Custom photography is vital if you want to get someone’s attention, be it in your website or marketing campaign. Custom photography is professionally shot and edited photographs of real people from your company or business. There is virtually nothing else that will make as big an impact on your viewers than beautiful photography.
When entrepreneur Mike Gilmore decided to invest in his website, he chose Artonic for stunning web designs. Custom photography was a must for this growth-oriented business, not only to give visitors a visual of the product (pole barn kits) but also stand out in a highly competitive market.
The Value of Custom Photography
No matter what you’re selling, photography can help you sell it.
But not just any photography. People love to look at professional, relevant photography of real people.
A 2014 study published by the National Press Photography Association (NPPA) found the following:
- Subjects could tell the difference between professional photography and amateur 90% of the time
- Professional photos were twice as appealing to subjects; they were more likely to be shared online, to be viewed longer, and to be considered ‘memorable’
- Subjects value seeing faces and relationships containing real people and products
Why Is Photography Valuable?
In an interesting article, major exhibitors directly or indirectly involved in the field of Chinese photography were asked, “What makes the value of a photograph?”
Here are their insights:
“Its aura, its ability to trigger emotions and vibrations.” -Philippe Jacquier, Galerie Lumière des Roses
“It depends on the feeling you ascribe to it, the extent to which it echoes yourself and the outside world.” -Geoffroy Dubois, Galerie Paris-Beijing
“For me photography is a very peculiar art, it’s not merely a mechanical tool that records things. Only photography has the capacity to seize time itself, to unveil the specificity of a moment, the specificity of a person, of a place.” -Rose H. K. Hsu, Beyond Gallery
Get More From Custom Photography
There are so many reasons to choose custom photography for your business.
Build Your Assets
“One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is underutilizing their photography assets and their investment. Custom photography is an asset, therefore having a library of image files to pull from can save you time and money over the long-term.” (9 Ways Personal Branding Photography Can Massively Grow Your Business by Huffington Post)
Strengthen Your Brand
“Great-looking photography will give your personal brand another layer of trust and appeal. We know that it takes the brain less than 30 seconds to process visual cues, so ensuring your blog or website is charged with bold, beautiful images will help you capture and keep people’s attention and establish a unique image.” (Why your personal brand deserves high-quality photography by The Next Web)
Stand Out from Competitors
“Why go visual? Online publisher Mashable and EyeTrackShop recently found that participants in a webcam eye-tracking study spent less time looking at Facebook wall posts and advertisements and more time looking at the cover photo on brands’ timelines. So this stuff matters. As every brand becomes a publisher charged with creating content to attract customers, the quality of that content becomes increasingly important. In other words, you have to produce stuff that helps you stand out.” (How Photos Can Make or Break Your Marketing Campaign by Entrepreneur)
Connection + Trust
“Human photos on a website definitely have positive impact on visitor’s first impression of trustworthiness. Human photos with focus on face have much better impact (as emotional connect is stronger).” (Do human photos on a landing page increase sales and conversions? by VWO)
Behind the Camera
To capture photography for DIY, we traveled to locations in SE Michigan and NW Ohio. We were fortunate enough to be near to the construction of a new pole barn in Saline, Michigan.
We arrived early in the day to capture the sun overhead. Several local builders were onsite to construct the new pole barn.
Ashlee captured images of the builders as they measured, cut, hammered, and put together the pole barn.
The pole barn was constructed on a lot next to a newly harvested wheat field. We traversed into the field to get long distance shots.
The grass and field were still covered in dew (another reason to wear the right pair of shoes).
We went into the field, and Ashlee got creative with some of the shots of the barn being built from behind some wheat stalks.
Website Design
The website design was created using the photos that we shot for DIY Pole Barns. Using the company’s current logo, Artonic planned, designed, and developed a beautiful custom website design for DIY.
Each page on the website showcases custom photos of builders and DIY pole barns. This helps web visitors to visualize the pole barn being constructed on their properties. This helps bring the DIY story alive.
Additionally, the company utilizes the gorgeous photography in its social media campaigns on Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms.
Not only does DIY update its social media account covers, it also uses the photos in its ongoing posts, like this:
Photos are perfect for social media, because those platforms are literally built to share photos and videos. Pinterest is used effectively in DIY’s campaign.
Businesses can use custom photography across all its marketing efforts to create a unique, cohesive brand. Professional photography increases trustworthiness and connection with customers. Unique, beautiful photos also differentiate you from your competitors and help you stick out in the minds of your visitors.
Get the Right Photos
Want to get the right photos for your website or marketing campaigns? Here are a few of our tips:
- The best photos are of real people doing the things they do every day.
- Get your team on-board by involving them in the planning stage.
- Determine ahead of time the photos you need and how you’ll use them.
- Be creative; get a variety of shots in different settings or from unique angles.
Find out how the owner of Doctor Flue, inc. uses photography to invest in his business.
More Resources for Web Design Photography
Thinking about designing a website for your business? Consider adding an element of legitimacy to your design with custom photography.
This free ebook, 10 Stats About the Value of Photography & Videography in Web Design, is a must-read for any business exploring website design and thinking about photos. Inside, you’ll find solid stats that make the case for custom photos and videos on your website.
View Artonic’s Photography
View examples of web design photography by Artonic
Check out our Photography Portfolio
Read more information about Artonic’s photography
Say Hello!
Give Artonic a call or email us if you’re interested in website design, development, or marketing.
Michigan, USA