Project Photos That Should NEVER Be Used
Don't waste your time taking project photos that will either never be used by a sensible designer or at the least never should be used. It's not so much that project photos are a waste, the problem is that 75% of project photos taken on the job are useless and do not benefit your marketing promotions in a favorable way, whether it be online or offline.
Ultimately, customers are not interested in seeing mid-construction photos that give the appearance of a sheetrock bomb going off in their kitchen. A good honest before photo and a clean after shot. This means no half used paint buckets, no scrap wood, and no tools on the counter – just clean & professional. If you can't look at a photo and say, "That would impress me", then keep taking them until you can. Pictures can be worth a thousand words, so make sure that your pictures should leave potential clients with only positive words.
One or two quality, high resolution images that are unique to your industry are a treasure and will help improve your overall marketing presence significantly more than a plethora of poorly lit, unfocused images that do your company no justice.
So, where do you go from here now that you've discovered that your priceless collection of project photos may not be so priceless? I get it, you're not a photographer. So, perhaps a few quick tips will clear this all up and set you on the road to success.
Let's start with lighting. If the lighting for a potential photo is poor, try getting a mobile floodlight or even a flash light to brighten up the colors and detail. Don't move! Blurry photos produce nothing but headaches. Remove any materials, tools, dirty towels, water bottles, etc. from the target area. Imagine Architectural Digest or some such magazine to get your minds eye in the right frame of mind. Think of the service that you want to promote with the photo that you about to take before you take it. Is it crown molding? Then, take a clean somewhat closer picture to highlight the quality of our work. Are you promoting landscaping? Then, remove the bouncy ball and garbage can from the front lawn before taking the picture. Finally, remember that designers can always shrink down larger photos but we cannot blow them up very much, so try taking higher quality photos if at all possible.
There's also nothing wrong with admitting that photography is not a skillset you possess! If you don't have the ability to take professional photos, there are people who can. Try reaching out to local photographers whenever you're completing a project.
About Harley Neal
Harley Neal is the Vice President of Direct Mail Marketing at Footbridge Media, a digital marketing agency, specializing in the contracting industry. He specializes in contractor print marketing design and print services.
