Photography is, beyond any doubt, an art form. Not only capturing the world around us but showcasing it in a new and novel light, it can shape the way we see even the most mundane objects and events.
This is a lesson successful businesses understand well. With so many sales now completed over the internet, products must be visible even to those who are buying them from hundreds of miles away. Photographs offer an obvious solution, but poorly executed examples do little to make an item seem appealing. This means that companies who wish to thrive in online take photography very seriously.
As a small business owner, this is an attitude you too ought to emulate, and there are many lessons to be learned from your bigger and more successful counterparts. Here are three from industries that exemplify how to do it well.
The Casino Industry: Enjoyment Sells
One industry that reigns supreme when it comes to marketing nous and online success is internet gambling. Hugely profitable, online casinoer has millions of customers around the world, all of them buying an experience.
Let’s imagine, for a moment, that you’re a customer considering one of the many real money casino games at Paddy Power. What you cannot do is try before you buy, so you need to be confident that you’re going to like what you’re about to spend your money on. How best for the company to suggest that this is the case? With happy, smiling faces, of course, which you’ll see in almost every image featured in the scrolling homepage banner, whether the image is to inform users of the bonuses they can snap up or of the Daily Jackpot. The onsite message is thus: that if you take the plunge and purchase the products shown, happiness will be your reward. This is a lesson that businesses from all industries would do well to emulate.
The Fashion Industry: Staging Is Key
If there’s one area of commerce that’s obsessed with aesthetics, it’s the fashion industry. When we purchase clothing, we’re buying a look, and this is what’s being sold as much as the actual clothing that arrives in the post.
Poorly lit shots do nothing to support this notion, but those that have been properly staged do. The idea is not so much to sell the individual piece of clothing but to capture a moment and a mood: one that those browsing your website will be tempted to recreate. This works as well whether it’s clothing you’re selling or furniture, tech, even outdoor accessories like tents. Always remember you’re marketing a concept above all.
The Tech Industry: The Devil Is In The Detail
Our third and final golden rule is this: detail is important. If you take a look at a website that sells computers, laptops, and other electricals, for example, you’ll see their products are shot from all angles. That’s because those who are buying online want to have a really good idea of what they’re getting before they part with their hard-earned cash.
If you’re wondering how to achieve a sufficient level of detail yourself, think of it this way: what would you, as a buyer, want to see before you were enticed to purchase a product online? Showcase your goods from all angles and from varying distances, and you’ll instantly boost customer confidence and increase your sales. Don’t forget that even the most basic photo editing tricks can make a huge difference to your product shots!
Isn’t it time you started applying these three top tips to your business photography?
Read More:
An intro to photo mounting for photographers
Top 10 photography editing services for beginners
What is editorial fashion photography?
