Picture-Perfect your Brand's Image Gallery.

As we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words. In the world of marketing and corporate communications, choosing the right image for your portfolio or bank image can make all the difference in creating impactful and memorable branding. In this blog post, I explore the various factors that you should consider when designing a consistent video and image stock.

1. Relevance: help viewers connect the dots.

The first and foremost thing to consider when choosing images for your portfolio is their relevance to your brand and message. The images you choose should align with your brand’s values, aesthetics, and target audience. For example, if you’re a fitness brand, your image bank should have pictures of people working out or eating healthy. If you’re a travel company, your portfolio should have images of beautiful landscapes, iconic landmarks, and people enjoying the sights.

2. Quality: here comes the sun.

The quality of the images you choose is also crucial. Your image bank should contain high-quality images that are visually appealing and professionally shot. This includes aspects such as resolution, lighting, composition, and color balance according to your guidelines. Poor-quality images will reflect poorly on your brand and may turn off potential customers.

3. Diversity: see the big picture.

When selecting images for your portfolio, it’s important to ensure that they represent diversity and inclusivity. Your portfolio should reflect a range of people of different ages, genders, races, and cultures. This will show that your brand is inclusive and welcoming to everyone.

4. Originality: display your confidence level.

While stock images can be a great resource, it’s essential to choose images that are unique and original. Generic or overused stock images can make your brand appear unoriginal and uncreative. Consider using custom photography or commissioning artists to create original images for your portfolio.

5. Consistency: make the words fit the mouth.

Finally, it’s crucial to ensure that the images you choose are consistent in style and tone. This will help create a cohesive brand image and make your portfolio look more professional. Make sure to choose images that have a similar color palette, composition, and aesthetic.

6. Perspective: close-up or wide-shot?

When deciding between focus-specific and wide-angle images, consider the purpose of the image in your portfolio. If you are showcasing a product or a specific detail, a focus-specific image may be more appropriate. If you are trying to convey a sense of place or create a mood, a wide-angle image may be more effective.

Focus-specific images are photographs that have a clear, defined focus on a particular subject or detail. These images can be powerful and impactful, drawing the viewer’s attention to a particular aspect of the image. For example, a close-up of a product or a person’s face can be a focus-specific image. This is excellent for the Retail or FMCG industries.

On the other hand, wide-angle images are photographs that capture a broader scene or landscape. These images can convey a sense of place and context and can be useful for telling a larger story or setting a mood. For example, an image of a city skyline or a mountain range can be a wide-angle image, a perfect fit for Strategy Consultancies, Services, or Business Intelligence sectors.

7. Legal: invest in the stock, not in fines.

Photo stock, video stock, or soundtrack as well, is a collection of digital images, graphics, and videos that are available for licensing and use by individuals or organizations. When using photo stock, it is important to ensure that you have the legal right to use the images. This includes reading the licensing agreement, choosing the right license, crediting the photographer, avoiding trademarked or copyrighted content, using images only for their intended purpose, and keeping records of the images you use, their source, and the licensing agreement, especially if you doubt any expiration date. By following these guidelines, you should avoid fines.

Choosing the right images for your image bank portfolio can be a challenging task. However, by considering factors such as relevance, quality, diversity, originality, and consistency, you can create a portfolio that effectively represents your brand and message. Remember, your image bank portfolio is an essential component of your marketing strategy, so it’s worth investing the time and effort to get it right.

Rapha?l Couderc