5 top tips for creating stand out brand photography

Your brand’s images are the gateway for your customers. It’s not only a chance to show off your product or service, but an opportunity to present your quality and your personality. Yes, with images! Competition is rife in every industry and your images can help you to stand out from the crowd. Take a look at our 5 top tips for creating some stand out brand photography.

It’s time to create some killer brand photography.

1. Quality over quantity

We can’t express enough how important the quality of your images is. The better the quality, the more polished and professional your brand will look.

If you want the highest quality images we’d recommend using a DSLR camera instead of your mobile. Of course, great brand images can be created on smartphones nowadays – hey, there are enough Instagram filters to choose from! They’re also hugely convenient for a quick snap which can be edited and uploaded within minutes. Anyone can do it. That being said, there’s only so far they can take you quality-wise.

DSLR cameras can take images in a much higher resolution, giving you more creative control over exposure, shutter speed and ISO settings to create some crisp, clear photographs worthy of all sizes of platforms. Being able to edit those DSLR images in Photoshop is so much more in-depth than just applying a filter to your phone snap. Whilst smartphones are a quick, easy option that can reflect these scenarios to a degree, the benefits of working with a proper camera outweigh them. It entirely depends on your knowledge of pro cameras and your budget.

It’s not always about just pointing and clicking.

If you do have a little budget to work with on your brand photography, investing in a professional photographer is a great idea. They’re confident with their tools, not just the cameras but lighting and suitable setup as well. They’ll be able to listen to your ideas and make suggestions based on experience, as well as editing the photos post-shoot, which is often the most time-consuming part. It will save you time in the long run and means you get to work as the director, both on the shoot day and in post-production when choosing the images that work for you.

2. Know your goal

Knowing the aim of your photoshoot will help you focus on getting the right images for what you need. Have you got some new products or services you want to show off? Are they generic images to help portray your whole brand? Or are they for a specific campaign? Perhaps they’re seasonal? Having a clear goal will help you make the most of your photoshoot.

What do you need to achieve with these new photos?

It’s also worth thinking about where you want to use the images. Are they for your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter pages? Are they for use on your website or perhaps specifically for some blogs? Social images speak to audiences in a different way and have the added bonus of being instantly sharable. Make sure you tailor your images to the platform you’re using them on, not just in size but in style as well.

3. Gather inspiration

Nothing like an inspirational vision board to help you focus!

Great inspiration can come from others.

If you’re not sure where to start with your images, or just need a bit of guidance, find other brand photography that you like for inspiration. We do the same with hairstyles. We find an image we like and then show the hairdresser for them to create a version of it. The same can apply to your brand photography.

When looking at brands, they don’t have to be direct competition or even related to your industry. You might see something in a video that catches your eye, images or quotes that get a lot of interaction, or layouts that you’d like to recreate.

Find what works for you.

4. Consistency is key

Having a clear vision is key to brand photography. If a customer sees your images they should know it’s your brand. People always say looking at an Instagram profile that it looks better if all the photos have a consistent ‘look’ or ‘filter’. It’s more visually appealing. The same goes for your product or service images.

It’s not just about the product itself. What type of background do you want? Do you want it plain so that all the focus is on your product? Do you want to create interesting flatlays? Or perhaps lifestyle images would work better for you?

How do you want to make your product or service stand out?

5. Get organised

Organising the shoot day will help the whole experience run smoothly. You should enjoy it – you’re investing in your brand! It’s not just about the prep beforehand and then plonking a product in front of the camera. Have a shot list ready. Decide exactly what you want to get done – it all links to having a clear vision. You can tick the shots off as you go and make sure you get everything you need. It’s a good idea to have 3-5 setups for each product to give you a nice variety to choose from. That also gives you a chance to tailor your shots and setups to whatever platform you need them for.

Of course, on the shoot you might see something else you want to try, you might have a sudden burst of inspiration, or your photographer may have some suggestions themselves. Go with it – who knows what magic you might produce!

Brand Monkey has a rich history in helping create high quality images that reflect the brands we work with. If you need a little help getting started, feel free to get in touch with our team.