your brand, you’ve clicked with them during the
consultation, and now you’re pumped: congratulations! As you move ahead, make sure you
and the photographer are on the same page in terms of expectations and the shots you need.
You’re collaborating with someone and letting them in on your thoughts, ideas, and dreams.
Make sure they get you!
Always look ahead
You’ve completed your shoot and are waiting for the finished product. Great! Now it’s time to
plan out your next shoot and start budgeting. Even if you don’t plan on another shoot for a
while, it’s important to be prepared. It’s also helpful to cultivate a working relationship with the
photographer; as they gain more experience working with you, they’ll get better at capturing
your brand.
For those who need a break
Too busy killing it at your business to hire a photographer? (Or just overwhelmed, because
let’s face it, it’s a ton of work). Either way, we’re here to help! We have amazing in-house
photographers who specialize in lifestyle photography and can take care of all your needs. Plus, all of our branding packages come fully-baked with everything you need to look great, including a custom photo shoot. We love making you look fantastic and freeing up your time so you can do what’s most important to you- hustling in style. Let’s chat about your goals today.