Michael Epps Utley {kind=image/jpg}
Businesses cycle through a LOT of images these days.
Social media, blog posts, website pages, customer stories and testimonials, and presentations all require fresh and compelling images.
Are you finding it impossible to keep up with the demand for new pictures?
Is “photoshopping” eating up too much of your time?
Is it challenging to find images of people who represent your consumer base?
Don’t worry. We’ve got your back.
This article explains what you need to know to access an incredible array of images that people will pay attention to and that will represent your brand well.
Make the Most of Your Photo Sessions
Do you take pictures of customers for client stories and testimonials? Perhaps you hire photographers to take photos of your products, services, employees, or your finished work.
Ask yourself: could you be doing more with your photo shoots?
Consider ways to extend these sessions to get more original photography out of them. Maybe you could capture several basic images for other content. For example, you may be able to get pictures of a person working on a computer, an office scene, or a close-up of a hand on a keyboard. Getting more out of a photo shoot is a great way to harvest additional pictures at a relatively low cost.
Here are some tips on how to maximize your photo shoots:
Keep things timeless. Make sure people in your pictures don’t wear clothes or hold props that could date your images. This will extend their life.
Do a lighting test. Poor lighting can make even a well-staged photo look amateurish. If the light where you’re shooting doesn’t look right, take your photos in another area, or rent/buy a lighting kit.
Have props at the ready. Think through all the assets you’ll need to take the most photos possible. Bring in props like computers, briefcases, smartphones, and more so you have options during your sessions.
Photograph things in more than one direction. Capture images in vertical (portrait) and horizontal (landscape) formats to extend their use – different dimensions are better-suited for different web page formats and layouts.
Shoot close-ups and wide shots. Doing so will give you greater flexibility when it comes time to use the images.
Take basic company shots. For example, get a picture of your building to use on your website and Google My Business profile. Take photographs of signage, inventory, offices, and everyday business situations.
Don’t depend solely on a photographer. Feel free to take your own photos. This can give people a behind-the-scenes view of your photography sessions, which are often more interesting than the actual images.
When you receive the final images from a photo shoot, categorize and name them, so they’re findable and easy to use in the future.
Tip: If you take pictures of people, ensure they give their approval to use the images in writing. It can help you avoid future legal problems.
Be Selective With Your Stock Photos
It can take a long time to build your in-house image library. Even if you have one, you may need to turn to stock photos now and then.
The issue with most stock photo sources is that it can seem like you see the same old, same old images everywhere. Too much of the same can fail to differentiate your marketing.
Another problem: Many popular stock photo resources don’t have images that reflect today’s diverse society. They just haven’t caught up with the range of people that need to be represented.
You can avoid these issues by using some of these unique and diverse stock photo resources:
AllGo specializes in photography of plus-sized people.
CreateHER Stock has more than 5,500 images of dark-skinned women.
Jumpstory features a large number of unique and highly emotive pictures.
The Gender Spectrum Collection features non-cliched images of trans and nonbinary models.
Mocha Stock includes multicultural photography and illustrations.
Unsplash offers a vast searchable library of all types of images.
Pexels features a fairly large selection of alternative photos.
Picnoi has many affordable images of different types of people in unique situations.
She Bold Stock has many photos of all types of women in unique business settings and situations.
WOCinTech features women of color, many working in the tech industry.
Ask For the Images You Need
Many stock photo sites credit the photographers they feature and also make it possible to connect with them. If you see images that are similar to what you need, check with the photographer to see if they have other versions. Most photographer libraries are much deeper than what’s featured on stock sites or even their own websites.
For example, if you find an appealing image of a doctor consulting with a patient, but need one of a medical professional giving an immunization, check to see if the photographer has what you’re looking for.
Optimizing Your Images: The Final Word
Doing more with planned photo shoots, expanding your stock photo options, and directly reaching out to stock photographers who have images similar to what you need will expand the number and type of images available. You’ll appreciate having more quality photo choices for your content and to represent your brand. Meanwhile, people in your target audience will appreciate seeing original, diverse, and inclusive pictures that are relevant to them.
Bottom line: People respond to images that represent and move them. Expanding your photo possibilities could increase your customer base and improve your business results.
