Hello lovely business owners,
Somethings we are fantastic at things in our business, and other items can be a horrible struggle. As much as we would love to be excellent at everything, sadly, we’re not. That’s part and parcel of being a business owner.
It’s okay to decide to outsource specific tasks! Investing in Brand Photography is an excellent example of this. Yes, we all have camera phones, but even professional photographers need to take their professional photographs.
When looking for a photographer, it is essential that you find someone you’re comfortable with, and their work is in the style of photography you’re looking for. After all, these photographs are going to be representing you and your brand. The question is, what questions should we be asking a photographer before we book a branding shoot. To help you out, here are my top five questions as a Brand Photographer.
1. How do you get to know and understand my brand?
It’s essential for your photographer to understand your brand, the vision and the mission that you want to share through your photographs. After all, these images are going to help your future and existing clients to know, like and trust you.
If your brand photographer doesn’t understand the message that you want to convey, it will not show in the photographs you have.
Personally, for me, the getting to know you stage is super important. When I meet clients through calls or in person, I want to know all the details. Part of our brand shoot journey includes my unique discovery workbook, allowing me to find out all the details to help build your shoot around your brand. We go through everything from your ideal client to branding colours, props and lots more. I want to make sure I fully understand you and your brand before the day of photographs.
2. How much do you charge, and what is included?
It's imperative to make sure you know what you are paying for when meeting with your photographer. Whether on zoom or in-person, you need to find out what you are investing in when selecting the photographer of your choice.
When looking at photography if you quickly realise no two photographers have the same packages. Depending on where you are, it can also depend on costs. For example, photography in London will be p more than a brand photographer in Glasgow due to the location.
It is crucial that you ask about the fees and what is included in the packages you are looking to invest your hard-earned money with. Please find out the specifics of what they have! Is it an all-inclusive package covering everything from the session fees, travel, their images or is it more in a la cart style package, where depending on what you choose will change the price. It's also essential to find out what editing includes images and if they have an extra fee for additional editing. The file type and size is also necessary to find out, which will be explained more in question three.
3. Do I get watermarked images, social media size or High resolution?
With your investment into brand photography, you want to make sure that you have the right to use the photographs for your business and the correct file size. Let's break it down into three sections.
Watermarked Images
Ideally, for brand photography, you don't want watermarked images from your photographer. You want them to be watermark free to advertise your business. After all, you are paying for these images to use in your business. (it's okay to mention the photographer who captured them if you want, but you don't want their watermark on your photo).
Web/ Social Media resolution
Images must be the right size for social media, websites and printing. If images are too large for a website, they can be slow to appear when a customer clicks on your website. Slow loading images, can be off-putting for customers and make them leave your website quickly before they can see what you have to offer. A client leaving your website quickly, can also increase your bounce rate (how quickly someone goes to your website) and reduce your google ranking. Having them sized correctly increases the speed and accessibility of your website, not to mention looks more professional to new and existing customers.
High-Resolution files
High-resolution photographs mean that you have the best quality image for both printings and on your website. These are great. Depending on the size, they can print as large as billboard size. It's always crucial that you get high-resolution files, especially if you want to be printing your marketing material with your images. It's essential to know these images, they don't always upload great on social media, and you need a smaller file size. Ask your photographer, do they offer both.
Personally, if a photographer isn't offering high-resolution files for a brand photography shoot, I would be questioning why! You are investing good money in a photoshoot, and you need the images for your business and all marketing materials.
4. How many outfits can I wear?
Branding photography is a way for you to create a bank of bespoke images to use for all your marketing and social media platforms. If you're in the same outfit for every photograph, unless you have a uniform, it's going to look like all the photographs of you taking on one day, and we don't want that! We also don't want you turning up to your shoot dressed like Joey, lol!
Having outfit changes allows you to create lots of content, appearing to be taken on different days. This is why it's essential to ask how many outfit changes you get in during the shoot. Depending on the length of time you've booked your photographer, howhow many outfit changes are allo will varywed. For example, if you book a one hour shoot and want five outfit changes, you'll be struggling for time and depending on the outfit, you could only have 60seconds for photographs to be taken in that. Within a three hour shoot, you'd be able to have multiple outfit changes in different locations, creating a lot more content without people realizing it was all taken in one day.
5. Do you supply a contract?
Okay, ladies, this is BIGGIE. As business owners, we know how important it is for contracts. Don't let it slip! THIS IS A BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT. When it comes to your brand photoshoot, a contract is vital to keep you and the photographer right. The contract should explain all the terms and what's included in your package. It should tell you what the process is during lockdown is, during unexpected weather, for rescheduling, for how you can use your images. It should have all the details you need to know. It's crucial that you can sign your contract and send it back to your photographer as well.
There are other questions you may find that you want to ask your photographer, and that's okay to remember you need to feel comfortable asking your photographer the questions to make sure that you feel comfortable on the day of your photoshoot. If you don't feel comfortable and have a rapport with the photographer, it's okay to decide they're not the photographer for you.
If you would like to find out my answers to all these questions, book a quick call, and I am happy to answer them all. Much Love, ,
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