5 Brand Photos Your Website Is Probably Missing

There’s nothing quite like getting halfway through a website update and realizing you have 47 beautiful vertical photos and absolutely nothing that works behind the headline on your homepage. As a Nashville branding photographer, I see this happen all the time. Business owners invest in beautiful brand photos, only to realize later that they don’t have the right images for the way their website is actually designed.  You want your branding photos to work harder for you and that means getting the right photographs. Your website needs images that tell your story, create connection, give visitors a feel for the experience you provide, and work within the layout of your site. That means thinking beyond the traditional headshot and planning your brand photos around how you’ll actually use them. Here are 5 brand photos your website is probably missing.

1. An “About” Photo That Isn’t Just a Headshot

Of course, you need a great headshot. But your About page should tell visitors more about you than what you look like. Consider photographs of yourself working, doing what you do, or show more personality type portraits. Maybe you’re meeting with a client, creating something, teaching, speaking, working with your team, reading a book, or simply having a conversation. Maybe it’s a photo of you laughing or interacting with someone rather than looking directly at the camera.

These images give potential clients a glimpse into who you are and what it might feel like to work with you. A strong About image helps your website feel more personal while giving visitors a better understanding of the person behind the business. This is so important because people connect with people, not floating heads.

2. A Strong Horizontal Hero Image

This one is probably the most commonly overlooked. You have the perfect vertical photo for Instagram that you love and looks amazing on your phone. However, those vertical instagram photos usually don’t fit your website. Soon your web designer asks for a horizontal image to use across the top of your homepage, and you don’t have one. 

I always encourage my clients to think about their website first when planning a branding session, instead of social media. Social content and marketing are important, but your website comes first! 

Your homepage is often one of the first things someone sees when they land on your website. It needs a strong image that can work within a wide layout without awkward cropping. 

3. Working-With-a-Client Photos

One of the most powerful things your website can do is help a potential client picture themselves working with you.  This can be done in so many ways, but it requires some planning. Show yourself greeting a client, having an in-person or virtual meeting, giving direction, or laughing and interacting together. These images give context to your services, and helps visitors picture themselves in the experience before they every click “contact” 

For service-based businesses especially, this type of imagery can be incredibly valuable because the experience is part of what your clients are investing in. Therefore, when they see imagery of you interacting with a client in a way that feels warm, genuine, and professional, they can start to envision themselves in that same experience leading to more people who want to work with you. 

4. Detail and Close-Up Images

Your website needs variety. If every image is a portrait of you, your website pages can start to feel repetitive even if the photos themselves are beautiful. To ensure your website feels fresh and tells your story, include detail images in your branding session.  Think about including photos of your hands typing, or using the tools of your trade.  Capture your workspace so clients can envision you at work. If you have products, including images of them, or the details of what you create, is essential! You want to showcase what you do in different ways, by including the things you reach for every day.  

A close-up of a designer working on a project, or a business owner writing notes can all add visual interest while giving visitors another glimpse into your world. These images are also incredibly useful throughout your website when you need something to break up a large section of text.

5. Photos With Intentional Negative Space

This might not be the most exciting type of photograph to take, but your website designer will thank you for it! Having photos with negative space allows you to include necessary headlines, buttons, and text.

If every photo is tightly cropped around you, there isn’t much room to add other information. That’s why intentionally photographing images with negative space is so important.

An image with open space above or beside you can work beautifully for a website banner, service page, or call-to-action section. As a bonus, these photos are also great to use on social media to add a text or caption in the negative space!  

Thinking through the needs of your business and how you will use the photos makes a huge difference when you’re planning your branding session and when you’re actually putting your website together. 

Your Website Doesn’t Just Need Good Photos. It Needs the Right Photos.

Your website should feel like your business. Try to think through what makes you and your business unique.  Do you love teaching or frequently interact with clients or team members? Let’s photograph you in your element. Maybe you have a favorite coffee shop where you work that we can go to to show a different side of you and your business. If you’re prepping a new launch, want to promote a signature product, or give people a peek into your creative process we can work that in too! Let’s not forgot the personality driven images. People love to see the real you as it helps them forge an authentic connection. I love showcasing business owners enjoying their favorite hobby or including a personal detail that reflects something about them.  Not to mention, personality images make your website feel more real, memorable, and trustworthy.

That’s the difference between simply getting brand photos and creating a strategic brand image library. If you’re a Nashville or Franklin, TN business owner planning a website update or realizing your current photos are outdated or don’t represent your brand anymore, I’d love to help!

Together, we can plan a branding session around your website, marketing, and the story you want your images to tell. Reach out to start planning your brand photoshoot and create images that are aligned with your business and work harder for you!