Helpful Tips for Taking Quality Marketing Photos for your Online Business
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Are you marketing your product, services, or personal brand online?
If the answer is ‘yes' then you need high-quality marketing photos for your social media, email campaigns, blogs, website, and more!
Great photos are essential for telling your brand story and connecting with your audience. It's true, sometimes stock images are enough (love me some Ivory Mix!). However, there are times when original product photography is necessary and will benefit your brand in ways stock photos will not.
Here at Mama Hen Media, we use a combination of stock images and original photos. We understand that while working with a professional photographer is an excellent option, it’s not always in the budget. Today we are sharing our top tips for taking your own marketing images for social media.
Advantages of Taking Your Own Marketing Photos
While we recognize that stock photos are easy to use and readily available, they aren’t always the best option for your business. Here are a few benefits to taking your own marketing photos for your brand:
- Show Your Brand Style – While stock photos can be useful as a filler, they don’t offer the ability to showcase your brand style and colors.
- Connect with Your Audience – Photographing your own products and team members allows your audience to feel connected to you and your brand because they will begin to recognize you instead of scrolling past another random model.
- Rank Higher in Pinterest – Pinterest prioritizes high-quality, fresh images. Be sure to provide original work to attract more potential customers.
What Light Is Best for Photography-Tips for Taking Your Own Brand Photos
Getting started with marketing photography may feel impossible, but stick with me!
Creating beautiful visuals for your customer base can be done with an iPhone and a few helpful tricks. First, consider your niche and audience. These two details will play a vital role in keeping your photos on brand.
Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important elements of great photos for your social media. A dimly lit room can cause even the best photographer to be unable to obtain a decent quality image.
Daylight, especially golden hour, is the best time for photos. There are other lighting options such as a lightbox or ring light that can also be incredibly helpful when you are unable to get out in the daylight—more on those tools in a minute!
Background
Take note of your background. Is it appropriate for the item you are taking a photo of?
Whether you are photographing a product or a member of your team, a clean, aesthetically pleasing background is crucial.
Styling
If you sell clothing or accessories, styling your products is helpful for your customers to be able to visualize the item on themselves. Be sure all of your items are prepped, free of wrinkles, and ready to be photographed.
Stick to your brand's style guide and try out different outfits to see what looks best.
Take multiple images at different angles, as well as full-body shots and close-up detail shots of the specific product.
Best Photography Tools to DIY You Brand Photos
Now for the fun tools to help you step into your professional photographer role and produce great marketing photos for your business.
Editing Tools
Editing is important to ensure your photos look their best, but there is the risk of over editing so be sure to edit carefully!
Check out these helpful editing apps:
Lighting and Tripods
As we mentioned before, lighting is vital when it comes to professional photography. It is also critical that you are able to get the right angle—especially when you are the object being photographed! Here are a few lighting and tripod options we like:
- Lightbox – A photography studio lighting kit that will allow you to control the angle and brightness of your photos!
- Ring Light with Tripod – A great option for selfies and YouTube videos. This tripod allows for three different color lighting options and is remote-controlled.
- Flexible Tripod – This tripod offers adjustable legs and can wrap around a chair or curtain rod to get the perfect angle.
- Tripod with Clamp – This tripod features a clamp allowing it to easily mount to any table or workspace. The swivel ball head and adjustable arm make it a perfect option for overhead shots!
Background Options
Depending on the object being photographed, your background needs will vary. While many times it is ideal to have a natural background setting, sometimes all that is needed is a clean, white surface.
Here are a few background options I’ve found helpful:
- Backdrop Stand – Easily carry this backdrop wherever needed with its carrying case. The adjustable stands allow it to expand out up to 10 feet.
- Seamless Paper – This paper can be used in numerous ways, including flat lays and headshots.
Get the Most Out of Your Marketing
There is a lot to think about when it comes to marketing your business. We hope these tips for taking quality social media pictures are helpful as you build a brand that reflects your business well.
If you’re looking for even more marketing help, our team of marketing specialists is ready to support you. Get in touch with us today to get the conversation started!
