Website Photography Tips
The internet is an visually rich medium, and having high quality images is essential to stand out from the pack and to ensure your website looks slick and professional. Though there are many sites out there that offer a variety of images available to purchase, often if you have a specific service or product a generic stock photo isn’t going to cut it. Taking your own photos (or having them taken) is the best way to ensure they are unique, relevant and royalty-free.
Professional vs DIY
You have two options available – having photos taken by a professional or doing it yourself. Although the latter will certainly save you money, it’s a risky venture. Optimal lighting is a key consideration, most amatuers don’t have the experience or equipment to get the best result – especially indoor shots and product shots. Unless you are confident you have the skill and equipment to do a great job, you could end up with below-par images that reflect poorly on your business and website. A professional photographer understands how to make subjects look as attractive as possible, and you can be assured the images will be high quality.
Photographing Products
For eCommerce websites in particular, having photos of the products you sell goes a huge way to entice buyers. Allowing them to see how the object will look when it arrives increases confidence and confirms they are ordering what they want. If possible, try to photograph as many different size and colour variations as possible, even if it is largely the same object. For clothing and other household objects it’s usually a good idea to include multiple views of the item, and if possible both a close up and a wider shot.
Photographing Places
For local businesses, having images of the premises can be a great way to help customers find the right location. A photo from the street provides a visual memory for them to find the place in person, and if it’s a business that makes transactions online it also adds a sense of credibility.
Photographing People
Sometimes it’s an abstract service that you need to sell via your website. In this case, photographs of people can be a great way to add visual interest. It can also be a nice way to introduce key staff to visitors, and increases the sense of familiarity and trust.
It could be a good time to ponder how the photos on your site represent you and your business.
The internet is an visually rich medium, and having high quality images is essential to stand out from the pack and to ensure your website looks slick and professional. Though there are many sites out there that offer a variety of images available to purchase, often if you have a specific service or product a generic stock photo isn’t going to cut it. Taking your own photos (or having them taken) is the best way to ensure they are unique, relevant and royalty-free.
