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Your Brand Story and the Role Images Play in Storytelling

Your Brand Story and the Role Images Play in Storytelling

by | Oct 13, 2020 | Content Creation

The Blog

Your Brand Story and the Role Images Play in Storytelling

Your Brand Story and the Role Images Play

Every successful business has developed and shared its story in a way that their audience can relate to.

A 

brand story is how you build strong, emotional connections with your ideal audience. Your products are an addition to that. You may create unique products, but what people are really buying into is the story you put out into the world. It’s what your customers resonate with most and why they become loyal to you and your brand over time.

Build the Foundation 

Your brand story is what builds the foundation of your business. It’s what helps your ideal audience understand who you are, what you do, what you stand for, and why they should choose you. Your story is what they care about most and why they, ultimately, buy from you. Share the most authentic pieces of your story that people can relate to and care about.

 

Every story has a beginning, middle, and end. Your brand story is no different. The beginning is where you want to be clear. Who is this story for? The middle is where you address the problems and struggles your audience may have. And, the end is how you can help.

 

Your customers are the main characters of the story. You want to give them a visual example of where they fit into your brand. They need to be able to see themselves and their problems answered with the help of your product.

 

How you want your audience to feel when they come across your brand should be incorporated into your designs, logos, color palettes, and packaging.

Where Your Photos Come In

Using your product images to help tell your brand story is the easiest way to deepen the connection with your audience. Specific elements like models or props are a great way for you to make your brand more relatable.

 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – people relate to people. The types of models you use, how they interact with your products, what they’re wearing – everything goes back to your brand story, and what it represents. When you know your ideal customer and understand their journey, it’s easier for you to create the right images that resonate with them most.

 

If you outsource your product photography, connect with someone who understands your story and how you want to share it. If you struggle to communicate your product photo ideas to your photographer, I cover everything you need to know here.

 

Your images should show how your products solve your customer’s problems. Use your photos as a way to capture how they make people feel, what it can do to help make life easier, etc. There’s a lot of power in visual storytelling. Share yours in a way that captivates your audience.

Conclusion 

Every piece of your brand story (the good and the bad) needs to be told. It’s the not-so-glamorous parts that your audience will most likely relate to. How can you incorporate that into your visuals? Create solutions through your photos. Your brand story should show how you can help others solve their biggest problems and why you are the person who can solve it. Your audience wants to feel understood. Sharing every aspect of your story with them builds trust and stronger relationships.

 

If you want to reevaluate your offer or go back to some of the necessary steps because your company is brand new, then let’s talk. The Creative Boss Society is where I’m teaching other creatives how to use methods that I have applied in my brand and business to grow. I will help you get straight to the strategy that is working for you. Let me know if you have any questions. I’d love to help! You can also find me on Instagram.

Your Brand Story and the Role Images Play in Storytelling

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About Crystal

 

Crystal is the Creative Director, Photo Stylist, and Commercial Photographer behind Crystal Clear Creative Studios. From increased sales, visibility, and trends to conversions and full production, Crystal and her team, experts on the subject matter, provide clients with confidence to take your photography and videography needs off your plate. We support you in your growth with the creation and implementation of transformative ideas.

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The Best Digital Journey for Your Photos (From SD Card to Social Media)

The Best Digital Journey for Your Photos (From SD Card to Social Media)

by | Sep 17, 2020 | How-To

The Blog

The Best Digital Journey for Your Photos (From SD Card to Social Media)

The digital journey for my photos is just as important as the photography shoot itself.

O

nce I’ve taken the images that I need, the next steps I take determines how they’re going to look on my websites, social media platforms, client websites, etc. Here’s what works best for me that might work best for you. Learn the best digital journey for your photos from the tips I recommend all my clients.

The Uploading Process

 

There are several ways to upload and share your photos to your computer. Depending on the file size and how many images you have, you may need bigger cloud storage like DropBox or Google Drive. If you’ve outsourced your product photography to a professional, this will most likely be how they will share your photos with you. The sharing feature makes it easier for you to get your shots without diminishing the quality. Using additional storage also helps keep your computer free from too many files on the desktop. iCloud is another great option to use if you’re taking your product photos yourself.

 

I prefer to use Lexar Professional SD Cards they are generally more reliable and come in a larger size so they fit well for someone who likes to snap a lot in one sitting. I insert my SD Card straight into my computer, where I can immediately upload the raw files into the cloud storage. I avoid uploading the photos directly to my computer because I take so many, and it could fill up space on my Mac desktop quickly. 

 

Best Photo Editing Programs

 

Some of the best photo editing programs to use are Lightroom (my personal favorite!) and Photoshop. Both have a learning curve if it’s your first time using the program, but photo editing is what takes your photos to the next level. Lightroom is easier to master and is geared more towards bloggers AND photographers, which is why I like it so much. Its a quick easy adjustment to the light, hence its name. Lightroom allows for all the presets we love but also to get that light and bright look that I love! But even as a beginner, it’s a great tool to learn and use. Tons of pro photographers use it as a primary editing tool.

 

If you’re taking your own product photos, I’ve created some simple presets you can use to add the finishing touches and maintain consistency. They’re geared to be similar to my style but also to help with adjustments fitting flat lays or products. So whether you’re on the go with the mobile Lightroom app or working from home on the LR desktop, the CCP Presets gives you the basics guide for the presets and installation. I even added in a quick video to give you tips on what you can adjust based on what color or light setting you might want to change.

 

What Not To Do

Some things to avoid when it comes to your product photography are taking screenshots and saving smaller versions of the file to your computer. You also don’t want to download it to your phone and then use that size to upload it to your website. Your phone is meant to auto-size in some cases so you can end up with a low quality image that way. At the end both screenshots and smaller versions you save to your phone can diminish the quality of the original image, leaving you with a blurry photo. Although it’s easier and more convenient to do, it’s not worth it. Never use any but the original or edited photo on your social media or websites. It looks extremely unprofessional.

 

File Formats To Save Your Photos In

 

The best file formats to save your photos are JPG and PNG, this is key when you are exporting them from Lightroom or Photoshop. When you’re shooting in a camera you want to make sure to save your files in a RAW file format, this tends to keep a lot more information stored from the image and gives you better editing ranges when it comes to light and color. The RAW file will leave you with more information to work with when editing, and you’re less likely to diminish the quality of the picture in the process. You can also recover more than you can with a standard jpeg. That just means if you’re looking to add more light where the image is darker then you won’t have as good a chance at recovering that if the file isn’t a RAW file. However, you cannot share the files until they’ve been post-processed in a photography program like Lightroom or Photoshop.

 

JPG and PNG are ready-made images that almost all social platforms accept. You can share these easily and have more room to store your photos since they take up less data. However, when you edit and resize them repeatedly, the image quality begins to degrade, leaving you with a blurry image. To avoid that make sure to always copy from the original file or jpeg to avoid that.

 

Conclusion

 

Once your photos are edited and ready to go, it’s time to upload them to your website and social media. The digital journey is a process that takes some work, but the results can end up in more sales and a loyal following. If you need help with any of these steps, send me a message, and I can help. We can also chat on Instagram!

 

 

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About Crystal

 

Crystal is the Creative Director, Photo Stylist, and Commercial Photographer behind Crystal Clear Creative Studios. From increased sales, visibility, and trends to conversions and full production, Crystal and her team, experts on the subject matter, provide clients with confidence to take your photography and videography needs off your plate. We support you in your growth with the creation and implementation of transformative ideas.

Resources

 

Business Ownership

Content Creation/Marketing

How-To

Connect

 

Common Photography Terms You Should Know

Common Photography Terms You Should Know

by | Aug 20, 2020 | Content Creation

The Blog

Common Photography Terms You Should Know

You’ve made the big jump and outsourced your product photography to a professional photographer.

N

ow, it’s time to communicate everything to them – what they need to know about you, your business, and your brand. Afterall you have to know the photography terms so everyone is on the same page.

 

This will help ensure your photographer will capture the perfect shots that fit exactly what you and your business need. So, before your next photoshoot – take a look at these commonly used terms to familiarize yourself with the lingo your photographer may use. You’ll be able to walk into the studio with confidence.

 

Brand Shots

 

Brand shots are what introduces your brand to potential customers. Think of how you want your first impression to be as a business owner – this is what your brand shots need to illustrate. Use these photos to build your know, like, and trust factor with your audience. They should be customized to you and your brand. This is the time where you show your audience what it is that sets you apart from the competition.

 

Product Shots

 

These are the photos of the products you are selling. Explain to your photographer what you want your customers to take away from the photo when they’re looking at it for the first time. What is the story you’re trying to tell and, ultimately, sell to them? 

 

Some examples include strategically placing products in a natural environment, having models use your products, or you placing the products in a way that shows off the little details. Whatever it is, your product shots are a major part of your business and should be planned out accordingly.

 

Catalog Shots

 

These are the images on your storefront. The ones required by Amazon and wholesalers to have that crisp white background that blends flawlessly with the website.

 

Catalog shots are one way to help display your product and all of its features. This type of photography is designed to make it clear what your product looks like, what ingredients it has, and other label warnings and specifications. It’s the guarantee that your customers know what they’re getting, how to use it and what’s in it. It also steps up your product game and gives your brand a professional look!

 

Flat Lay

 

A flat lay is a type of photo taken from an aerial point of view. Many photographers prefer this method to help showcase the product(s) you’re selling in a “natural” state. Your product and props are strategically placed to help convey the story you’re trying to tell. This helps to give your customers a better visual of your product in its entirety. The flat lay theme can be different every time and can range anywhere from a behind-the-scenes set up to a staged environment.

 

DSLR

 

This is the type of camera your photographer will most likely be using during the photoshoot. DSLR stands for Digital Single-Lens Reflex and can capture high-quality photos. DSLR cameras are usually the cameras of choice for many photographers because of their many features and the ability to switch out the lenses.

 

SD Card

 

This is the camera’s memory where every photo your photographer takes is kept safely. The camera records the image or image file onto the SD card in different formats – RAW, JPG, PNG. RAW files usually contain more information and take up more space on the SD card. However, this also makes them more suitable for editing.

 

Every SD card has its storage capacity. The higher the gigs, the more storage space you have for more images. 

 

Conclusion

 

Knowing the photography terms that could come up in your next photoshoot will give you the little boost of confidence you need for the next time you outsource. If you’re struggling to make the leap and let a professional take over your product photography, check out my top tips to help overcome outsourcing anxiety and fear. If you’d like to learn more about what it’s like to work with a product photographer, let’s connect! I can answer any questions or concerns you may have. You can also connect with me on Instagram!

 

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About Crystal

 

Crystal is the Creative Director, Photo Stylist, and Commercial Photographer behind Crystal Clear Creative Studios. From increased sales, visibility, and trends to conversions and full production, Crystal and her team, experts on the subject matter, provide clients with confidence to take your photography and videography needs off your plate. We support you in your growth with the creation and implementation of transformative ideas.

Resources

 

Business Ownership

Content Creation/Marketing

How-To

Connect

 

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