You could do your own photography.
Here are 9 “DIY” photography semi-fun facts:
Many business owners think professional photography is easy and that it’s not worth investing thousands of dollars into stunning pro marketing photos. Why?
Because in 2024, everyone’s a photographer! Your smartphone has more power than ever before, and surely you’ve got enough of an eye to make your business look good online.
How hard could it be to take some decent snaps of your business, right?
Here I share 9 points you need to get right to take your own marketing photos about your business:
1. Know the Right Angles
There is no need for creative composition or thoughtful framing. Generic photos are just fine; no dramas. Every shot’s a winner when it’s taken on a smartphone.
Tip: Shoot what looks good to you. After all, if you like it, so will everyone else. Just point, shoot, and select the images you really like.
2. Using Light Doesn’t Require “Know-How”
Natural light, ceiling lights—whatever’s around will do. Using light to capture images that look good is easy.
Tip: Ceiling lights and windows are sufficient for taking photos. You don’t need to know about white balance or colour profiles, which can affect the final look of your photos.
3. Know How to Frame an Image
A perfect shot? Captured with the correct ratios and lighting? Nobody even notices that stuff, so why stress?
Tip: Chuck the subject in the middle—she’ll be right. Don’t worry about framing ratio rules that make a photo aesthetically pleasing.
4. No Need for Extra Helping Hands
You can perfectly stage a scene, adjust the lighting, and take the shot simultaneously without any help.
Tip: Use what you’ve learned about staging a scene and lighting. You’ll be fine.
5. Equipment Is Overhyped
Pro cameras? Expensive lenses? Don’t bother! You can easily adjust the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO on your (mobile or digital) camera without any practice.
Tip: Stick with your phone. Keep taking photos on your mobile—there is no such thing as bad images when you can take hundreds of photos and select only the best ones.
6. Learn What Sells
You know what your customers want to see. You are an expert at capturing the little details that resonate most with them, driving more business.
Tip: Take photos of all sorts of things—just any pictures will do, really—that you think will bring more business to your door and resonate with your audience.
7. Editing Photos Is a Breeze
Filters can fix anything, so there’s no need to worry about advanced editing tools or techniques. You don’t need skills to make every image look good and pop without overdoing it.
Tip: Use your general good taste in design and knowledge of cropping, framing, and adjusting the lights without overdoing it. A good filter can make any photo “pop.” Bob’s your uncle.
8. You Have All the Time in the World
You can spend hours setting up and taking the perfect photos when you’re not busy running your business.
Tip: You’ve got plenty time to take a step back, slow down, be creative, plan, do the shoot, and then sit down and process all the images.
9. Anyone Can Take Photos
You’ve been running a business long enough to know what looks good in a photo. You don’t need to become a photography composition, style, or storytelling expert. Just snap away—no need for fancy photography skills.
Tip: Keep snapping. You don’t need “photography” experience to take photos. The more you take, the better your chances of getting one decent shot.
You Got This! But…
If you found the above list kind of exhausting, I got you.
Photography can only seem simple until you’re deep in the weeds, juggling lighting, composition, editing, and trying to capture images creatively that actually sell your business. Suddenly, the fun of snapping photos turns into long work hours, and the results aren’t always what you expect.
That’s when you might realise—maybe it’s worth bringing in a pro after all. Not because you can’t do it yourself (you totally can!), but because you don’t have the time, years of experience, or patience to capture what will bring you more business.
