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Let’s start with me posing a scenario that either you’ve experienced or someone you know in marketing has experienced, if not recently. You’re overwhelmed, your marketing team is slammed with deadlines, and someone on your team offloads the responsibility of taking product photos to an inexperienced photographer or a company intern for use on your brand’s e-commerce site, website or social media profile. You’ve met your deadline and maybe even come under budget, so you think you can move on to the next project, but you discover there are errors within the files, inconsistencies with quality, and concerns with overall polish. It is at that moment when the little voice of reason in your head starts to think, “What did I just do?”
Because we’re living in a very fast-paced, very digital and very visual-centric era, it’s common to overlook the importance of quality imagery. When you start to think about the scale in which your photos will be used, seen and shared (many times over), those photos now become synonymous with your brand. Quality photography doesn’t just focus on taking an image of the product in the shot, it captures how that product is conveyed under the lens of your brand. Are the colors and lighting truly right? Are your products styled properly? Is the background consistent with your product and brand? Do these photos consistently match the storyline of your campaign? All of this can affect your brand’s perception among your customers and ultimately your business success. If you are thinking to yourself, “Wow. I’ve never thought about it that way before,” then read on.
Speaking Louder Than Words
Colors have an incredible psychological impact on human emotions and decision-making. According to ColorPsychology.org, “The color, make, look and feel of a product affects 93% of the [consumer’s] buying decision.” In a crowded digital marketplace, where every brand clamors for attention, the right color palette can be a brand's secret weapon. Pantone, one of the worlds trailblazers in the realm of color, built their most iconic Color of the Year campaign around this single principle. This campaign's ripple effect has seamlessly woven itself into the fabric of our decision-making, shaping trends and guiding the creative landscape across industries.
Professional photographers understand the nuances of color and its impact on perception. They possess the ability to select and manipulate colors that align with a brand's identity and message, establishing an emotional connection that resonates with your audience.
Cultivating Aspiration and Desire
As we touched on previously, professional photography remains an invaluable asset for emerging brands looking to get established, especially within saturated markets like beauty and wellness. When it comes to e-commerce where a single image is often the only introduction a potential customer has to a product, a professionally captured photograph can make all the difference. The precision of composition, lighting and focus that an expert photographer brings to the table can elevate your product beyond mere pixels. Their direction coupled with your brand’s vision can transform a mere item into an experience – an aspiration a customer desires to be a part of. Kodi Collective did just that with one of our clients, Commando, a cutting-edge intimates and garments company. Read more about how we did it here.
Driving Action Through Storytelling
As a marketer, you always need to be two steps ahead, juggling multiple campaigns at once. Organization is key. If you’re an established brand in the beauty and cosmetics market, you most likely have multiple product launches in a year. Your business can’t put all their eggs into one basket, just as you can’t afford to put all your creative energy into one campaign. For the best results, it is critical that every element of your content is consistent and your teams and vendor partners care about your brand as much as you do. By investing in experienced professional photographers, their expertise can help to remove uncertainty and make it easier for you in the long run. When you find the right creative partners, you can leverage their partnership time and time again to ensure your visual storytelling remains on point and you can continue to nurture, grow and drive your audience with that mind-blowing imagery.
Enhancing the Visual Magic
While the best photographers will capture near perfect photos, seemingly untouched by human hands, the last bit of visual magic will be crafted through meticulous retouching and, in some cases, with a mix of artificial intelligence. AI allows for easy adjustments in product images and can help brands to avoid added costs like reshoots due to last-minute product changes.
In the realm of retail marketing, retouching is the masterstroke that fine-tunes imperfections, making products as desirable on screen as they are in real life. From removing minor blemishes to accentuating the smallest details, retouching doesn't just present a product, it crafts a narrative. But not every retouching or post-production specialist is created equal. It takes expertise and a fine eye to understand the balance of maintaining an image’s authenticity while also enhancing its beauty.
Professional Photography Remains Indispensable
For brands navigating the competitive landscape of retail and e-commerce, professional photography isn't just a luxury, it's a necessity. It's a powerful tool that can level the playing field, giving your brand a chance to stand tall alongside established giants. With every click of the shutter, emerging brands capture not just products, but aspirations, promises and unique voices that speak directly to the hearts of their audience. Professional photography can forge a brand’s identity, offering a conduit to authenticity, emotion and distinction.
At Kodi Collective, we help brands build and enhance their portfolios of creative content. Our in-house studios, network, creative talent, and production expertise has helped established and emerging brands, build their portfolios with high-quality, visual content that captivate and inspire customers. Our experienced photographers work as an extension of your team to provide creative oversight, project management and production leadership. We deliver your images on time and on budget because we care about your brand as much as you do.
