If you have a local business or an e-commerce website, it is likely that you have asked yourself the following question many times – How do I get professional photos for my website?
The answer is simple – hire a professional photographer. A skilled professional brings the experience and equipment needed to create high-quality photos that build trust and credibility.
At Artonic, we’ve helped clients across various industries boost their online sales with our top-notch photography services. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the differences between professional photography, DIY photos, and stock images.
Keep reading to discover how to elevate your website’s visual appeal.
Professional Photography
Even though there are other ways that don’t require the input of a professional, hiring a professional photographer is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best way to obtain professional photos for your website.
Professional photographers not only have access to the latest photography equipment, but they also have the skill and experience to produce high-quality results consistently, while also saving you a significant amount of time.
Can you tell the difference between the two photos below?
Here’s a hint – The photo on the left is a generic stock photo. It doesn’t provide any value other than being of a “decent” quality.
On the other hand, the image on the right is an original photo taken by Artonic for one of our clients. This image provides value in several ways.
- It is 100% original
- High-quality lighting and post-production
- The image was taken using professional equipment
- The dentist and background shown in the photo are the same ones that clients will see in real life
- The stock photo on the left was timed where the subject looks uncomfortable, presenting negativity to viewers
Having unique and professional images helps to build trust and credibility in your company. In fact, in a BrightLocal study, 60% of consumers reported that local search results featuring high-quality images influence their decision-making process.
If you are located in Michigan, USA, we can help you increase your sales through our Michigan business photography services.
How to Hire a Professional Photographer
Here are some tips on how to hire a photographer to get professional photos for your website.
1. Finding a Photographer
The process of finding a good photographer can be divided into two primary steps:
1. Understanding Photographer Specialties: Before looking for a photographer, you need to decide which type of photographer you need. Many photographers specialize in areas such as events, products, portraits, landscapes, and more.
2. Research: There are many ways to find photographers, including Google search, online marketplaces, word of mouth, and local trade shows.
2. Choosing the Right Photographer
Once you have a list of photographers, it is time to start the vetting process.
1. Evaluate Their Work & Reputation: When evaluating a photographer, you should look at their previous work and reputation. For past work, you can take a look at their website portfolio or a social media profile. For reputation, you can check their online reviews on their Google Business Profile or Yelp or ask people who have used their services before.
2. Local vs Remote: Local photographers offer in-person collaboration, which is a great advantage if you need photos of your office or team. However, remote services can offer specialized expertise regardless of the location.
3. Equipment & Studio: Although it is important to know if the photographer has access to a professional studio and equipment, as a client, it is not necessary to delve into the technical aspect of each piece of equipment. Knowing that the photographer has access to high-quality equipment and the ability to use it effectively should be enough.
3. Hiring the Photographer
Before hiring a professional, there are some important questions to ask the photographer that will help you make the best decision.
- What is the cost of your services?
- What is your photography process (and what do you need from me)?
- What do I need to prepare before the shoot?
Photography shoots can be simple or elaborate. The important thing is to set expectations and know what you want. If you just need some headshots of your team, that’s easy! But if you plan to have on-site photos of your work in action, or similarly complicated setups, you’ll need to find someone that is ready to work with you on that and ensure you have the means to set everything up.
Stock Photos
Stock photos offer some upfront savings and convenience, providing quick access to a wide range of high-quality images. However, they are generic, lacking the uniqueness and authenticity of custom photography, and don’t do much to help differentiate you from competitors or promote your brand.
In other words, while you can manage to find high-quality stock images, they won’t highlight what makes your business unique. Especially if your competitors are using the same stock photos, which happens more often than you might think!
According to an annual survey by Venngage, 39.05% of marketers reported that stock photos performed poorly for them.
Free vs Paid Stock Photos
High-quality free stock photos are often limited, resulting in many companies using the same photos. Overt attribution is also often required depending on the platform, which can really disrupt the design of a website.
On the other hand, paid options offer more variety of high-quality photos and do not have as many limitations in terms of licensing.
How to Choose the Right Stock Photos
When choosing stock photos, prioritize high-quality images that align with your content. Subscriptions can provide access to less commonly used photos, enhancing uniqueness.
Even with these strategies, keep in mind that professional photography always offers the most tailored and effective visuals for your needs.
Here’s a nice example of a free generic stock photo for a woodworking business website (Source: Pixabay).
DIY Photography
DIY photography refers to the practice of taking photographs yourself, often without professional equipment or training. The major benefit of this approach is that you won’t have to spend money on hiring an expert. Additionally, this approach offers more uniqueness than using stock photos.
The problem with this approach is that the overall level of quality cannot compare to that offered by a professional. In addition, you will have to spend a lot of time taking and editing your own photos.
DIY photography can be a good way to enhance platforms like social media, but aren’t ideal for your website.
Professional Tips for Taking Your Own Website Photos
Here are some tips for taking your own website photos.
Lighting – Pay attention to the direction and quality of the light.
Equipment – Get a high-quality camera if possible. Tripods can ensure steady shots.
Take a Lot of Photos – Experiment with angles and compositions. Review and select the best shots for your website.
Keep Your Target Audience in Mind – Choose visuals that resonate with your audience’s preferences and interests, ensuring relevance and engagement.
Why Work with an Expert to Get Professional Photos for Your Website?
We’ve already answered the question “How do I get professional photos for my website?”. Great!
Here’s a closer look at the advantages of hiring a professional photographer in case you are still not sure.
1. Nothing Beats Professional Quality
Professional photographers have the experience necessary to capture photos that perfectly meet your company’s unique needs while maintaining the highest levels of quality. Just like you trust experts in PPC, SEO, or website design… photography experts bring skills and experience that can’t be imitated.
2. Post-Production Skills
Professional photographers employ advanced editing techniques to enhance colors, correct imperfections and optimize images for web use. When it comes to your website, making sure each image is at its best is important, and the value of editing can’t be overstated.
Although you can do it yourself, the post-production process can take days to achieve a “decent” result. Professionals can take up to several hours to achieve breathtaking results that can’t be achieved without their editing prowess.
3. Professional Equipment
Professionals invest in high-quality cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment designed to capture images with superior clarity and detail, enabling them to handle a variety of requirements with ease.
4. Direction & Guidance
Working with a professional photographer means benefiting from their creative direction and expertise. They offer unique and accurate ideas, ensuring that all aspects of the shoot are in line with your brand’s identity and objectives.
Professional photographers, especially those who are familiar with photography for websites, will know the types of shots that are necessary to create great content to use online. The photos that you might use in other types of media don’t necessarily match the content you need for websites – for everything from hero images to those that are in the background and supporting the rest of the content.
Getting the right direction for your photo shoot ensures:
- You get a comprehensive photo shoot that can promote all aspects of your business
- Photos enhance instead of detract from your business’s products, services, or team
- Photos fit your needs, including being shot in a way that allows them to look good in digital spaces
Without the right guidance, it’s easy to miss photo opportunities, have photos that make your products look lower quality, or even end up with photos that aren’t usable for your website at all.
5. You Get To Relax & Focus On What Matters to You
By entrusting photography to a professional, you can redirect your energy towards running your business or managing other essential tasks. This not only saves you time and effort but also ensures that your website’s visual content is in capable hands.
Photography, especially when you’re starting from scratch, can be a hefty job. And you get out of it the effort you put into it. Trying to DIY your photography on the side can really reduce its effectiveness for building a stunning website or in marketing campaigns.
What Makes a Good Photo for Your Website?
Learning how to obtain professional photos for your website is just one part of the equation. The next question is: What makes a good photo for your website?
Orientation
The orientation of your photos, whether landscape, portrait, or square, affects how they integrate into your website’s design.
For example, landscape photos are ideal for wide banners or backgrounds, offering a panoramic view while square photos are more versatile, making them suitable for various layouts.
Here’s a comparison between the square or portrait vs landscape photo orientations.
By the way – this is a unique image taken by Artonic. You can learn more about this case study by visiting our DIY Pole Barns Photography Case Study.
Focal Point
Every attractive photo for your website should have a clear focal point that will attract viewers’ attention and communicate your message effectively.
Make sure to use the focal point to draw users’ attention to the most important part of the image or the area you want to highlight.
Resolution
Opt for high-resolution photos to ensure maximum clarity and detail. One of the worst things you can do is to add a low-resolution image to your website or landing page, as this reduces the perception of professionalism.
Style
Tailor the style to reflect your brand’s personality, making your website not only visually appealing but also memorable and impactful to visitors.
Format
Common formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, and WebP. But there are even more.
The best format will depend on your specific requirements. For example, JPEG is often used for all types of colorful photos published online, while PNG is usually better for images where there’s not a lot of color data.
Additional Industry-Specific Considerations
Here are some additional industry-specific considerations.
Dentists
- Showcase your best equipment
- Showcase the patient room with some happy patients
- Showcase photos of the team
- Showcase photos of the main dentist seeing some patients
- Avoid photos of sharp or “scary” instruments to avoid making clients uncomfortable
Contractors
- Showcase your previous work during the day. Avoid rainy days whenever possible
- For roofing contractors, drone shots are ideal
- If there are team members in the photo, make sure they are wearing the uniform of the company
Lawyers
- Avoid including sensitive information in the photos
- If any lawyer is included in the photo, make sure they are dressed professionally
- Include headshots of the team whenever possible to build credibility
- Include photos of your office
Local Businesses
These are some general guidelines for local businesses.
- Showcase the storefront of your location
- Showcase the interior of your store
- Showcase interactions with real clients
How Do I Get Professional Photos for My Website? – The Bottom Line
So, to quickly answer the question: How do I get professional photos for my website?
Hiring a professional photographer is always the best option for obtaining high-quality photos tailored to your brand.
A professional photographer can provide expertise, equipment, and creative direction to ensure your images are visually stunning and effectively convey your message.
Other options include stock photos and DIY photos. Stock photos can be more accessible and affordable, but they are not unique.
DIY photography is a cost-effective option, however, it requires a considerable amount of time and effort to produce decent results, especially without proper equipment. From an opportunity-cost level, it may end up being more expensive than just hiring a professional. And your results won’t be as good!
Once your business has the resources, transitioning to professional photography is highly recommended.
Artonic offers professional photography services in Michigan that can boost the trust and credibility of your website and generate more sales.
We’ve helped many clients in a wide variety of industries (including dentists, woodworking studios, entrepreneurs, and more) improve the results of their online marketing initiatives through professional photos.
Not sure if professional photography is right for you? Check our Ebook on: 10 Stats about the Value of Photography.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about: “How do I get professional photos for my website?”
How Much Should I Pay for Professional Photography?
The cost of professional photography depends on several factors such as your unique photography needs, location, and the photographer’s expertise, with more experienced photographers often charging higher rates.
How Many Photos Do You Get From a Professional Photographer?
Some photographers offer packages that contain a certain number of photos per session, however, some photographers offer custom packages to suit your needs.
Should I Hire a Professional Photographer?
Hiring a professional photographer like Artonic is always a great idea as professional photographers will always provide better results than other methods such as stock photography or DIY photography.
Get professional photos for your website with Artonic. Learn more about our professional photography services in Michigan today.