How To: Elevate Your Brand Presence with Photography

There’s no question that photography is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. A single image can spark curiosity, trigger inspiration and—perhaps most importantly—help you effectively tell your brand’s story.

At MPB, we make photo kit more accessible so creatives can expand their storytelling opportunities. By adding photography to your repertoire, you can showcase unique elements of your brand that allow others to see it in a completely different light. 

While picking up a camera for the first time may seem intimidating, we promise it doesn’t have to be. All you need is a bit of know-how, a creative vision and the kit to help you bring it to life.

Stop the scroll.

With most people glued to their smartphones, getting people to pause the endless scroll on social media is essential.

Rather than following in the exact footsteps of competitors, find what makes your brand unique and let that be the focal point. Tell people who you are, what your mission is and what makes you different through the lens of your photos. People are naturally drawn to interesting stories, so don’t be scared to tell yours in an authentic way. 

What makes an undeniably unique photo? It can be a simple pop of colour, a visual representation of a new concept, an element of education or even something beautifully imperfect. Unique characteristics will always engage your audience in an organic way, even within an algorithm.

Look good, feel good.

We’ve all heard this about personal appearance. However, we’re talking about the connection between your brand’s visual identity and the way others perceive the brand.

Don’t forget—your product only registers as high quality if it comes across in the customer's first impression. Make sure to export your photography with the highest resolution possible. If you are planning to post it on social media, exporting the image to 2000 megapixels max or the “save for web” option ensures that there won’t be any disappointing compression happening on your social channel of choice. 

When shooting lifestyle photography, set up near a window to maximise natural light. Most cameras come with the capability to brighten images using ISO—a calculated range of your camera’s sensitivity to light with low numbers indicating low sensitivity so a darker image, and high numbers a high sensitivity, or a brighter image. Refrain from using too much ISO to minimise grain (you can always brighten a darker image in post-processing) and consider prime lenses for optimum sharpness on close objects. A prime lens is at a fixed focal length (as opposed to a zoom lens),  but impressively high f-stops, allowing for sharp images and isolation from the subject and background.

Prime lenses have one fixed focal length, so they require you to physically move closer in exchange for unparalleled attention to detail. The 35mm focal range provides a refreshing wide angle and a pleasing lifestyle quality. Alternatively, you can opt for a blurred background to make your product pop with an 85mm lens. 

Reinforce your central message.

Conveying a coherent message is key – but it’s important to achieve this through more than just text. While many cast imagery aside and focus exclusively on their brand voice, you can get ahead of the game by pairing powerful photography with a sharp copy. 

Impactful visuals don’t distract from your message—in fact, they almost always have the exact opposite effect. So don’t be afraid of 'overdoing it' when it comes to your use of photos. If you’re using enticing images in your branding efforts, there’s a good chance people will want to see more of them. In fact, they could be the primary magnet drawing people in. 

Reinforcing your central message can come in different forms, so you should always welcome variety in your photography. Different types of promotional photos include flat-lay (bird’s eye view of products on a flat surface), e-commerce (products isolated on a white background), lifestyle (your product or service in action), lookbook (directed photography with models), and conceptual shots (driving a central message with an abstract visual idea).

Show, don’t tell.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but photos help you express yourself and your brand in ways nothing else (not even words) can. Sometimes a striking visual is all you need to impress consumers. Most people would rather admire a gorgeous view than read a long-winded caption, so too much text can often work against you. Say what you wish to communicate, but let your visuals be the star of the show when appropriate.

That being said, we’ll take our own advice and wrap up this post, so you can start sharpening your photo skills to bolster your brand. 

Find kit that works for you.

Before you start shooting, make sure you have a setup that works for you. For exceptional portability and top-of-the-line features, consider upgrading to mirrorless cameras such as the Canon EOS R, Nikon Z6 and Sony A7 II. If you’re not sure where to start searching, we’re always happy to help you find the perfect setup.

Once you’ve found the right kit, it’s time to study the basics of composition in photography and put together a plan that will help your brand shine. Whether you’re searching for motion-stopping strobes or equipment that withstands any weather, we can help you sell or trade, so you can use those funds to upgrade your gear.

What visual strategies have helped your brand succeed? Let us know on social media by tagging us @mpbcom. To spark further inspiration, read more helpful tips from the MPB content hub.