There is a saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words" and while it may not be all true, we must agree how much value the right image can do to your website. As a web designer, I do believe that the photos you choose for your website can make a bit difference between you and your competitors.
And one of the most frequently asked questions from my clients is how they can get better photos for their website. In this blog, I will share with you two ways you get perfect photos for your website.
Ready to dive in? Let's do this!
1. HIRE A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
It's not just a photographer, it's the photographer who knows and does the job really well. The reason I recommend to hire a professional photographer is because it's the best way you can get beautiful photos that polished, professional and UNIQUE to you, your business and your style. You can also use these photos on social media and believe me, it's really worth the investment!
It's also a non-negotiable if you have an online store because your customers will find your products more appealing, look desirable and your website look more professional with polished photos of your products. You can also getting a photo of real people using your products that make your customers see and feel themselves using your products. It makes a huge different. That is why you see many online stores using profession photos for their products from clothing, jewelry, home decor,....
However, how can you know you will get amazing photos as you wish from the photographer? Here are a few things you can do in order to make sure the photos you get will match your brand and are useful for your website.
CHOOSE YOUR BEST PHOTOGRAPHER:
Do the homework! There are many different styles of photography: dark & moody, light & airy, somewhere in between... It's important to choose a photographer with a style that match your brand aesthetic. Look at their portfolio, check out their style to see if it is inline with your brand.
DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF PHOTOS YOU NEED:
It's not fun when you spent money on a photo shoot and when you get them back, you realized that you cannot use these photos for your website. To avoid this situation, make sure you get these following shots, you can save this list and give it to your photographer so they know what you are looking for as a results
Portrait/Bio photos: Please get a candid photo as well as the classic photos of you looking at the camera because it's very important shot for connecting with your audience. These photos work great for your "About" page on your website or any other introduction parts.
Lifestyle photos:
If you are product-based business, you must have photos that show people using them. It will help your customers picturing themselves using your products.
If you are a service-based business, photos of you working with a client, talking on the phone, working in your office, working at a coffee shop are the style of photos you want to have.
Product photos: Make sure to get different angles and setting of your products, the more the better.
Details photos:
Product-based business: You cannot miss the detail/close-up photos of your products or photos of people interacting with them.
Service-based business: You can have close-up photos of your working desk, your workspace, or action shots of your hands working or interacting with the items that related to your business: computer, laptop, notebook, phone...
Horizontal photos: I can't stress enough about this because most of the time, photographers take vertical images for portrait/bio because they think (and everyone else does) these vertical photos are good for editorial pieces. And it's true but although vertical photos can be helpful but it isn't always good for website. It's very important to get some horizontal photos as well because these photos will work amazing for your website, they can be used for a banner, a hero section, a header, a background. And when you need a vertical, you can easily crop from horizontal photos to vertical photos which you cannot do the other way around.
USE COLOURS THAT ARE WORKING WITH YOUR BRAND
For example, if your brand focuses on minimal, neutral colors, make sure to to wear an outfit that also features those colours. Also make sure to choose a location that is matching with your brand style. By doing this, you create a seamless visual experience for your potential customers when they visit your website.
2. USE STOCK IMAGES
There are many popular stock photo websites out there, free and paid. I will list them at the end of this article so you can take a look. The most important is you need to know what you are looking for before you start searching for photos on these websites.
Here are a few tips to help you with:
Look for simple photos: If you want your website clutter-free, look for photos that are simple and will look good for the background or header or banners of your website.
Look for photo with your brand colours: It's very important to look for photos that are aligned with your brand. It doesn't need to match exactly your brand colour palette but as close as they can. For example If your brand is peaceful, calm, and soft, then choose photos that align with this. Doing this will strengthen your brand messaging even more.
3. STOCK IMAGE RESOURCES
FREE:
PAID IMAGES:
When you work with us, we will help you to choose stock photos that work best for your website. Have a question? Comment below.