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.

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

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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!

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.

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