‘A picture is worth a thousand words,’ the saying goes, and nothing can be more accurate for marketing professionals in this day and age. Every day, thousands of photos are uploaded on digital marketing platforms, and these photos compete with one another to capture the target market’s attention.
Crafting an effective marketing campaign may prove to be challenging but not impossible. In this article, you’ll find tips on how to take photos your audience is sure to notice.
Crop Instead Of Zooming In
Some people tend to fall into the trap of zooming in on a subject before clicking the shutter. Unfortunately, there are a number of reasons it would be better to crop your photo during editing instead of zooming in before taking it.
Adjusting your focal lens will affect the depth of field, which will also alter the camera focus a bit. This will give your photo a different effect than what you may have been going for. Additionally, zooming in can reduce the quality of the photo and increase the chances of it blurring.
You can easily solve the issue by getting as close as possible to your subject. Otherwise, you can crop the photo as you like afterward to retain its quality and achieve your desired image. If you’re not sure how, there are various online sources that can teach you how to crop a layer in Photoshop, as well as other editing techniques you may want to learn.
Pay Attention To Lighting
One of the cardinal rules of photography is to pay attention to the lighting. Natural light is best, so make sure to schedule your photoshoots during the day. The early morning hours or late afternoon are best for taking outdoor photos since the natural light isn’t too overpowering during those times.
However, some photographers do supplement the light source when taking photos indoors. When working with studio lighting, you need to know advanced photography techniques to be able to achieve different effects.
Know What You’re Marketing
There are different types of photography, such as fashion, sports, still life, product, and architectural. These may all adhere to the basic rules of photography, but they each have various nuances and compositional rules that dictate how to snap a great photo for that category.
Hence, you should consider the product or subject, the purpose of the campaign, and the platforms where the photo will appear. For instance, a marketing campaign photo for a sports drink will most likely look different than an image intended for a real estate magazine.
Explore Different Angles
One of the ways to catch consumers’ attention is to find a unique angle to a particular subject. That being said, you shouldn’t stop at taking photos from the side and front. Taking all your photos at eye level could get boring as well. Consider a bird’s eye view, or conversely, take the photo from a lower angle. Tilt your camera this way and that so you can get a variety of angles.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with angles to create a new perspective and make your images stand out. If you’re taking a product image, try to use angles that highlight the features instead of relying on texts to explain them. However, don’t veer away from your objective; keep the message you want to convey to your audience.
Make Your Photos Customer-Centric
Businesses will have to consider that marketing these days shouldn’t just be about the brand. It should also resonate with the target market. Focus on content marketing and explaining how users can benefit from your product or service, instead of going on and on about its state-of-the-art features.
One of the ways you can show that you care about your audience is to feature them in the photos you use for your campaign. Besides using hashtags and memes, use pictures that your consumers can relate to, while at the same time conveying your brand identity.
Create Symmetry
Another essential visual component is symmetry. Our eyes are naturally drawn to balance, and we tend to find beauty in it. In fact, studies have shown that symmetry is one of the bases for facial attractiveness.
In photography, a balanced image can be achieved by taking the rule of thirds to heart. This fundamental photography rule suggests that the photographer place the subject on the third grid’s left or right side. You can activate this grid in some cameras and mobile phones.
To better understand how this works, consider taking photos of the same subject, one photo using the rule of thirds and another one that doesn’t. Compare the two and see which one has better composition.
Take Candid Shots
Staged photos can be effective in fashion and other types of photography. But for other types of products, it can be a good idea to take candid shots of people using your items.
An exclusive hard-sell approach, characterized by aggressive sales methods and exaggerated calls to action, isn’t always practical. Most people want to feel that they’re making decisions independently; thus, a soft-sell campaign could do the trick. With candid shots, your objective for a soft-sell technique should elicit a positive impression of the brand.
Bottom Line
Having low-quality and mediocre photos can damage the image of your brand, making it look unprofessional. Thus, your photos need to stand out to draw consumers’ attention and make your marketing campaign more effective. Applying the steps discussed in this article and enhancing your photography skills can provide your prospects and target audience with a better idea of your brand, thus increasing the chances of conversion or purchase.