Like dress-down Friday, the idea of portraying your business in a more friendly, relaxed way using more casual business photography is increasingly popular. This suits Matt’s style of corporate portrait photography down to the ground. There is, of course, a place for serious and posed corporate portraits, but the general trend now for many businesses’ brand image is for a more natural approach for their business portraits and for office-based photography. This is sometimes called reportage or environmental photography. Or candid and board photography. It often includes photos of meetings in progress and of people at work as well as photography of the architecture and office interiors too.

Commissioning an Advertising Photographer

So, why commission original photography rather than use stock library images?

• With original photography you will have exclusive use of the image, which ensures that the image won’t turn up elsewhere.
• Original photography gets your message across. You don’t have to fit your messaging around an existing image.
• Third, original images can feature models that really fit the brief or can actually use your employees or customers — with stock, this just isn’t an option.

To differentiate yourself or your client in the marketplace, original photography is essential. You’ll spend hours on creative strategy and messaging, to get the positioning absolutely right. Using an image library is to be using the same images that a thousand other people in the same industry are also using. Companies need to have their own voice and their own visual style. It is essential to have original photography and that you work with a photographer that understands how to visualize your message and manage your or your client’s brand image.

Finding the right photographer is crucial. As the AOP advises, Professional photographers nearly all have websites, putting your requirements into a search engine will give you access to their sites and allow you to see their style and area of photography before you contact them. Their website is an ideal first stop but every experienced photographer will have a portfolio to demonstrate their work, this is their main representation and shows their skills and experience in a proven package. We strongly suggest you ask the photographer to bring in their portfolio so you can see the quality of the images in an enlarged form as well as meeting them. A good relationship with the photographer is very important for both you and your business.

Photographers are not just technicians. A professional understands how to capture images that are right for a client’s business and convey the message required. Their experience enables them to obtain successful results in any situation. It is as important for the photographer as it is you that the images are right for your business and convey the message you require. As a proportion of your media/print budget, the cost of getting the original imagery as good as it can be is tiny.

Commissioning a Corporate Photographer

A stills project, ‘Mind the Gap’ explores the ever-expanding disparity between rich and poor. Each image is of a person reflected, their social circumstances reversed. The images ask us if we in turn can look ourselves in the eye and do we mind the gap? We experience the gap widening, what happens if we don’t address it?

The education inequality gap between children of differing economic backgrounds widens during middle school and expands increasingly thereafter. Do we mind the gap?

The widening mortality gap between social classes persists. For women this is currently 11%. Should we mind the gap?

When it comes to education photography, we are expert in telling the story of a day-in-the-life of a school in pictures – whether video or stills. Prospectus photography requires a special talent. We capture excellent natural shots of the pupils at work and play, the teachers and children interacting and great scene-setting pictures of the school itself – inside and out. From poolside to science labs and cricket pitch to rooftop – even the playground, we’re fearless!

Photos with Feeling

It may be because the Olympics are round the corner, but getting your image library in order seems to be a priority right now. Whether it’s imagery to represent your company, ad shots that say what you want, corporate portraits or photography for your annual report – for photos with feeling and movement, you need an experienced corporate photographer. So, you’ll be needing to go through the images you have and then commission a business photographer who can deliver the images you need – and keep backup copies for you, safe for years to come, there whenever you need them.

Selecting the appropriate corporate photographer involves a lot of careful consideration. We agree with the British Journal of Photography, that “good photography at a reasonable price” is not enough and that “the differentiators for success are: highly distinctive imagery reflecting a clear and compelling aesthetic vision, marketing savvy, sharp business skills, adaptability and persistence. Today’s professional business photographer must deliver nothing less.”.

If you want a library of useful images, and you need images that convey emotion, then you need to select a photographer that has the skill to say what you want in pictures. This is particularly true for corporate photography, where the photographer is required to think on his feet.

Companies that are looking to hire a good corporate photographer have to judge the worthy candidates on several criteria to make sure that they fulfil the needs of the business:

• Versatility – A corporate photographer must manage many types of tasks and responsibilities. Corporate photography requires the experience and flexibility to cover events photography, photography for marketing literature and creative corporate portraits. A preferred corporate photographer should always be keen to fulfil all these responsibilities – with a weather eye on the clock and with a meticulous eye for detail.

• Vigilance - Fast-paced corporate events don’t allow photographers to plan at their leisure various angles or go for retakes, so the corporate photographer must be on the ball. Many unforeseen things crop up at corporate events, and a casual approach on part of the photographer will ultimately have an adverse effect on the photographs. Thus, a corporate photographer must have a sharp presence of mind and must always be aware of what’s happening.

• Appreciation – A corporate photographer has to understand their client’s needs and be capable of working under constraints and limitations and still provide good pictures. As well as corporate guidelines on style, there may be challenges such as insufficient light or a crowd at an event. A good corporate photographer will adapt to any situation and knows how to handle challenging situations. Even in such difficult situations, he should be capable of creating good quality pictures.

• Dedication – A corporate photographer must take their job seriously, but not themselves, and have a good work ethic. They must seek out and take on board the priorities of the client and what they need to achieve. A good photographer should be able to create a rapport with the staff, as they need to be comfortable when the photographs are being taken at official or informal events in the organization. And the photographer must make it easy for the client – and have fun along the way too!

Brand images – the company and its people represented in pictures. The way a company makes use of its business or corporate photography reflects the company’s ethos, the pictures it uses should tell a story about that company. The images should say what that company stands for – should visualise their message. Images are critical – to rely on another’s image library to express yourself is limiting at best. To have images that say what you want rather than working your messaging around existing images, you need to commission original photography – and a good corporate photographer. An excellent business photographer conjures up the essence of the company, its employees and its public image.

There are many uses for corporate photography – but why commission a corporate photographer:

• Raise the profile of the business. High quality, well taken pictures can often raise the profile from a small struggling business to one of a powerful professional outfit that clients want to engage with
• Create awareness. A good business photographer will be able to assess and identify quickly and accurately the key elements in any situation and demonstrate the company’s offering in the best light; as well as understand what the company needs to say, working within their corporate guidelines
• Brand Identity. If you are going to try and create a brand awareness campaign then it is absolutely essential that the images you use are the best you can achieve – and that the images say what you want
• Public relations and announcements. Using good quality images gets the point across quickly and efficiently and with corporate portraits, it means the company values their employees
• Company Magazine or Annual Report. Often a great source of repeat marketing used to engage current clients to want to do more business or even gain new ones. Any literature, online or printed, that doesn’t use good strong pictures will be falling short of the impact they hope to achieve. A dull, boring company magazine is just that so creating sharp, exciting images of the company, its brand, key employees and products can deliver a glowing view of the company and attract more enquiries
• Online. To be noticed at all, you need an interesting and relevant image to go with the words you’ve taken the time to write – that says what you want to say
• Company Brochure. This is the one place where you must never compromise on the quality of the pictures you use. and you need original photography that reflects your business alone
• Exhibition materials. Creating great images that can be blown up quite large without losing quality is the first consideration, but equally important is to get pictures that will compel delegates or visitors passing your stand to stop and want to engage with you
• Website. Successful companies only use carefully chosen images that are professional and outstanding in quality, which reflect them alone
• Company Reception Area. Use images that create the right first impression for your company. Are these stock images or ones that you commissioned that reflect your company alone?

When it comes to getting the right image for your company then Corporate Photography can play a massive part and often save you time and money in the long run.

prospectus photography

Client: Hendon Prep School

Brief: School prospectus and Web literature

“I am one happy customer! I nearly didn’t call because I thought I’d never be able to afford you!”

Leah Brown, Marketing Manager, Hendon Prep School

Hendon Prep School was planning a new prospectus and looking for a range of shots that captured the personality of the school and its pupils. As well as featuring in the prospectus the shots would also be used on their website and across a broad range of promotional literature.

With his trademark natural style, Matt’s candid images are moments captured – a day in the life of the school, from the serious business of learning to the youthful energy displayed on the sports field.

Matt achieved all they needed in one day and teachers and pupils had a good time alike.

We will always do our level best to work to a budget and will not let a tight budget get in the way of a good result.

Corporate portrait photography is undergoing a change. There was a time when the only business photo someone had of themselves was a headshot commissioned by their company. For Facebook, people are often happy with a casual snapshot, but when people started using LinkedIn they wanted a business portrait of themselves that was less formal than a usual corporate portrait, but more than a causal Facebook shot.

Now, with the advent of other social media sites such as About.Me (aiming to fill the gap between ‘purely social’ and ‘all about business’), it’s becoming the norm for people to commission their own set of portrait photos done in a style that suits them. Many social media sites encourage you to use large portraits of yourself on the opening page. These are full screen portraits that show you in a good light and relate to your profession and your unique selling points.

So, I used this one for mine! http://about.me/mattwain

Richard Avedon’s ability to render both his own and his sitters’ personalities in each image he creates is uncanny. The strength juxtaposed by vulnerability portrayed here is a classic example. Taken in 1957, Avedon gave this portrait of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor and Edward, Duke of Windsor to the National Portrait Gallery in 1995. It’s one of five Avedon portraits in the gallery’s permanent collection.  http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw09580/Wallis-Duchess-of-Windsor-Edward-Duke-of-Windsor?search=sp&sText=richard+avedon&rNo=1

Brand images – the company and its people represented in pictures. The way a company makes use of its business or corporate photography reflects the company’s ethos, the pictures it uses should tell a story about that company. The images should say what that company stands for – should visualise their message. Images are critical – to rely on another’s image library to express yourself is limiting at best. To have images that say what you want rather than working your messaging around existing images, you need to commission original photography – and a good corporate photographer.

An excellent business photographer conjures up the essence of the company, its employees and its public image.

There are many uses for corporate photography – but why commission a corporate photographer:

• Raise the profile of the business. High quality, well taken pictures can often raise the profile from a small struggling business to one of a powerful professional outfit that clients want to engage with
• Create awareness. A good business photographer will be able to assess and identify quickly and accurately the key elements in any situation and demonstrate the company’s offering in the best light; as well as understand what the company needs to say, working within their corporate guidelines
• Brand Identity. If you are going to try and create a brand awareness campaign then it is absolutely essential that the images you use are the best you can achieve – and that the images say what you want
• Public relations and announcements. Using good quality images gets the point across quickly and efficiently and with corporate portraits, it means the company values their employees
• Company Magazine or Annual Report. Often a great source of repeat marketing used to engage current clients to want to do more business or even gain new ones. Any literature, online or printed, that doesn’t use good strong pictures will be falling short of the impact they hope to achieve. A dull, boring company magazine is just that so creating sharp, exciting images of the company, its brand, key employees and products can deliver a glowing view of the company and attract more enquiries
• Online. To be noticed at all, you need an interesting and relevant image to go with the words you’ve taken the time to write – that says what you want to say
• Company Brochure. This is the one place where you must never compromise on the quality of the pictures you use. and you need original photography that reflects your business alone
• Exhibition materials. Creating great images that can be blown up quite large without losing quality is the first consideration, but equally important is to get pictures that will compel delegates or visitors passing your stand to stop and want to engage with you
• Website. Successful companies only use carefully chosen images that are professional and outstanding in quality, which reflect them alone
• Company Reception Area. Use images that create the right first impression for your company. Are these stock images or ones that you commissioned that reflect your company alone?

When it comes to getting the right image for your company then Corporate Photography can play a massive part and often save you time and money in the long run.

Congratulations to Samuel Aranda of Spain, who has won the 2011 World Press Photo Contest. The contest draws entries by professional press photographers, photojournalists and documentary photographers from across the world, with 5,247 photographers from 124 countries participating this year with 101,254 pictures submitted by the mid-January deadline.

The winning picture, taken while Aranda was on assignment for The New York Times, shows a woman holding her wounded son in her arms, inside a mosque used as a field hospital by demonstrators against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, during clashes in Sanaa, Yemen on 15 October 2011.

Taken at face value, it seems to show the emotion all Mothers feel when their child is injured, the courage of ordinary people brave enough to demand change and the often-unseen role played by women in times of conflict.

But there’s more going on here. Many people have noted that Aranda’s image closely resembles Christian iconography such as this painting ‘The Pietà‘ by another Spaniard - Luis de Morales (1520 Badajoz – 1586).

I’ve read commentaries pondering why such a profoundly Christian visual language was used for the news, without any accompanying explanation, that such biased Western values have no place in news photography and also worrying that projecting Christian imagery onto a Muslim event in a news story is not a good idea.

But, I think if we agree that Aranda’s image is reminiscent of Christian iconography, then we must also remember that Jesus is regarded as an important prophet in the Qur’an who predicted the coming of Muhammed and that Mary is revered in the Bible and the Qur’an.

Viewed in this light, perhaps Aranda’s image is one with which Christians and Muslims can both identify. And if, by using Christian iconography to comment on an event in a Muslim country it is also saying that human suffering is not confined to any single religion then it’s right and one Mothers and children everywhere will identify with, regardless of their religion.

The PM Society Advertising Awards 2011

The awards were announced on January 27th 2012. Congratulations go to all the winners and runners up, of whom Langland must be saluted for an impressive number of wins and commendations. Congratulations to all the healthcare advertising agencies commissioning original photography to help their campaigns succeed and help them scoop awards.

Full details can be seen here: http://www.pmsociety.org.uk/report/Advertising-Awards-2011-Results

The awards are open again – until 2nd April 2012. Awards announced 28th June.

The IPA Best of Health Awards showcase and reward the best in creativity in healthcare advertising from all mediums. Last year, from the 374 entries, six Gold, 26 Silver and 63 Bronze awards were presented, as well as the two ‘Best of Show’ awards and Special Prizes for best use of photography, illustration, copywriting and art direction.

To view photos from the event, click here . To view the creative work, click here .

Langland and McCann Healthcare Sydney were awarded ‘Best of Show’ and Steve Stretton, Founding Partner, Archibald Ingall Stretton and Chairman of Judges commented they were: “two great examples of creativity in healthcare communications from opposite sides of the world.”

‘Best Use of Photography’ went to Pan Advertising with this lovely image by Alex Telfer.

Client: WFCA Agency for Budgens

Sector: Advertising - http://www.wfca.co.uk/advertising-agency/

Brief: Independent Retailer Recruitment

“I’ve got a rather nice brief for a Budgens photo project and I thought of you!”

Jo Cornford, Budgens Account Director for WFCA

WFCA is a complete service agency and for that past two years have been a Campaign top 30 agency and a Sunday Times Fast Track 100 business. WFCA’s client, Budgens, has local stores that are a viable alternative to the superstore.

Independent retailers, working in partnership with Budgens, own many local Budgens stores. They care deeply about the quality, provenance and value of the food they sell and the communities, which they serve. Budgens and WFCA are working hard to convey this message. Updating their existing image library plays an important role in their communications – they wanted to capture the spirit of shopping at Budgens as it is today. They need natural lifestyle shots – of the stores and, of course, the people.

It’s an ongoing project (Budgens has over 227 stores!) shot on location all over the UK using Budgens staff, friends, family and a few models.

Jo Cornford explains further:

“We asked Matt to carry out this project because we know we will get the high standard of imagery that we need. Matt’s ability to put people at their ease and capture natural lifestyle shots is exactly what we require.”

Stop Trouble Before It Starts

Change on a Dime

The feel of the image is kept light and bright to add weight to the chilling action.

In a seemingly secure environment, life can change on a dime.

Healthcare advertising photographer Matt Wain specializes in evoking emotion

and keeping it natural – when the reality is anything but.

Corporate photography is an essential need for most firms. Other kinds of commercial photography may not require the same kind of expertise and techniques that are required in corporate photography. Companies that are looking to hire a business photographer have to judge the worthy candidates on several criteria to make sure that they fulfil the needs of the business:

Versatility is an important quality that a corporate photographer must possess, so that he can manage many types of tasks and responsibilities like events coverage, shots for annual reports or advertising photography for marketing brochures, non-cheesy headshots and natural-looking business portraits. A preferred corporate photographer should always be keen to fulfil all these responsibilities.

Fast-paced corporate events don’t allow photographers to leisurely plan various angles or go for retakes, so high alertness on the part of the photographer is vital. Many unforeseen things crop up at corporate events, and a casual approach on part of the photographer will ultimately have an adverse effect on his photographs. Thus, a corporate photographer must have a sharp presence of mind and must always be aware of the happenings around him.

It is also important for a corporate photographer to be capable of working under constraints and limitations and yet provide excellent pictures. For instance, in an indoor corporate event, he might have to do with insufficient light and handle the crowd.

Another important factor that must be considered is the photographer’s work ethic and the importance he gives to his job. It is necessary for a corporate photographer to have an idea of the priorities of the firm and also what the firm seeks from him. A good business photographer should be able to create a personal rapport with the staff, as they need to be comfortable when the photographs are being taken at official or informal events in the organization. Besides, the photographer must not be a tough person to work with.

Infrastructure - Bridge Construction - Hoover dam

Projects: Life on the Edge – Formation – Infrastructure

Matt’s Life on the Edge project comments on how we live and affect our environment. The project took Matt to Iceland, the Outer Hebrides (Scotland) and the American Southwest. The images reflect several different and distinct Western societies – those living and working in tight communities in harsh climates and those living alone, while surrounded by urban life.

Whilst in San Francisco, Matt took several portraits of people living on the streets. In Keeler, a town on eastern shore of Owens Lake in Inyo County, California, Matt captured some extraordinary images. Once a mining town, Keeler was deserted after water exports began from the lake for Los Angeles. Eventually, the lake dried up, causing noxious alkali dust storms to blow through Keeler, driving residents away. Few people remain, but their belongings do, slowly being reclaimed by the desert.

While in Iceland, Matt was struck by the planet renewing itself before his eyes. And how time and pressure affect many aspects of life. And so he began Formation, which observes different landscapes, how they were shaped and how they are evolving. Running alongside Life on the Edge, Formation also explores how we live with these environments, how we affect them and how they change us as societies and as individuals.

Also part of the Life on the Edge series, Infrastructure concentrates on the structures we need to build to support our societies, often in bleak environments.

As a people photographer, Matt’s Life on the Edge direction often resulted from the need for change, to be alone for a while, to return refreshed. But it’s interesting that even whilst craving solitude, he is still interested in humanity.

Matt has two current projects. Node to Node, a study into the human web and the idea of the six degrees of separation. A series of portraits, each ‘node’ nominates the next, so the choice of subject is out of Matt’s hands.  Mind the Gap is a project considering the disparity between rich and poor people and how this affects society in the UK.

Client: Carillion, Construction Services

Brief: Document an 80-metre bridge lift

Carillion’s challenge was to lift into place four, eighty-metre steel beams to complete a bridge for the A27 road upgrade in East Sussex, when the main rail line could only be shut for five hours, from 1 until 5 in the morning. Over successive nights Carillion achieved their objective.

Tanja Clark, Business Development Manager for Carillion comments:

“Working with Matt is always a pleasure. He has that special something, that rare ability, to capture a sunny moment in an otherwise dull and dreary day…or night!”

Matt documented the lift and captured a fabulous shot that won an honourary mention in the Lucie awards this year.

He explains: “I really love this shot, it reminds me of those 1950′s American Steam railway photographs by O Winston.” (www.linkmuseum.org)