Want to put your best face forward? Here are our 10 dos and don’ts of marketing photography.?
We all need content, but as soon as we sit down to post, the inevitable critical voice sets in.?
We worry about how we look, how we sound, what people will think about it.?
Maybe we don’t even know what to say. Nothing feels interesting or authentic enough.?
Then it comes time to choose the photo, and we really lose it.?
Nothing looks good. Maybe it even feels too vulnerable to put yourself out there.?
While a professional shoot can address all these issues and more, here are a few marketing photography “dos and don’ts” to help you create content you love in the meantime.?
To help you create marketing photography you’re actually excited to post, here are a few basic ground rules:?
- Strive for balance between candid and posed photography. The goal is to showcase the absolute best of you – without taking away from your genuine personality. That means you want to think about your pose, but keep your expression natural and fun.?
- Aim for as much variety as possible to keep your feeds interesting, engaging and effective. Alternate your looks, backgrounds, expressions and poses whenever you can. That way, you can create more portraits in less time.?
- Stay within the confines of your brand. Decide on an aesthetic, purpose, mood, and set of colors for your social media photography. Try to keep 80-90% of your content in line with those branding choices.?
- Play with expression. While smiles are always great to see on social media, use other expressions to convey a range of messages, including listening faces, surprised faces and more. That way, you can cover more topics without having to search for an image with the appropriate expression.?
- Consider your marketing goals. Just like you’ll want to anticipate the different expressions you’ll need, you also want to think about the different uses of your brand photography, from social media to print marketing materials.?
Once you’ve established how to create strong visuals, here are a few common missteps to avoid:?
- Lifestyle photography doesn’t mean unprofessional photography. While there’s absolutely a place for selfies and on-the-go shots of your morning coffee or fitness routine, you don’t necessarily want your social media to solely consist of unbranded images.?
- Stock images should be used sparingly. Stock images, or the generic images you can purchase online, can be extremely useful for social media, and they are great to fill in the gaps when you don’t have quite the right image. A lack of personalization, however, can affect your engagement.?
- Marketing portraits are best used according to plan. When you get some new images done, resist posting them all at once. Instead, use them when you need to create some momentum or engagement, such as before a launch or seasonal promotion.?
- When it comes to appearance and personal grooming, we always suggest that you look like you on your best day. That means don’t overdo it, but if you put in a little extra effort for the camera, that’s ok, too. Classic, neutral colors are best when it comes to makeup choices.?
- Even if you’re going for a candid look, take a moment to consider your pose. In a marketing shoot, you have the power to be deliberate in your posing, so your body language communicates exactly what you need it to. Think about what you want to say, and then consider what poses would embody that message.
When it comes to marketing photography, our goal is simple: We want you to walk away feeling like you have the best headshots in Santa Clarita. That’s why we’ve designed a line of Marketing Photography Sessions that are custom-made to make you happy. How do we do that? Simple. We pay attention to you, your needs and your business. We take the time to create a photography experience – we don’t just point, shoot and send you on your way. We bring our visual marketing background to every session, to help you make smart choices in wardrobe, appearance, posing and expression.
