Bizstartup.ie - Start Up Kit

Whether it is a document or proposal for a new client, your website/social media tools or an announcement for media a good photograph of the key person, product or service can often prove very effective in its own right or as part of a presentation/announcement.

Sadly, all too often a combination of being viewed as a luxury or being too expensive results in that most dreadful of all photos — the infamous ‘football team’ shot — where every single person in the business is lined up against a wall in football team formation!  Take note – let’s leave the football team shots to the sports pages!

For any start-up or new business interested in investing in photography for your company, here are ten simple tips:

1. Source a good photographer – preferably one with corporate/PR photography experience. No matter how good an amateur photographer you have on staff, it is always better in the long run to use a professional as they can advise on appropriate lighting and location for the best result and may have stronger relationships with key media which could prove useful.
2. Ask for a quote for a complete range of photography. Often photographers will provide a quote for all of the images they take on a given day – providing your company with the image rights for any future usage of these images.  This can be quite cost effective as you will have multiple uses for such photography across your company website, any corporate advertisements etc.
3. Get all of your key staff on board. Ok, not everybody likes having their picture taken but if enough notice is provided this shouldn’t be a problem.  Also advise staff on an appropriate dress code.  You want to present your company in a professional manner so aim to achieve professional-looking imagery.  For female employees, block colours work best, keep clothing unfussy and accessories can look good if kept to a minimum.  For male employees, a suit with a plain shirt and patterned tie is the safest option.  If your organisation is less formal, an open-neck shirt and appropriate grooming can still achieve the right level of polish.
4. Develop a brief (description of each photo) for your photographer in advance. This way you will have agreed amongst your management team exactly what shots you require and as such maximise the output of your photography session.
5. Get photography of each of the key people within your company. These individual shots should include a variety of head and shoulders, profile and full-length images.
6. Get a combination of shots featuring the management team. Typically the three locations used most are the office reception, the boardroom and the outside of the office itself.  The images should look professional but avoid stuffiness at all costs.  Images that capture the person at ease in their environment are the type of images any picture editor of a newspaper is looking for.
7. If it is a product/service announcement for media – think creatively and develop a photography concept with the photographer in advance of the actual shoot. Remember you may need to involve props so you will need the time to prepare and organise. For inspiration take a look at the daily broadsheet papers which often feature creative photography on both the news and business pages.
8. Review the images carefully. Ask for a copy to be provided on CD so you can keep. Sometimes photography requires minor editing. Discuss this with your photographer.
9. When using photography for media purposes remember to caption the photograph. This can be a simple two- or three-line description of who is in the photograph and what the photograph depicts. 
10. If you are issuing a photograph to media, remember to send the image to the picture desk. Do not send it to a journalist unless they have requested it. You can contact the journalist and let them know photography has been sent in. This is particularly important when dealing with the national media and again captions are essential!

John McGuiness is an account director at Murray Consultants as well as a Bizstartup.ie expert.