So 2021 here we go, another year. Time to work on your Personal Branding and what better way to raise your profile and get success than through the medium of photography!

And as I see it your website is taking centre stage in attracting more customers and I’m sure that you are nodding your head in agreement.

So now is a good time to invest time and effort into your website to make sure that it follows all the recent trends – in design, converting enquiries to sales, etc.

 My expertise is obviously in photography and how you can use photography to attract more clients. I have written a few blogs on the subject, a link for one is in the comments below.

In this post I am going to look in-depth at the 3 most important images on your website, the 3 photographs that really sum up your brand and get your values across in seconds.

They are:

1)    The profile photograph

2)    The header photograph

3)    The services photograph

Spending time getting these three images right is going to really help promote your personal branding and get your brand message out there.

The Header or Banner Photograph

Ok, everyone buckle in we are going to look at the most important photograph on your website or social media page!

The header photograph stands proud – when viewed on your website it should be “Above the Fold (ATF)”

ie you don’t need to scroll down to see it.

Why put it ATF – well you have about 5 seconds (probably less) to get your prospective clients to decide whether they are going to stay on your website!

A well-designed banner photograph can help pique their interest and get them to hang around.

Why?

Because that’s what photography does well – it gets across a wealth of information across really, really quickly.

Let’s look at this in a bit more detail and see the different types of banner photograph that I offer with my branding package.

1.    The Studio Photograph

Minimalism at it’s best, clean and simple.

But with lots of punch.

When I was a University Lecturer (oh here he goes again!) 

One of the lessons was based on semiotics – the study of signs and symbols and their meaning. How a simple gesture can evoke an emotion and a feeling.

This photograph of Nick Hems, a personal stylist, was completely set up and pre-discussed – the colours, the items in the shot, the way he is standing and the clothes he is wearing. 

They all signify the values that Nick offers to his clients.

Set against a plain background – that can be coloured to match your brand, with lots of room for text and Calls to Action.

2/3 The Location Photograph.

There are lots of choices for your location shoot, but if you are struggling to find one thnk about reningt a place through Airbnb or Zipcube. The main thing though is to choice somewhere that really resonates with your brand.

For example, if you are a creative design agency it might look a bit odd if you did the photographs in a very traditional setting. Well I guess it depends on the agency, but you know what I mean!

Once you have nailed your location it time to think about the composition of the banner. I know it is tempting to include lots of details in the photograph, after all you have spent ages finding the right place! But that would not necasarilly be the right approach.

Why? because if it’s a banner image you will need lots of space for overlay of text – your strapline, call to action whatever. So you can either go for plain walls or maybe adjust your camera settings so the background goes out of focus.

Of course one or two “details” will tell the story of your brand – but take this photograph attached for Coronation Wealth Management. The setting hopefully conveys the message of wealth and security and the evening light, a message of warmth.

3/3 The GIF Header.

If your looking for a quirky and cool way to stand out from the crowd, and really grab the attention of your audience then the GIF could be your answer.

This one I constructed for Marsha Doran at Banana Frogs is hopefully fairly explanatory – banana, frogs and brand colours, you get the idea!  it really suits their brand and is totally authentic and memorable.

There are so many different ways to approach a GIF and I have also started working with an animator who can super-impose graphics and text over the images to really make sure your message is getting across.

Sadly you can’t use GIF’s for the Linkedin banner…yet. But hopefully that will change.

The idea of GIF’s is quite retro, they have been around for a while. They always remind me of Max Headroom, the Channel 4 character from the 1980’s!

What do you do and who do you do it for?

3/3 The services/product photograph.

A key component in establishing your brand. You’ve heard the saying a photograph is worth a thousand words, well, this is certainly true when talking about the value of this image. Your clients should look at this photograph and instantly see what you do and how you do it.

My approach to constructing this photograph is based on cinematic story telling principles, no less!

I generally take the photograph either:

1) The Third Person Point of View –  over the shoulder, this makes the viewer ( ie your client) feel more involved in the process.

2) When there is a peak in the action – to make the photograph look dynamic

Or a combination of both!

The overall result will give clarity and understanding to your customers so they know what to expect from you plus they will feel emotionally attached to your business and more likely to buy from you!

Adding extra value

There are a couple more things that I offer to my clients in the Personal Branding Package as I really do believe in giving value for money.

The Flatlay

These are very popular and you see them everywhere, in fact Pinterest probably would have no content if they did not exist!

They are a great way of getting your brand message across in a visually appealing way. They take time to construct and arrange but are fairly easy to shoot – have a go yourself. Use your phone, making sure it is centred above the Flatlay and use diffused light for best results – cloudy day is ideal.

A Gallery of Images

This on-line gallery is sent to you within 48 hours after the shoot, and you can download full resolution files of all the images or just choose your favourites in your own time. The gallery stays open for 6 months.

I also aim to be including video into the branding and corporate packages, so look out for that!