Beauty Photography COnsultant + Producer
Well-crafted photography can do more than just capture a moment. A great picture can make a statement, tell a story, or change the way we perceive something. And that’s where the importance of hiring the right photographer comes in. A great beauty campaign often relies on a great photographer – to capture the right angle, the right lighting, and the right vibe.
Are you a beauty brand looking for the right photographer to shoot an upcoming campaign? Maybe you’re already working with a photographer, but you’re not sure if they really understand your brand’s positioning or if they’re making the most of their time with your team.
Choosing the right photographer to showcase your products is one of the most important decisions you will make when it comes to your eCommerce store. Sadly, this decision is often made without knowing how to properly evaluate a potential photographer's portfolio. This can lead to hiring someone whose style isn't a good match for your brand or product. To avoid this mistake, make sure that you know exactly what to look for when choosing your product photographer.
Here are three things to keep in mind next time you're looking to hire a photographer for your beauty brand.
At the heart of any successful marketing campaign is a strong, consistent visual identity. Your brand—whether it’s luxury skincare, high-end fashion, or jewelry—needs to have a clear look to define itself and stand out from its competitors. That visual identity is aided by finding a photographer who shares your brand's aesthetic. The key is finding a talented team with the right experience and style for your brand.
As a business you need to have a well-thought-out image for your brand. What is it that you want your brand image to look like? Is it clean, modern, and sophisticated ? Or is it more creative and colorful? Once you establish your brand's visual identity, create a brand bible and then search for a photographer that has experience in that style.
When hiring a photographer, make sure that their portfolio includes photos that are similar to the type of images that you need. If you need photos of your beauty products and their portfolio is only wedding photos then it's pretty simple that they are not a good fit. More about this concept later...
The digital age of photography and the Internet changed the way we consume and share images. And as a brand owner you have to be aware of where your images are going to be placed and make sure the style matches with the content, because you draw in new customers by creating a consistent image of your brand.
Banner images should be used to capture your audience attention and offer a brief overview of your brand. Banner ad images should be used to show your brands personality. Get creative with props, colors or even models. This is your world, share it with your audience.
Listing images should be used to sell. Make sure your product is displayed clearly in good lighting to show off quality and craftsmanship. A small touch of luxury can be added by choosing the right lighting. In the world of eCommerce, your listings are everything. They’re the only thing your customers see before they purchase online so make sure you make a good impression.
As I mentioned earlier when it comes to photographers, one size rarely fits all... Just as you wouldn't even think of going to a dentist for open heart surgery, you should think of Photographers in the same way. They all have their own specialties and areas of expertise. While some shoots are simple portraits, others include complex and highly specialized lighting setups.
On white eCommerce product photography is an art and a science. It requires a combination of creative vision, patience, and technical skills to produce the best results for your brand. Creative photography is to juxtapose your product within a scene that demonstrates an aspirational quality or experience.
Determining what style of photography your brand needs is critical to finding the right match. And don’t be afraid to use more than one photographer to get the job done. Just because a photographer says they can shoot both creative shots and on white ecommerce shots doesn't necessarily mean they have mastered both styles.
So many photographers are eager to take on new clients but don't understand the fundamentals of both styles, which can lead to disappointing results.
There’s nothing more crucial to your brand eCommerce presence than the quality of its imagery. A skilled photographer can elevate your brand and bring out the best in your product, while a mediocre or bad photographer can leave a negative impression. The fact is, you can have the best product in the world, but if it’s shot by a mediocre photographer, it won’t be able to sell itself.
These three tips should put you on the right path to finding the perfect photography match for your beauty brand. If you still feel like this is an overwhelming task you can always team up with a photographer producer and utilize their expertise and network or professionals.
In the last year, the beauty industry has undergone many changes in response to the pandemic as well as the ongoing fight for social justice. One of the most positive signs we have seen is the increasing number of consumers purchasing online for the first time. This is great news for indie beauty brands, because it means there’s an entirely new audience at their fingertips. Due to all the new opportunities for connecting with your brand’s ideal audience, it is critical for your brand to make the best first impression possible online because it may be your only opportunity to capture your ideal customer.
When it comes to e-commerce, imagery is everything. It’s what will draw people to your product and ultimately will help determine whether or not they choose to buy. To help increase conversion rates, you need to ensure you have the best imagery possible. The best way to do that is to use professional photography.
What is a brand? A brand is a promise. A promise of a certain kind of experience and a promise of a certain quality of product. A brand is not just a logo, or a slogan, it is everything that someone experiences when they come into contact with your brand. And if your brand is digital first then there is no better tool for telling the story of your brand than high-quality imagery.
While this may seem overwhelming initially this is actually a tremendous gift to Indie beauty brands. When you look at imagery as a way to tell the story of your brand visually, you’re doing more than just adding photos to your website. You’re showing potential customers what it is your brand is about as well as displaying what makes your products unique. If you want to build a memorable brand, it's important to be able to tell the story of your brand in a way that will resonate with your ideal customer.
An example of a beauty brand that has really nailed their visual style is none other than the digital first goliath Glossier. When Glossier launched in the 2010’s they went beyond just selling products they became known for selling the NYC cool girl aesthetic that every millennial wanted a piece of . A big part of their success not only with customers but within the beauty industry were there stunning visuals. When all the other prestige brands were using simple flat white images they went for a more fashion forward hard light style that in turn changed the industry and created a new standard.
When it comes to getting the attention of your potential customers online, it’s important to know how people are behaving on your website. Users often spend an average of 15 seconds on a website and then leave, never to return again. So it’s vital to make sure you can convey your brand's value proposition in those first few seconds.
Yes, good copywriting is crucial to selling, but in order for Indie brands to be competitive in the digital landscape they need to be thinking of branded imagery as a powerful hook to lure potential customers in instantly. Images and other visuals are a powerful way to get and keep your ideal audience attention.
It's important to remember this when planning your photoshoot. You have to be aware of the placements on your website and what different content would be best suited to make the biggest impression on your ideal customers.
Simply put when it comes to homepage banner images you want to upload visuals that convey your brands identity via lifestyle images or creative still-life images. It's okay if your product is not the star of these images, the goal is to sell your brand's personality.
For more advice on visual placements and best practices check out my other articles!
Having clear, consistent, and professional imagery on your eCommerce website is essential if you want your Indie brand to be taken seriously. The visual representation of your brand is a huge part of how people perceive it. If you’re using low quality or DIY images, people will perceive your brand as poor-quality and unprofessional.
The customer journey is hugely important and their expectations must be met before they click the buy button. When you’re creating your online shop, you should always just take a minute to consider what you yourself expect when you’re shopping online.
Envision landing on the Tiffany Co. website ready to purchase a beautiful piece of jewelry only to find that the images on their listings look washed out, grainy and out of focus. You’re probably not going to think that their products are worth the price you’re paying for them because the quality doesn’t match the price.
Consumers these days are as savvy as they come. They expect beautiful imagery, high-quality video, and engaging copy to accompany every product.
Creating a successful brand takes a lot of hard work. From building a website to creating the perfect formulation, Indie brand owners have their hands full even before launching. Don’t let all that hard work go to waste by ignoring the visual assets on your websites.
The only way to compete in the market is by looking the part. You have to look like you’re on the same level as your competitors, like you’re a serious player.
Images are crucial to your website’s conversion rate. While they don’t directly make people buy your products, they can make a huge impact on whether or not a person decides to buy. Images give potential customers a sense of what they’ll get out of your products and how they can use it.