"Any industry that depends on the publics enthusiasm for its products must have ways to make the public aware of that product" ain't that the truth Zuri's!
Photo campaigns do just that, they help educate and make the public aware of your product offering. With the tremendous growth and reach of various social media platforms, pictures are definitely a great marketing tool for small business .
I recently browsed through the photoshoots we've done over the years and i realized that I've come a long way from my very first photoshoot in 2011.
Each photoshoot has been a learning curve and a means to implement what I had learnt from the ones prior. Take a walk with me down memory lane as I highlight some of my favorite images from our photoshoots gone by :)
2011
You'll know i love purple, so this amethyst necklace though long gone, forever has a place in my heart
2012
My sister was my model for this shoot, bless her. Family support in a small business is invaluable
2013
My most expensive shoot till date. Money not well spent but it was fun.
2014
2015
This was my first true expression of self, when i decided to not let my culture dictate the tone of the shoot. My culture will always influence my style but it won't always be in the drivers seat.
2016
2017
My tulle and flower shoot, this is one shoot I would like to go back in time and do over. I would push the makeup even more on this one
2017
Now, to the important question, What have I learnt thus far;
- If you are like me and you have lots of crazy ideas constantly running through your mind, take your time to fine tune your ideas and make them into a cohesive thought or message for your intended audience. Looking through a snap shot of our past photo shoots, i can tell when my mind was all over the place :)
- Once you have the concept or message you want to pass across to your intended audience, make it personal, tell a short story. You don't have the big money that major brands, have so play on emotions, color, trends .....
- Be creative and different, its not about how much you spend. Big brands spend millions of dollars on campaigns that you can't compete with. Pour the same creativity you put into your products into your photoshoot. 2013 was till date the most expensive shoot I've done and my biggest expense was location. Was it a creative location...No, did it add anything different or extra to the shoot......No, so why did I spend all that money? I was fixated on an idea that really didn't translate well.
- Find like minded people to collaborate with, this helps to save money and could also bring a fresh perspective to the ideas you have. Having said that, If you have a vision for your shoot, don't just work with anyone, just because its free and they are available. For example, picking the right photographer to capture your vision is super important, ensure that whomever you pick can tap into and hopefully enhance your vision
"Every photographer’s path differs when it comes to setting up a photography business, so it is important to stay true to who you are as a person and a photographer. It’s important to understand the difference between being unique and being different. Being unique and being authentic to who you are will set you apart from other photography businesses. Knowing who you are and what your passions are will help you to define what it is that makes you unique." shootdotedit . Check out more information Here
- Be in control of the shoot. You know what direction you would like to go and the message you want to convey. Listen to any critique or advise from your team but ensure that you are the one making the final decisions and that includes letting go of the reigns if you trust that the team you are working with understands your vision.
- Never forget that you are selling a product. It is not about the model, background, setting, its about your product. If it enhances your product, thumbs up. If it draws attention away from your product take it out.
- And finally, you don't get any do overs with a photo shoot. It takes a lot of planning to put a team together and to get everything just right . Get it right the first time and leave no room for regrets.
Have an awesome weekend Zuri's and thanks for reading.
Edited August 17th 2018