A Case Study: Selecting a Brand Photographer
If you are investing in your brand image and website, it is crucial that your imagery is professional and polished while also being reflective of who you are as a person and business owner. People buy from real people so authenticity is key!
Photo Credit: Amber Renea Branding
This image was taken at SECCA-Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem. Amber chose the location based on the branding for North 8 Designs and connection to the artistry of web and brand design.
There are many points to consider when creating a new website or working through a redesign along with fresh branding. Those include everything from website content to calls to action, the customer journey and defining your offer so it is clear to your site visitor. At the top of that list should also be website images. Images support the written message and tell your brand story to potential new clients.
Today I am taking a more vulnerable position and sharing my experience as a case study. When I first launched North 8 Designs, I legit had our family photographer snap a few headshots of me at a photo shoot in our backyard. I put zero thought into how what I was wearing and the location related to my brand and design of my website. It worked for the time being as I only utilized the image on my about page as a headshot. I could incorporate the image of me in a red dress and not have it clash with my site colors but it was not a true reflection of me as a business owner. I’ve worn the dress once—to the photoshoot.
Fast forward to last year when I was working through a rebrand and redesign of my website making the move from Wix to Squarespace. I hemmed and hawed about who to hire for my headshots. I absolutely hate having my photos taken. Hello awkward expression or frozen stiff legged stance that I am always guilty of that not only feels uncomfortable but looks stiff and unapproachable in photos! In my case, I knew I needed not just a professional photographer but a brand photographer who could understand the visual direction and guide me to be less of a fish out of water.
On social media, I follow many local photographers in the area. I spent quite a bit of time considering who might be the best fit. One stood out to me visually with a vibe that seemed to be in line with the direction I was headed with my branding. Enter Amber Renea Photography—when I tell you Amber is magic I am not exaggerating. I loved her images on social media but other than that wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
From the very beginning of our conversation I knew I had found the right person. She asked to see my branding for my site design and made suggestions on what to wear to compliment the colors and typography. She took the time to help me finalize my options. Anyone who knows me knows that I love an excuse to shop. This combined with my hate of pictures led me down a path of careful consideration and analysis of the end result. Amber was there every step of the way welcoming my mood boards and making suggestions. Okay, we are onto something here! I was already feeling more confident about the direction and that I had made the right choice.
Next up was selecting a location. Amber made suggestions based on what I do as a brand and website designer and we settled on outdoor pictures at SECCA in Winston-Salem. She knew the neutral back drop would be perfectly in line with my brand colors and creative industry. From the time of day to the background and necessary adjustments to the images to fall in line with my branding, Amber nailed every last detail. The time of year was fall so she even took the time to adjust the background colors to be more neutral on the final images.
Learn from my mistakes and listen to your brand photographer!
I went rogue on one outfit choice pictured here and let’s just say this sweater did not make the cut for my website. I used these images on other places like LinkedIn so they were still nice to have. Key takeaway—if you work with Amber follow her suggestions. She knows brand photography and what will photograph best!
The day of the shoot, Amber made me feel comfortable and at ease. She coached me on how to look less awkward and in the end, I absolutely loved the end result. I honestly can’t wait to work with her again and immediately recommended her to a handful of clients locally who I knew would love her vibe for their branding and for future brand images.
Here are 5 Tips for Selecting a Brand Photographer
Use Social Media to research options in your area. Find out who is out there and follow them to learn more and see their work.
Think about the look you are going for with your branding and select a photographer based on that vibe. For me, I found some very talented photographers but some were a bit too frilly for my personal style. That’s not to say I wouldn’t recommend them to a client where that approach is more in line with their brand image.
Review their website and see who else they have worked with. If those images resonate with you, that might be your person
Inquire and ask questions—if their process isn’t clearly outlined on their website ask how they approach brand images and headshots. See if this process aligns with your end goal.
Ask around—see who others with a similar vibe have worked with. Look for reviews and read them. Ask other professionals in the community like your web designer for a referral.
At the end of the day, this is an area where you want to do your homework and make an educated decision. If you are considering a new website, I would love to help you and guide you to some options in the community that might be a great fit to bring your vision full circle. The images and content drive the design of a website and should 100% be in line with the message you are trying to convey. Please reach out if I can be of assistance!
