Grow your brand through photography

“Your camera takes really great pictures.”

“Thank you. I taught it everything it knows.”

With so many companies and clients using social media, photography is becoming an increasingly important skill. You may be lucky enough to have an in-house professional or keen staff member able to help you with your photography needs but, if you don’t, here are my top tips for taking great photos.

1. Think about the rule of thirds. Too often people don’t look at how their photos are framed within the viewfinder. Take a moment to reflect on how the image is sitting within the frame. The basic principle here is that you divide your screen into three horizontal and three vertical lines. 

The theory is that point of interest should fall within these intersecting lines. As an example, a face should be framed at these intersecting junctions – not just centred. This makes the image more visually appealing which is, of course, your end goal. (See below)

2. Think about your lighting. Flash isn’t always best and can often blow out an image. Use natural lighting where possible and think strategically about lighting sources. Hot tip: Always have lighting behind the camera to ensure no unwanted shadows are on the subjects’ face.

3. Keep your gear clean. Dirty lenses equal dirty images and you want your image to be free of any dust or spotting.

4. Can you use a drone? Drones are becoming increasingly inexpensive and a great way to showcase your company from a completely different perspective. Drones are particularly useful when showcasing larger areas and creating a truly engaging visual.

5. Upgrade your camera. A great photographer understands their camera and all the functions available. Make sure that you take the time to understand your kit and ensure that you know how to leverage it for the best visuals. There are also plenty of different filters you can use to enhance your photographs on the majority of cameras and phones.

Finally, make sure that you share the love. Different staff will have a different eye for visual imagery and will really see the world from a different perspective. Encourage your staff to document their day to day lives. Set up a portal where images can be shared and you will have yourself a great ready-made library of content that you can use for social media, for your website and even for pitch and corporate communications documents. It’s an easy way to add the wow factor to your work and to showcase your company to wider audiences.

And if this all seems too hard, then call us here at Elevate and we can take those photos for you!

Find out more tips from our other blogs here.