Do you Really Need a Brand Photographer?
The question : Do you really need a brand photographer for your website project or social media content or can you just ask your friend who dabbles in photography on the side to help you out?
Great question.
Walk with me. I have a story that may give you your answer.
5-ish years ago, I was working as a full-time wedding photographer. Ahem - a burnt out wedding photographer. I had spent the previous five years before that photographing weddings or engagement/bridal sessions just about every weekend during wedding season.. and then in an editing cave Monday-Friday.
I loved working with excited couples and producing beautiful images. The burnout I was experiencing had nothing to do with them and everything to do with how I was operating the business I had started that was supposed to be…flexible. After all, the biggest perk to being an entrepreneur is flexibility, right?!
Part of my problem was that I was addicted to the hustle and had a hard time turning down opportunities. The other part of the problem was that I kept forgetting that I was the one who could stop the never-ending cycle of saying, “yes, I can shoot this… #available!”
In 2017 I joined a co-working space and started meeting other entrepreneurs. It was inside these walls that other entrepreneurs and smaller companies started asking me to help with their website imagery. Outside of editing my weekend sessions Monday through Friday, I had the time, so I said… “why not?”
I quickly started to realize how different photographing an individual for marketing/digital brand purposes was compared to photographing a bride or a groom on their wedding day.
I mean, from the looks of it, the role appeared the same. Stand behind my camera, give instructions on how to pose - when to smile - when to change hand position. But SO MUCH was different.
I needed to think differently - I needed to know the inside scoop about my client and their business.
Who is this person?
What is the purpose behind the images we’re taking?
Does this background make sense for their brand and personality?
Who is this client’s customer?
Why have their customers come to their website?
Where exactly are these images going to be shared?
Do I need to account for words next to these photos? If so, what exactly will be read?
I could go on and on, but you get the point.
Taking images of a person for their business/brand is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SPORT.
So, can anyone take brand photos? Sure they can! But brand photography is so much more than just capturing a great image in good lighting.
As brand photographers, our creative decisions are made with a marketing mindset. Our focus is not only on taking quality images in the best light, but also capturing photos that will help our client’s business grow.
If you’re a photographer looking to tap into brand photography or expand your skill set, keep these things in mind. And if you’re a business owner wondering if you should invest in a specialized brand photographer, I hope this info helps guide your decision.
To learn more about how your investment in brand photography can level up your business, reach out here! We’d love to hear from you!