Should You Hire a Professional Photographer?

Should you hire a professional photographer to market your business? Y’all know the answer already. Yes, yes you should.

In an age where there are a bazillion online ads that are marketing services and products, it’s easy for your content to get lost in the clamor. 

So what do you need to catch — not only people’s attention — but their investment as well? Hiring a professional photographer can serve as a strategic business move to stop the scroll, communicate a clear message and compellingly prove the credibility and worth of your work.

In our hustling culture, many people spend less time reading descriptions and more time making judgments and decisions simply based on the pictures they see. Pictures ARE so powerful in our communication. Professional photographers ensure that.

Here are 3 reasons you should hire a professional photographer:

Match Your Words with Professional Photography

A professional photographer will listen to your vision, look at what you have, give insight, create clever set-ups for shooting, and deliver photos that MATCH your descriptive words! Killer captions that are equally matched with quality photos are compelling. You need pictures that are not worth just a thousand words, but a thousand clear, strategic, and compelling words. Don’t leave people confused or suspicious about your products and services. 

Pairing a fantastic description with a LOW-quality photo taken with your phone and a filter slapped on does not give your business credibility. Your claim may say “it’s amazing,” but your photo says, “I can’t prove it to you.” You know those back-in-the-day business deals, where two suited businessmen made eye contact and shook hands? That’s like what a professional photographer can accomplish in today’s culture. It communicates, “I just discussed the deal with you in my caption, here’s the sign that I’ll deliver exactly that.” The claim in your messaging is evidenced and proved trustworthy by quality photos. And you can’t get those without a professional.

Prove the Trustworthiness of Your Products with Consistency 

Not to get too nerdy with the technical aspects of editing software, but professional photographers shoot RAW images for high quality. They then “paint” on color and light and texture and so much more until the image authentically matches your products. Editing isn’t a matter of just adding a filter and—Wallah—it’s ready to go! Instead, it involves altering hues, saturation, luminance of multiple colors, highlights, shadows, mid-tones, and seriously, a million other parts. Is your head spinning yet?

Professionals know how to shoot and edit in different lighting scenarios and locations, delivering photos with a consistent vibe. Their in-camera expertise in addition to their editing skills is so helpful for controlling the consistency of your online presence. The message it sends is: “If you purchase this product/service, you don’t have to wonder what it will look like; what I’m showing you is what you will get!” Show them instead of just telling them! Have ALL your photos communicate that same message. A lack of consistency leads people to feel a lack of confidence in investing. Cell phones and beginner cameras with beginner knowledge of editing software cannot give your marketing the consistency it needs to be trustworthy.

Save Time and Money By Investing in a Professional Photographer

Won’t it be expensive to hire a professional? Well, photographers spend thousands of dollars on professional equipment, and hundreds of hours learning complex editing software and using it. They’ve invested in backdrops and items that will add a pleasing aesthetic to the photo that will stop people in their tracks. As a business owner, you can save yourself time and money by offloading this task to a professional. Don’t kill yourself by running every aspect of your business yourself. The time it takes to learn how to do this at a professional level and then do it, AND the money required to purchase QUALITY camera bodies, lenses, backdrops, lighting, etc., will not save you money! There is no shame in hiring professional help; in fact, it’s a wise and strategic business move.

Hiring a professional also communicates that you value your own products and services. You’ll get buy-in when you are spending money to showcase well what you have to offer. Your products and services are WORTH being staged and photographed with quality equipment and lighting; and edited by experts to communicate their worth through photography.

Hiring a Professional Photographer is Crucial for Business Success

In todays world, professional photography is now a bare minimum standard if you want to look like you’re in the same league as your competitors. It’s hardly about just standing out anymore and is more of a minimum requirement. Without professional photography, you stand out for your lack of effort, which translates subliminally to the level care for your brand and thus to your product and services. Professional photography is a necessary component of branding success.

Don’t just choose to have a presence online, choose to have a consistent presence with a clear and trustworthy message. Save time, energy, and money. Do your marketing WELL, communicating your vision BETTER with photos that match your words and give you credibility. So, should you hire a professional photographer? Absolutely!

Stratifi Creative works with local photographers including Fredericksburg photographer, Madeline Brooker

This blog is brought to you by one of Stratifi Creative’s photographers, Madeline Brooker. For commercial photography, including headshots, brand imagery, product photography or lifestyle photoshoots for your brand, contact us. If you are looking for family portraits, engagement or couple photos, maternity or newborn photography in the Northern Virginia area, you can find Madeline at madelinebrookerphotography.com or on Instagram.