As a Freelance Brand Manager and Professional Photographer, I have worked with entrepreneurs to develop businesses in many different industries. Starting with a business plan and eventually working towards a brand strategy, and even a social media strategy, there is a methodical progression that takes place when an entrepreneur is eager to experience growth in their business… and photos to help promote the business are no exception!
I know it is tempting to cut corners and take short cuts, because everything seems to take so much time in business, but planning is a must when you want to achieve the best outcomes with the time, money, and other resources available to you. And you don’t want to waste them on things that don’t actually work to reach your goals, including the ones you want to reach via your branding and marketing efforts.
There are several different types of photos that I encourage all entrepreneurs to invest in to help promote their business:
1. Personal Branding Photos
Whether you are a baker of delicious cookies, the owner of a trendy fashion boutique, or anything in between, Personal Branding Photos have the power to tell your brand story. Entrepreneurs in product and/or service based industries are able to influence the publics perception of their brand by creating and using their personal brand photos properly.
What does this entail? Personal Brand Photography involves capturing what Is unique about a brand, i.e. the people, places, and things that make up the brands identity, this includes intangible things like the feelings someone should get when they see a photo of your brand or the core values of your brand by which others may hold close to their hearts too. These photos work to differentiate the brand from the competition, making them a trustworthy authority figure in a specific industry that caters to a very specific type of person (or target audience).
What are the intended results? When an entrepreneur communicates their offer to the right audience (via photos, videos, etc.) and nurtures that audience to establish a relationship, they develop a broader circle of influence overall and build a community who identifies with what the brand represents. This community will want to buy into the brand thanks to the emotional attachment created by the brands visual appeal.
During a Personal Branding Photo Session, you can expect to take photos of you as the entrepreneur and founder of the brand, you interacting with your team if your have one, the products/services you offer to shoppers, and the “behind the scenes” of your brand, such as photos of you making or selling products.
2. Lifestyle Photos
Similar to Personal Brand Photos, Lifestyle Photos are used to capture people interacting with you or someone on your team offering a service to a “model” customer or client to highlight the experience they can expect to have when they work with your brand. Likewise, this applies to product-based businesses; Lifestyle photography can also feature people shopping and/or using the products offered by a brand to help provoke the feelings they may have if they purchased the product too.
3. Product Photos
In additional to Lifestyle Photos of products, I recommend that entrepreneurs with product-based businesses also invest in Product Photos for E-commerce, Styled Product Photos, and Flat Lay Product Photos. Product Photos for E-commerce typically consist of the product itself (including the packaging and what’s included with it) on a solid white backdrop; these images are plain and simple, and help shoppers know what to expect when they purchase the product in the image.
Unlike the non-distracting, simplicity of E-Commerce Product Photos, the other types, Styled Product Photos and Flat Lay Product Photos involve the use of props to add depth and interest in the images of products. Flat Lay Product Photos are a type of Styled Product Photo in which the product lies flat on a backdrop or setting with other props; where as other styled photos may have the product placed in its upright position in a setting also styled by props. Sometimes props may include objects that bring out the products colors or special features, or they could be items that complement the product such as a slice of bread and a butter knife in a Product Photo of a jar of peanut butter. Props may also be determined by the components found within the product, such as natural materials, colors, and textures for use as props when photographing products made of natural ingredients. Props help to tell a story that should be consistent with the brand story. Product Photos in general should aim to feature the products details.
4. Interior/Exterior Photos
Interior/Exterior Photos should be utilized by entrepreneurs to show off their place of doing business, the space in which they create their products, etc. This may be a brick and mortar, a home office, a local market, landmarks in specific cities/states where people can expect to shop your brand, etc. Home decorators and real estate agents also benefit from Interior/Exterior Photos.
5. Headshot Photos
Headshot Photos feature people, such as you as the entrepreneur and your team in a way that helps an audience identify you with ease. These are close up images captured of the shoulders to the top of the subjects head, and work great as cover photos on social media. They also look very professional on websites and other materials where you and/or your team should be identified by name and position within the company.
6. Event Photos
Entrepreneurs who host or attend events can benefit from Event Photos. These help to invite others in to share the experience and are also a fun way to help the attendees re-live it!
7. “Drop-In” Photos
“Drop In” Photos are similar to event photos, but don’t necessarily have to occur during a special occasion. Maybe you just prepped your store for the season ahead with all new merchandise displayed on your shelves… a photographer offering “drop in” photography can come in and take photos of it for you to share with your social media followers. Maybe you don’t own a store front, but you are a home decorator and have plans to put up your Christmas tree with the ornaments you painted and wrote a story about for your blog… a “drop in” photo session would be perfect for documenting this process and would make your blog post stand out! All-in-all, “Drop In” Photos require you to know what you want to document, and the photographer to just show up for a short while to capture it (no backdrops, no special equipment, just the photographer, plus you and whatever you have prepared).
Each of the types of photos mentioned in the article require some planning, either on your behalf as the entrepreneur or by your photographer, but it takes communication from both of you to help you achieve the absolute best results for your business! Knowing where + how you will use your photos is 100% necessary before you invest in your session… so start planning!
If you need some help, don’t hesitate to reach out. My contact form is perfect for submitting inquires of all types, and it’s located in the menu on this page.
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