BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY SOLUTIONS, RESOURCES AND USES
Every brand is presented with the challenge of maintaining effective digital asset libraries. Your marketing material, website, social media channels all require thoughtful picture consideration in helping create and maintain your brand image. Establishing the core foundations of lifestyle images versus technical or industry is only the beginning. Defining how to source these images to ensure the quality represents your message and vision can be daunting.
Here are five approaches you should consider when outfitting your brand with the perfect picture(s):
01 Do It Yourself
Between quality cell phone cameras and "prosumer" DSLR camera models, there are many options for you to shoot your own images. A little planning, maybe a few online Lynda.com photography classes, and you are off to brand image bliss. Price range $ - $$$$
02 Professional
Scheduling a photo shoot with a professional is easier than it sounds. In most cases, you can expect a budget of $2500.00 per day to yield 25 edited, ready to use images. This is an excellent choice to deliver brand images that truly represent you, your product and or your company culture. Price range $$$$
03 Royalty Free (RF)
Royalty free is the right to use intellectual property without needing to pay royalties. In most cases, there are limits and you are encouraged to know them. Many sites are available (Shutterstock, IStockPhoto, etc.) with millions of RF images. Each of them offers a range of prices aligned to fit different budgets, tools to help you narrow your search and easy to follow royalty free licenses. Dollar for dollar, RF images are often the most cost affordable when you factor the wide range of offerings and the use. Price range $$
04 Rights Managed (RM)
Rights managed speaks to who owns the image and the permissions granted under the license purchased. In other words, the rights of that intellectual property (image) are managed to the use, a number of uses, etc. In some cases, that perfect RM image, when used on a very limited basis is worth the larger dollars you will spend to use it for that purpose. Getty Images is a good source for RM images. Price range $$$ - $$$$
05 Editorial Use (EU) Photography
Editorial use utilizes the "Fair Use" exception in copyright law. Essentially, an image can be used for storytelling, but cannot be used for commercial advertising purposes. In most cases, this will be an image used when publishing a news story. Getty Images is a good place to start when looking for the perfect EU image. Price range $$ - $$$
Whether it’s a scheduled photo shoot, stock images or a combination of each, most brands benefit from having access to approved images that speak to the brand’s voice.
If you have questions regarding the best solution for your brand, feel free to contact us for a professional consultation.
Want to tackle your brand photography yourself? Check out our Three Tips to Better Photography post for a few "How To's.”
Aedieno is a boutique creative agency. For tradeshow, sales and marketing collateral design, please contact us.
