10 min read Expert insights on corporate photography

Corporate photography is any type of photography that is used for promoting a company's products, name, or services. Businesses use corporate photography and videography to document social events and create visual content for newsletters, marketing material, and quarterly reports. The goal of corporate photography is to sell the brand, so Corporate Photographers need to work by keeping their business clients in mind. 

Corporate photography subjects:

Corporations can use animals, nature, buildings, or facilities to establish their brands and sell their products to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Innovation and creativity are the keys to differentiation and potential sales which is why corporations need photographers to add to their advertising and marketing efforts. Photographers can bring an edge to advertising campaigns with their vision, creativity, and specialization; they can also refine the image of a corporation.         

So many corporate photographers take pictures of employees, events, and conventions for internal newsletters, websites, reports, and marketing documents. Corporate photography is not limited to just selling products and services. It is about packaging the business so that the brand can potentially thrive and move forward.

How to become a corporate photographer:

Take photography classes. Experience and talent matter a lot in this field, so a degree in photography is not essential. Some classes in photography will do, along with the mastery of lighting techniques, film techniques, angles, digital editing software, and other elements that will shape a career in corporate photography.

Another way to gain experience is by assisting a professional. Corporate photography needs a good business sense that can be refined by assisting a professional. After taking some classes and you should pursue an apprenticeship with a well-established corporate photographer. Photography assistantships and internships can open so many doors for future job opportunities, give you a stronger business sense and help you refine your craft.

Marketing yourself as a corporate photographer:

Create a portfolio that addresses the specific needs of a client. As a photographer, it is your part of job to convince your clients that you can effectively promote their brand, which means you need to have a portfolio specifically geared toward the company you want to shoot for. If you are trying to get a job with an oil company, you should only display shots of oil in your portfolio and on your website. If you want to market yourself to multiple industries, then you need to have multiple portfolios that cater to each industry.  

Another important way of marketing is via networking. Most likely people give jobs to the ones they trust so networking is the best way to get your foot in the door. Approaching potential clients, attending social events, and actively participating in social media are the best ways of building your success as a Corporate photographer.

Increase your presence in Internet search engines. Almost 48 percent of consumers find their services or products through search engines, so it is vital to increase your visibility as much as possible. One of the best ways to increase your presence in search engines is through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Advertise via direct mail. Directly sending postcards to potential clients on a quarterly or monthly basis is another way of expanding or establishing a clientele. After a week, you have to try to follow up with the clients, reminding them of your mail and telling them how your services can help their brand.

The benefits of Corporate Photography Services:

• Online Presence 

There are two ways to get benefits by using the images online. The first is to have an online shop. Images accompanying an online store will let your customers know what exactly they are getting, and they will in return be more likely to make a purchase. The 2nd way of using your images online is to open up a portfolio website. Especially advantageous to businesses and artists who are looking for investors, it allows people to see what is offered in terms of location and other business aspects.

• Increased Sales

 There is a direct link between utilizing great-quality images in your marketing and sales growth. The difference between a pretty good image and a great image and a pretty-good image to a customer can be the difference btw a purchase or not. Effectiveness and Cost vs. Benefit of marketing campaigns. 

A lot of businesses focus on the photography cost for a marketing campaign instead of the benefits that it provides. While high-quality photography may cost a little more, the overall Benefit vs. Cost is simply great. Companies often spend so much on printing and distribution and try to save on the cost of photography. Unluckily this often leads to a waste of the funds that are invested in the campaign overall.

• Increased Company Presence

Running an effective and visual marketing campaign will lead to not only better sales but also it will increase the overall perception and presence of a business that results in greater growth in the long term.

• Professional Appearance

Professionally showing your services and products will help in raising the perception of your business, and in the mind of consumers, increase the value of those services and products that are provided by your business. The professional appearance of a business is also very important for any real long-term growth.

•  WOW Factor

With some great and creative campaigns, creative and high-quality photographs can provide an intense and immediate impact on a customer’s mind, leaving a long-lasting impression and memory. This will add to brand awareness and sales.

• Create a Catalogue

It is great for businesses that do wholesale. Have images of all the products so that customers can see in real what they are buying.

• Packaging

Using images on packaging can really be effective. Do research, look at what other companies and manufacturers are doing, and think of ways to use your images the same way or in any interesting and new way.