It is undeniable that everyone is familiar with what a photographer is, what they do, and the kind of product they deliver. It is even understood that photographers have specializations regarding the subjects in which they photograph yet it is far less common to think of the benefits professional photography work can bring to a business be it small or a fortune 500 company.
As a photographer I have worked the gauntlet trying all the different subjects and trying to figure out where I fit in. It wasn’t until about 8 years ago that I discovered I had a special knack for making images that could be used to promote, and market commercial subjects. Be they colleges, performers, or businesses.
See people everywhere in the world can understand a photograph. It transcends language barriers and has the ability to reach very, very large audiences. This is something I learned 10 years ago from a photographer whom I was fortunate enough to meet during my world travels. It stuck with me and unknowingly got written into my base code of thought— I never actively thought about how my images could be more yet I was always shooting for the purpose of them to have multiple uses.
There are great benefits to hiring commercial, marketing, and branding photographers. Their work is for the sole purpose of gaining recognition and attention to your business or career. Their work is designed to stand out from the crowd in such a way as to intrigue the audience into wanting to learn more, or purchase a product.
I have worked for universities photographing their schools and student bodies. Where my job has been to capture the campus and show an inclusive, diverse, and engaged and happy student body. I have worked with performers where my job has been to capture their act, the wowing aspects, with all the stage lights to wow an audience to use to promote their shows.
I have watched images I have taken grace billboards, go viral, and become print marketing. I have watched little kids get excited to hold a picture of their performing hero in their hands, and I have watched businesses flourish because they made the investment in hiring a professional to create images to put their product out there. At the end of the day there are far more benefits to cons when hiring a photographer to promote your business. Yes they charge more for this work, but the licensing and ability for business growth should outweigh the cost to hire. Take a risk, make an investment for the future!