My latest Facebook Live had a pretty simple take-away message:
Think broadly when using your pictures… There’s more potential in them than you might realise!
This topic was prompted by recent dealings with a client who has brought me on board to help build their brand using photography (no surprises there, then).
Specifically, they are starting with Instagram before rolling things out across Facebook and beyond.
Creating a set of images for a client is never simply a ‘turn up and shoot’ affair. It takes time, planning, research (e.g. audience demographic etc), discussion and… an open mind.
I added this last point because often, their expectations may not match the reality of the situation – at least not to begin with.
It’s my job to educate my clients when it comes to telling their stories via photography.
I can do this in a number of ways – but always, there needs to be an element of trust, a willingness to say “Ok, well I’m not convinced, but you’re the professional…”
Some pictures or setups may not resonate on paper or even on first viewing, but keep an open mind and you just might be surprised by the results.
Now, here’s the fun part.
The whole ‘storytelling’ thing… Just like a story in a book, it needs a beginning, a middle and an end.
Establish who you are. Show what you’re all about and how / why you do what you do.
People love that stuff. They want the personal touch and all the incidental details that go along with it.
If you take away the finer points, leaving just the product / service? The story is incomplete and you risk alienating your audience.
Know. Like. Trust.
That’s the process often cited in business. And to be relatable to your audience, you need to share the sort of imagery and messages that resonate with them – even if you don’t ‘see it’ yourself.
Pictures of hillsides, snack breaks on a walk, a sunset on your team-building outing at the weekend, even the office dog who walks along the beach with you on lunch breaks…
Do not dismiss these seemingly trivial details!
They are all part of the puzzle – and the difference between you and your brand being relatable or not.
You wouldn’t read a book knowing that the middle 30 pages had been torn out, would you?
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Puzzle shape above courtesy of here.
