Hire A Professional Photographer

My friend has a good camera, so he’s doing our website photography”. Crikey, even writing that causes us palpitations!   

Of course, a camera  won’t  take quality website photos any more than a laptop writes a best-selling novel. All the know-how is in the hands, heads and hearts of the professionals wielding the gear.  

Combine quality website photos with SEO laden text and striking colours, and it is guaranteed your brand will ride high.  1  

Why Do We Love Images? 

Furthermore, images are saved in our long-term memory whereas text is saved in our short-term memory.   

As a result, biology turns your website photography into a rather powerful brand.  

All exciting stuff but before we get too giddy, every business needs their website photography to be remembered for the right reasons.   

 Be Clear and Sharpen Up 

In a simpler time, we popped into ‘Happy Snaps’ clutching a finished roll of film ready for developing. Customers pondered over three sizes, generally represented by templates taped to the counter-top; not to forget the additional exciting option of a matt or gloss finish.  

The digital world changed all that.  Now it is important to understand on-line resizing, file types, pixels, high-res, low-res.  It can be exasperating.   

Worse still, poor quality website photography leads to a business looking unprofessional, inferior, and consequently by-passed.  

One head scratcher is the difference between those pesky high-res and low-res images.  

If you have any resolution doubts, two figures will simply determine if it is high-res (300dpi) or low-res (72dpi).  

In fact, it is relatively easy to avoid falling into the trap of pixilated images . . .  

High-Res vs Low Res 2   

High-Res has more pixels and therefore more detail to create a sharper quality.  Always reach for a High-Res image first for on-line requirements and especially for printing. Use them wisely as website photos because they take up more space and load slower.  

Low-Res (or Web Sized) has less pixels. It is much smaller in size, takes up less space and loads faster. Generally, these are ideal as website photos.  Nonetheless they can appear pixilated and blurred if not resized correctly or uploaded to a site that compresses images automatically.  

Drop the Stock 

Avoid taking the easy route and uploading stock images. Everyone else in the world has access to them (including your competitors).  You may as well have a big banner across your website saying “Move along. Nothing to see here”.  

Your website is your virtual shop window. All those potential new customers’ little noses pressed up against the screen looking for an incentive to click in.  

If you were a High Street shop would you dress your window the same as your friendly neighbourhood rivals?  No, that would be just plain crazy.  

Our client was stunned when we revealed his main competitor used the exact same stock photography.  You may also find businesses in the same field are using identical, if not similar, themed images. Have a mooch around and check them out.  

Pique Interest with Pictures 

Every business, no matter how small, needs quality website photography which exhibits creativity, intrigue, and interest.   

Which is why magazines are full of them. Advertisers and  writers  are all trying to pique our interest and draw us onto their page.  Website photography operates in  exactly the same  way, every image vying for the users’ attention.  

If the huge corporations invest in website photography,   3  then surely it is wise for SMEs to follow suit.  We may not have access to their colossal budget, but the blueprint is readily available and adaptable.  

Knock Out Visual Quality 

Any photographer worth their salt will hold a Pre-Shoot Consultation with their client. Crucially it is more than an overview of the project and their products and/or services.   Discovering the genuine person behind the brand is where the magic happens.  

Understanding their values, listening to their stories, and discussing what matters to them  sits  at the  core  of every commercial image.   

Now the photographer can creatively run with all that information.  

A factory floor filled with machinery may seem dull and uninteresting to an owner.  However, to a photographer, armed with the ability to use creative lighting and impressive angles, it is anything but.

Be Authentic . . . Be You! 

Authentic website photography creates an instant connection with the user.  A story telling image not only generates interest but instils connection and trust.  

Now you are standing out from your competitors because you are relatable.  In an emotional sense, when you meet in person, you have already invoked a sense of familiarity and confidence.  

We guarantee you are unique and interesting with a story to tell that people really want to connect with.  Be exclusive, professional, and outstanding . . . because you are!  

You have worked too hard on your business not to make a great impression.