"What kind of business photography do I need?" is something you've probably asked yourself even before you start the search for the right photographer to help you.
So how DO you figure out what kind of business photography you need? It's all here ...
Choosing the perfect business photography package can definitely feel overwhelming.
But! As a small business owner, you've already shown your extraordinary determination and courage by deciding to be seen and be truly visible in your business.
I mean, it takes a pretty remarkable individual to embrace the vulnerability of putting their authentic self and their values out there, showing the world the impact they make! (And it's very much still a work in progress for me, I admit.)
By having the balls to take this bold step, you're setting yourself apart from countless other businesses which remain hidden in the shadows.
So absolutely WELL DONE YOU!
YOU'RE BRILLIANT, ACTUALLY.
Your commitment to transparency and authenticity reflects your unwavering dedication to making a genuine connection with your audience.
And they’ll know it.
Your willingness to let your true self be seen is a pretty damn good example of the incredible strides you've already made on your entrepreneurial journey.
This investment in capturing the essence of your business and your story will really get your brand out there and foster even deeper trust and connection with your prospective clients.
So, embrace this opportunity to show the world the remarkable business that you’re building!
But … How the heck DO you decide what to go for when it comes to brand photography?
What kind of business photograhy do I need?
Here’s what you need to consider when deciding what kind of business photography and which of my services is perfect for you.
1
What do you need your images to say?
Start by clarifying your brand's values, personality, and the impact you want to make on your target audience.
Consider what sets you apart from your competitors and the message you want to convey through your visual branding.
Is this something which can be conveyed in just a couple of headshots? (Probably not.)
If you feel you have quite a lot to say to and show your audience, you need a collection of personal branding photographs, rather than just headshots.
2
What are your plans for growth?
Think about your business's future growth and expansion.
If you anticipate scaling your services or extending your target audience, it's essential to choose a package that can accommodate these changes.
Opting for a package with a higher image count allows for more versatility and ensures you have a comprehensive visual library to support your evolving brand. (You should have a look at my "Transcend" and "Soar" packages.)
However, if you're at capacity with clients and customers right now and all you need is a wee update, my smaller "Elevate" package may be enough for you.
3
Where are you going to use the photos?
Determine the primary marketing channels you utilise or plan to utilise for promoting your business. Where will you be using the images?
Different platforms have specific image requirements, and understanding these will help you select a package that provides the appropriate number and variety of images to meet your needs.
For example, if you use Pinterest, you’ll need vertical shots with space for overlaid text, with lots of different angles and details.
Or you might need images crop easily to 4:5 vertically without losing critical details for Instagram.
Local service providers who may only need 4-6 new clients per month and who get those leads from social media need lots of variety in their images, rather than heaps of shots that are only marginally different from one another.
A course creator who needs images for landing pages and webinars probably needs higher-contrast images that really pop—for example, images where the background and the subject are complimentary colors—and images that contain negative space that can be used for text.
Oh, and it’s likely that half or more of the images will need to be shot horizontally, since they’ll be viewed on desktop computers rather than mobile devices.
My headshot package definitely won't be enough for you in any of these scenarios, and if you're looking for a good number of images in different orientations with lots of variety, my "Transcend" and "Soar" packages will both give you what you need here.
4
Do you need marketing materials?
Do you need marketing materials, including lots of photos with negative space where you can overlay text?
Eg opt-in boxes, Facebook Ads, Instagram Stories, Pinterest pins? Also, foundational business materials, meaning photos for your website and direct offers.
If you offer a product, you’ll get photos of that product off to one side of the frame, with a blank or neutral backdrop either next to or above it where text can be added later.
If you’re a personality-based brand, it will mean the same thing but you’ll be the subject instead of a product.
Any of my brand photography (rather than headshots) packages will give you what you need for marketing materials.
If you only need some updated marketing materials, perhaps my 40 image "Elevate" package will be enough, but if you want your images to tell the full story of your business you'd be better with either of my "Transcend" or "Soar" packages.
5
Do you need to build an audience?
Do you need your photos to build excitement for your brand and get engagement on social media (ie, train social media algorithms to favour you in your followers’ feeds)?
You need a “fun” shoot with you doing your thing plus behind the scenes, which shows the passion and fun you have in doing your job. Invite your audience to participate with you in the highlights and most joyful parts of your work, which makes them feel included. They’ll feel they’re there with you, that you’re inviting them in.
Bring a sense of happiness and community, like when summer suddenly rolls into beautiful autumn leaves,or your business’s annual charity event is just a few weeks away, and you can create scenes in advance to photograph which will hit the right tone, vibe, and look. Then you’ll have great images to post when these events and/or seasons roll up.
Stage workshops, coaching sessions, studio open days, cooking classes, days at the beach, whatever it is your business DOES, and show the fun your clients have with you and drum up excitement for events and offers to come.
To have all this represented in photographs, you'd need either my "Transcend" or my "Soar" package, which will give you different locations and lots of images.
6
Do you need to make it clear the type of people you work with?
Who are the people who love your offers and brand? Show viewers who your ideal clients are - are they like them?
Bring people into your brand photography shoots to represent clients - make sure you get people who look like the clients you want to book, and are doing the things you would be doing with them when you work with real clients.
Show real people.
Let the viewer imagine herself there with you. Try to get at least three real people into your shoot. Then capture them with your branded materials, or working with you. Show what you offer and the experience your “ideal customer avatar” has when they work with you.
Any of my brand packages here would take care of this, depending on whether you're happy with using people as props at just one location or not, and how many images you think you might need.
7
Do you need to be ready for media opportunities?
As your business grows and you are approached for guest speaking opportunities, collaborations, podcast interviews, and coverage on blogs and in magazines, you’ll need photos they can have instantly.
Have a few different photo options so they can be used in a wide variety of applications.
Everyone uses different sized graphics and will have different branding aesthetics – that’s why it’s ideal for you to have at least a few landscape (horizontal) and portrait (vertical) oriented images shot on white or light backgrounds.
Headshots and full body images, and an image or two of you doing your job. Imagine your favourite magazine or news outlet running a cover-page story on you. What story would you want them to tell? What would you want the photos to look like?
My headshot package could be suitable here if it's just some simple "face to camera" shots you need.
However, if you want to start introducing props and considering different themes the photographs will need to represent, then you'd need a brand package. My smallest brand package, "Elevate", could be just the thing for you here.
8
Do you need a large volume of images?
Although my sessions start in blocks of one hour, most businesses will need more than an hour if they hope to get all the essential shots on their list, let alone a collection of images that will last keep them going for months.
A single hour is often only good for a few headshots that can be used for your website, media kits, and guest speaking opportunities, but if you want a decent sized collection of photos which you can cycle through and put on social media for any length of time, you'd need my "Soar" or "Transcend" package.
9
Do you just need a social profile update?
Perhaps you've had the same social media profile image for years, or you've changed your look quite a bit since you last had them done.
Or perhaps you've been relying on phone selfies so far but you know it just doesn't look professional. (And no way is your nose that big in real life!)
Simple headshot photos could be just the thing for you.
10
What kind of budget do you have right now?
If you’re able to invest in brand photography which will help you look more professional, raise your profile, and vastly improve how your business is perceived, that’s actually a much better return on investment than just going for simple headshots which can only be used in a few different contexts.
You might find one of my monthly subscription offers are a big help, or you could ask me about a payment plan where we come to an arrangement which suits us both.
Remember, branding photography is an investment in your business's success.
11
Do you have everything all planned out already?
Maybe you've got in-house marketing, brand, and/or social media people who have worked out exactly what you need already.
Or perhaps there's something very specific you need photographed which just doesn't seem to fall into any of the categories I've described so far.
Get in touch with me and we'll talk over what you need and how we'll do it.
By carefully considering your brand identity, marketing channels, marketing messages and positioning, growth plans, and budget, you can pick the photography service which best showcases you and your business, and which will really resonate with your target audience.
Still not sure? Get in touch and I'll help you decide.
