Business Photography: Business trips provide opportunity for documenting your brand in action

When packing for your next business trip, don’t forget your camera.

It has long been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and visual representation (of your product, your brand, or even your team) can be very valuable in distinguishing your business from the competition. Many business people overlook this powerful tool, but with a little strategy, visual imagery can make a business trip, event, or meeting a lot more meaningful and useful to you and your company in the future.

When packing for your next business trip, don’t forget to pack your camera. Then look for opportunities to record the events, people, products, services, and venues. Even a work dinner or lunch can be important to document. Forethought and planning will help to create images that will be meaningful and helpful to you. Here are a few things to think about when trying to document your trip:

• Think about what is important to you, your company, and clients. What would you like your co-workers, clients, and potential clients to know about your company?  What is it about this trip that tells a story or illustrates a strength that could be presented to a supervisor or client?
• Don’t forget to look beyond the obvious and pay attention to the minutia of the trip.
• What type of reporting are you responsible for?  Could you use this material for PowerPoint presentations, displays, pamphlets, advertising, websites, trainings, or webinars?
• When thinking about what pictures might be helpful, decide who your audience is and what would be important to them.  What is it that you want to illustrate?
• Be sensitive to others around you who may not want their picture taken.  Avoid being gauche by not taking pictures of proprietary and sensitive materials.  Don’t overstep your bounds.

The use of photographs that are substandard or uninteresting can cause a certain amount of ennui or actually be a distraction from your intent. Do not use photographs that detract from your message as, again, the message photographs send can be more impactful than words. Here are some keys to giving your photographs panache:

• Lighting is key in creating impactful images. Consider whether your subject will be in the shadows or in bright light. Dramatic lighting makes for dramatic photos. Four techniques for lighting on-the-go include:

1. Shoot in the first hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset if shooting outside.
2. Don’t be afraid to use your flash especially in the middle of the day.
3. Light from an open window creates nice lighting.
4. Don’t be afraid to move the subject or change the direction that you are shooting to change the lighting.

• Look for people interacting with one another or the product. Look for emotion as that draws the viewer into the image and helps them relate with the scene.
• Decide if there is a unique perspective or angle that you can shoot the event or product from. Many of us settle for the eye level shot.  Try viewing the scene from a low angle, a high angle, or viewing the minute detail of a product or a scene. Make the image interesting from the point of view you shoot it from.
• Look for patterns or colors that make the image interesting.
• Above all else, does this image tell the story you want it to? Does it paint your company and/or your product in a positive light? Does it document the event or venue? Can you use this image to report on your company or build up your clientele?

Business photography can be a powerful tool for you and your company.  When traveling to business meetings and events, don’t forget to bring along your camera to capture images that will provide clients a sense of who your company is and what you represent.