Anyone can take pictures, right? Well, yes and no. Alister, our Creative Director shares his views on how to take the perfect picture – say “cheese”!
Photography is an art
Photography has always played a huge part in painting a picture the brand wants to portray to the world. From iconic advertising and websites to brochures and livery, good photography is the bedrock of any well, art-directed creative. Photography has always been an art. Back in the day of film, dark rooms and higher imagery budgets, good photographers and photography were a key factor in bringing the creatives vision alive.
These days, everyone has a camera on their phone and, with digital photography lowering the access point for photographers, it seems to have become a luxury rather than a necessity to have a professional take your images.
Too often, the first shout is to trawl through existing or free imagery or to retouch some poorly taken shots, but the truth of the matter is, good photography can make or break your design.
You can design a masterpiece, but place in non-professionally taken imagery and the visual will fall flat.
Social media
By all means send out the office photographer to take snaps for social. Social is meant to be organic and reactive, but good photography needs decent composition, lighting and continuity.
There needs to be an overriding style and tone, so the images become a recognisable ingredient of the brand. By investing in bespoke photography you also guarantee no one else is using the same imagery. It’s yours.
Stock libraries have their place, but by commissioning a photographer you can dictate all of these factors. You can control the content and the style, and by doing so, the photography will elevate the creative and give your brand a more cohesive and polished finish.
Like anything, the finished product is only as good as it’s ingredients and good photography is the icing on your carefully crafted cake.
