10 Most Important Images For Your Business Branding Photography

For brands today, small business branding photography can make or break your business. While this sounds like a bold statement, it’s true. Whether it’s on your website, social media, or in your marketing assets, your branding photography is what draws the audience in and entices them to connect with your brand (and sometimes even pull out their wallet too). So what are the most important images to capture for your professional branding photos? There are specific types of images that you don’t want to miss out on.

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In this post about small business branding photography, you’ll learn about:

• what small business branding photography is.
• why branding photography is so crucial to your small business.
• the 10 images you need to capture to nail great branding photos.

If you’re looking for a branding photographer, reach out to me today and we can start putting a plan together to knock your brand photos out of the park.

What is Small Business Branding Photography?

As a small business owner, you have a lot on your plate, and perhaps you’ve never come across the idea of branding photography before. So you might be wondering: What does a branding photographer do? We capture branding photography for your business, whether that’s a personal brand or other type of small business. This means photographing a collection of high-quality, on-brand images that reflect what your business represents. What these pictures contain will depend on the type of business you run. They may include you, your team, your workspace, your products, or they may emphasize the services you provide.

Why is Branding Photography Important for a Small Business?

Before you break out your hard-earned money on a branding photography package, you probably want to know the benefits. There are quite a few reasons why professional branding photos are a must for your small business. Let’s dig into those in greater detail.

Brand photos set your first impression.

Research suggests that people (and businesses) create a first impression within seven seconds. So, if you had seven seconds to pitch your business, what would you want to say? This is where your branding session comes in—it’s your opportunity to capture that message (or elements of that message) to make sure that the first impression your audience gets of your brand is genuine and captivating and it shows them, right away, who you are.

Brand photos convey your brand personality.

In any industry, you’re going to come up against competitors who are offering similar products or services as you. So, what makes you different? Your brand personality, and your branding photos are a perfect way to highlight the personality of your brand. The photos can emphasize fun, lightness, and a sense of humor⁠—if that resonates with your brand—or perhaps your brand personality is more of elegant sophistication, in which case photography can go a long way to bring that out too. No matter what your product or service is, your brand photography can tell potential customers not just what you do, but also how you do it.

Brand photos tell a story and humanize your brand.

Audiences love a good story and everyone has a story to tell. Stories have the power to draw people in, evoke emotions, and humanize your brand. When your brand tells a great visual story, you increase the likelihood of customer buy-in by using the visuals to create a connection and connection is everything.

Your brand images might tell potential clients or customers:

• a client or customer success story and testimonial
• the tale of how your brand originated, or
• a story that simply relates to current events that illustrates a sense of humanness and openness or vulnerability.

Telling a story with your brand photos is a strategy that simply works and it’s been used time and again by smart brands who understand the importance of human connection.

Brand photos can be used to show how a product is used or service is provided.

Whether you have a service or product-based small business, brand photography is key in giving that little bit of extra information that can push a sale. Consumers today love seeing the product being used before they try it. Plus, you can pack a lot more information in one photo than you may think, and even use photography to imply when and how the product should be used, including what time of day. If you have a service-based business, your small business branding photography could focus, in part, on what it looks like when you provide that service—giving your audience a greater idea of what they can expect when working with you. This goes a long way toward instilling a sense of care and comfort with potential clients.

What are Branding Photos Used For?

Branding photos have so many different benefits, but it’s equally important to remember ways in which these photos can be used, too. Great branding photos aren’t just for websites anymore. Your branding photos will become staples on your Instagram feed, stories, or reels, as well as your Facebook page. You can use them in your graphics, ads, press packages, and in your email signature. You can also use them to capture interest in Pinterest, update your LinkedIn, and use them in the design of your eNewsletters too.

10 Must-Have Captures For Your Small Business Branding Photography

When it comes to your professional branding photos, there are some captures you just don’t want to miss. If you want to get the most out of your session, ask your photographer to add all of these must-have photos to your branding shot list.

1. Personality highlighting photo

Just like your brand, you too have a personality. If you’re willing to open up the door and share a little bit about who you are as a small business owner, it can bring your audience that much closer to you and your brand. Photos that highlight your personality allow you to express who you are outside the business, including your hobbies, family, or anything else you’re comfortable sharing. They are perfect for those “get to know me” posts. Personality highlighting photos add a layer of authenticity and humanness to your brand, driving an even deeper connection with your audience. If you're investing in personal branding photography, this is a shot you don’t want to miss.

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2. Logo and branding

Your small business branding session wouldn’t be complete without photos that capture your logo and branding. These shots are important for increasing brand awareness and familiarity, and they also increase the credibility of your brand. Don’t be afraid to show off your swag during your photography session!

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3. Professional headshot

As a small business owner, it’s crucial to have professional headshots on standby for your website, social media, press content, and more. If you’re turned off by cold, corporate looking headshots, you can always opt for something more light and personality showcasing with simple, bright or bold backdrops.

4. Lifestyle shot

One of the benefits of branding photography is being able to tell your audience more of your small business brand story, and the lifestyle shot is your perfect opportunity to accomplish this. Lifestyle portraits allow you to show a little more personality while still keeping the content of the images professional and on brand. Consider using the lifestyle shots during your branding session to share the values and purpose behind your brand.

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5. Product or service showcasing shot

The product or service showcasing shot is the most important shot you can get in your branding session. Your business exists with a purpose, and the photos that showcase what you do should define that clearly. It may sound obvious, but, believe it or not, some product-based small business owners do walk away from their branding shoots without getting product shots. The same goes for service-based business owners—they may nail every other shot but neglect to capture them in action of the service they provide. Consider the product or service showcasing shot the number one staple of your branding photography session.

6. Detail shot

Consumers today love getting virtually up close and personal with their favorite brands, and detail shots are perfect for that. The secret to a great detail shot is simplicity. It’s also the shot that gives your audience something to focus on, so you can be very intentional with your message here. They also break up your catalogue of photos with a visual variety, which helps keep the attention of your audience in a world where that’s not always easy to do!

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7. Client or customer interaction

Your clients (or customers) are the reason your business is alive. As a small business owner, there’s no doubt you have a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the people who trust and support you—that’s why you strive to provide excellent service to your clients. Your service to your clients and your interactions with them is something your branding photographer can capture during your session, conveying this appreciation across platforms to current and potential customers.

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8. Behind the scenes

When it comes to pictures of a small business, what people really want to see is what’s happening behind the scenes. What goes into making your product? What kind of setup is involved in your services? You can highlight the answers to these questions in your branding session.

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9. Team photos

If it applies, don’t miss out on an opportunity to get team photos for your business. These photos aren’t just a way of showing you have a team of people working for you, but are actually a fantastic way to show your audience that there’s a team of people also working for them. Let them know that when they invest in your small business, your talented team is working hard on the other side to meet their needs.

10. Location photos

Whether your small business is based out of an office or your home, showing off your work environment has the potential to build a connection with your audience in a new way. That’s because including your location in your business branding photography allows your audience to build parallels between them and you or perhaps gives them an opportunity to see you in an aspirational way.

See Success With Your Small Business Branding Photography

Your small business branding photography has the potential to drive your business to new heights. It’s a great way to share your brand personality, explain what your business does (and how you do it), and also humanize your brand and cultivate a deeper connection with your audience. Any of these great benefits has huge potential to increase your revenue and help you realize even more success.

Learning all the benefits of branding photography has a way of getting small business owners fired up. If you’re ready to get rolling on a branding photography contract and get your session underway, contact Marika Creative to set up a discovery call.

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