What is PR photography and why it matters?
We’ve all heard the quote ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ and it’s as relevant today as it was a century ago. In the world of PR good photographs are essential tools of the trade.
Over the years Sir Richard Branson has become famous for his carefully crafted PR stunts promoting the Virgin brand. Using imaginative and memorable PR photographs has ensured that publicity regarding his businesses has featured centre-stage in the media across the globe.
Whatever product or service you are promoting, using the right image to sell your story is crucial. The right photograph will make your article stand out in what is a competitive and crowded media market. If you’re going to take the time, trouble and expense to promote your new product or service, it makes good sense to ensure that you illustrate it with a photograph that will do it justice.
Why then, do so many pictures miss the mark and how can we make sure that in future our PR photography is not only relevant but also powerful?
What is a PR photograph?
A large part of the problem is that we are all now armed with a smartphone and consider ourselves budding photographers who are more than capable of capturing an image.
The perfect PR photograph, however, is much more than a quick click away. A good PR image must condense your objectives into one picture which tells the whole story and entices the observer to read on, preferably to the end of the piece.
Attracting the attention of influential editors, reporters, bloggers – all those responsible for media coverage in press, TV, radio and online, is your main aim. They will decide how much coverage to devote to your article and a great image (rather than an average one) will certainly sway their decision.
Don’t forget, just to reach them your communication will need to rise above the hundreds of other messages which are bombarding their inboxes every hour of every day. Will a photograph taken by you do the job? Unless your name is David Bailey or Don McCullin, invariably the answer is ‘No’.
How to take the perfect PR photograph
So here are some top tips to securing a shot that will amplify your story and make it stand out from the rest.
What is the message? Be clear about the key message that will be conveyed in your PR article and how a photograph can help to sell your story and reflect your brand. Understanding your target audience is vital as is the knowledge of where you want the communication to be seen.
Select and brief a PR photographer. Don’t be put off by thinking that using a professional will be prohibitively expensive, prices have come down dramatically in recent years. A photoshoot may cost a lot less than you imagine and the quality of the resulting pictures will make a real difference to your media coverage.
Use a professional to art direct the shoot. Professional photographers know how to capture a great image, but they don’t necessarily know much about your brand or company. That’s why you also need to have an experienced art director on the shoot.
An art director will help the photographer to understand the brand values and the nuances of the picture you are wanting to create. Working together, they will be able to produce an image which will give your story the edge it needs to succeed.
Set the scene Spend some time selecting and preparing the location for each photograph. It’s amazing the difference a quick clean and tidy up can make, especially in an industrial environment. Check the lighting and think about the best angle for the picture – will it look more dramatic to shoot from a height or from the floor?
Do you need to use any props? Certainly pictures of people usually benefit from the use of props. Consider ideas before the shoot and, if relevant, arm yourself with suitable props to take along on the day.
Do you have all the right consents? Check and double-check that everyone is aware of your impending shoot and that they are happy for you to take the pictures. You may need to get signed consent forms for photographs which include people. It may also be necessary to let stakeholders know where the subsequent article will be circulated.
Why PR photography matters
When your story is seen, the first thing your target audience will focus on will be your image, that’s why it must bring your story to life. A compelling image not only increases the chances of your article being published but it also makes it more memorable for the reader.
It doesn’t matter whether your story is seen digitally or in print, the perfect picture is critical to getting it noticed.
Here at Leapfrog Marketing we specialise in B2B marketing and PR. Often, therefore, our subject matter for photography can be quite industrial as it is usually concerned with logistics, manufacturing and engineering businesses.
However, we’ve won praise for our PR pictures by art directing some great photographers who are willing to go the extra mile in a challenging environment to capture a creative image.
Make sure your future PR pictures don’t miss the mark – for help and advice on PR photography call Alan Myers at Leapfrog Marketing on 0116 278 7788 or email: alan@leapfrog.uk.com