Every time I see my client’s success grow following one of our brand photography sessions, I’m inspired to help even more like minded individuals.

I love helping people build their brands, make an impact on their audiences and showcase their skills and products.

New images for social media channels, digital marketing efforts and traditional advertising pieces (brochures, business cards, handouts, direct mail) pay off for them every time. 

I recently worked with Rachel Shippee, a personal fitness trainer who wanted to strengthen her business. 

Through a little pre-planning and some pointed styling and posing cues, she and I were able to capture some fantastic brand images that have added muscle to her marketing and sales efforts.

Here is the story of her brand photography session.

Planning

We started by having a conversation about what she wanted her photos to accomplish for her. She told me about her journey becoming a personal fitness trainer, how she felt that she had reached a plateau and why she wanted to keep pushing and building on her success. 

She wanted to boost her online training platform, in addition to securing more images for her marketing materials.

The digital environment she was creating for her clients was a way for her to reach more clients, maximize her time and add new revenue streams to her business.

This is a classic case of working smarter not harder, and I was eager to help make her vision a reality.

Styling

In Rachel’s case, brand photography for fitness trainers meant more than just a couple of shots of her working out, spotting her clients at the benchpress and doing some advanced yoga poses. 

Her online training program offers tutorials and lessons, so she needed photos to demonstrate the powerful moves her clients would be tasked with performing.

We built a list of needs and kept the photo style consistent from one to the next so they would be recognizable and cohesive for her audience. She and I wanted a uniform and professional look to emphasize the credibility and authority of her training.

Rachel knew that photography was her ticket to greater marketing success but had never done a brand photo session. She was feeling a little lost and clueless about the process.

A fitness enthusiast myself, I was able to make her feel at ease by offering useful wardrobe, location and lighting suggestions. This gave her confidence that we’d ultimately get the images she was craving for her brand. 

Posing

Posing came naturally to Rachel during this photo session. She was used to giving instruction to her fitness clients, so she understood how important it was to listen to the photographer and follow my posing cues.

We started with the basics then added in more advanced techniques as we both got loosened up. We were able to build a well-rounded gallery of images during our session.

We worked through the list of photos she needed for her training platform, too. These were a little more structured than the natural workout photos and provided Rachel with a versatile collection she could activate for multiple uses.

Results

Rachel really enjoyed her brand photography for fitness trainers session. She said it was fun to do, and would “unquestionably” do it again when it’s time to refresh her images.

The collection of professional brand images she now has is super valuable for her and the continued growth of her business.

Rachel says, “The pictures turned out great, and they have definitely brought more attention to my posts and provided a level of professionalism I was missing.”

Before she contacted me, and even during our session and post-production timeline, Rachel says she didn’t realize how much she needed a brand photography for fitness trainers session, nor how valuable to her the resulting images would become in strengthening her brand. 

Going above and beyond my clients expectations is what Taylored Photo is all about. I’m glad Rachel is happy with the photos we captured together,  and I love watching her business grow in all of the ways she was looking for when she first came to me with her initial vision.

If you’re a personal fitness trainer who could benefit from brand photography, I highly encourage you to do yourself and your brand a favor by scheduling your own brand photography for fitness trainers photo session. The impact can be exponential.

The top rule I learned in art school is that rules are meant to be broken — but you have to know the rules before you can break them. 

This applies to all kinds of art. You’ll need to study form and function, the rule of thirds, light and shadow, proportions, rhythm and much more.

Once you know these principles, the techniques of using them, and why they work, then you can have fun playing in your studio. Coloring outside of the lines is encouraged, but you need to know where the lines are first.

These days, a lot of people are breaking the rules first and figuring them out later, which is honestly a good way to get more people to participate. Spending time and money drinking way too much coffee while toiling away in Berkeley or Annandale isn’t for every aspiring small business owner.

The old fashioned way has stood the test of time, but as the world shifts and changes faster than ever, we’ve learned to follow the facebook motto; move fast and break things.

Let’s face it, once the “For Dummies” series of how-to books were unleashed on the world, going the long way ‘round lost some of its appeal.

With that in mind here’s a crash course on how to use typography over your branding images. 

What is typography?

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable and appealing when displayed.

Why is typography important in graphic design?

When typography is done correctly, the layperson is pretty much oblivious to the process that made it so. It’s beautiful and it’s effective.

The importance of typography lies in avoiding disasters. Make sure you double-check and triple-check your work.

In the big design houses, whole teams of people are employed just to edit and proofread copy before it goes out the door. By the time consumers see it, dozens of sets of eyeballs have reviewed it. That’s also true of any photographs or illustrations that go with the text. 

Typography is important to graphic design because it’s rare that the photography can tell the whole story on its own. Hugely famous brands can get away with it on occasion, but small businesses don’t have the brand recognition to pull it off.

Many times, words on graphics are used to tell the audience what the company wants the consumer to do. This is the call to action and every effective marketing piece has one. Phrases like “Book Your Trip Now” or “Come in to test drive the new model today!” give the consumer an actionable task to complete. 

Other times the text includes important information and answers important questions — Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. It fills in the details so your audience isn’t confused.

If they’re confused, you’ll have to cross your fingers that they’ll take it upon themselves to fill in the blanks. It’s  better to give them the info they need in the first place; let the text do the work so they don’t have to. 

What’s more important in design: images or text?

They’re equally important. Even though a picture tells a thousand words, an image without text doesn’t say enough about you, your product, your business or what your customers should be doing next. And a plain block of text has a very hard time capturing attention.

The imagery catches your attention, and the text makes the sale. 

 As you’re scrolling through Facebook, which text posts stick out? It’s the ones with the silly, colorful backgrounds, right? They’re a break from all the other posts and somehow feel more important, or at least deserve an extra second of your time to decipher. 

Tips & Shortcuts

You don’t actually need an over-priced fine arts degree in order to be artistic. A little bit of know-how goes a long way these days, and this blog is meant to give you some timesavers and quick wins.

If you’ve already got your personal brand photography gallery in place, congratulations. You’re in good shape. Now all you need to do is choose a message, a font and a layout. There are lots of easy online tools that will assist you with it. (Canva is a very popular option.)

The first step is to choose your photo. Take your time to get a good one, don’t settle for one that has easily correctable issues. Never say to yourself, “Oh it’s fine, no one will notice.” 

FACT: People will notice. 

If you’re still in need of photographs, contact me and my team at Taylored Photo Memories so we can do a photo session for you. You’ll get the images you need AND guidance on how to use them.

Second, write your message. Some designers would tell you to pick your font and layout before you make the text fit the space, but if design and text are equally important then this step should really come second. 

You want a message that’s short and punchy. Attention spans are getting shorter and every second counts. Get your point across quickly and with impact. Don’t waste any characters. But also don’t turn it into an unreadable Twitter post with excessive use of abbreviations and shorthand.

Now comes the fun artsy part — bringing the photo and the text together. 

Make your copy stand out. The quick and easy way is to increase your font size or give your text a contrasting color. You can also add a shadow, echo or lift effect in Canva or your favorite graphic-making tool.

You can also try altering your images with a slight blur or maybe some transparency. If you’re using Canva or a similar software, after adding text to your picture, select your image and open the filter window. Then slowly move the blur slider to the right. You can preview your photo becoming blurrier in real time, and stop just as your text comes into clear view.

Another way to make good use of your brand photography is by adding text to an image’s negative space. Look for open skylines, large areas of repetition such as a brick wall, a cloudy sky, a forest of trees or even a block of color.

You can also ask your photographer to take some shots that intentionally give you room to work with. Check out some examples from some of my recent sessions.

There are as many ways to make text on images look good as there are colors of the rainbow. Hopefully these few quick wins can set you on the right path. As Bob Ross always said, “We don’t make mistakes — we have happy accidents.” Every misstep is a learning process and presents a new way to solve a problem that might just make the whole picture better.
Putting text on images is just one way to define your brand and only a small step on your successful branding journey. For the complete roadmap, check out the Ultimate Brand Checklist.

In today’s fast-paced digital era, where capturing and retaining the attention of consumers is paramount, building a strong brand identity has become crucial for businesses of all sizes. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through professional photography.

The power of high-quality images in creating a lasting impression on potential customers is undeniable. Brands that invest in professional photography are often able to communicate their message more effectively and build a stronger connection with their audience.

You Get a Visibility Boost

Professional photography services can easily help increase the visibility of your business. By producing high-quality images to use on social media, websites or advertisements, you can attract more customers who are interested in learning more about what you have to offer.

Professional photos are also great for press releases or company profiles as they help create a cohesive look and feel that represents your brand well.

Another Layer of Credibility

High-quality images can make all the difference when it comes to creating an online presence that is trustworthy and reliable.

Customers will be able to get a sense of the professionalism behind your brand and trust that you are providing quality products or services when presented with well-crafted images.

Helps Showcase Products or Services

Product shots or images related to your services can be used strategically throughout different platforms from websites to social media posts to printed materials, such as brochures or flyers.

If a customer is unable to physically come into contact with a product, then having quality images available helps them gain an understanding of what it might look like before making a purchase decision.

Pros Come Equipped

A professional photographer has access to all the necessary gear and equipment needed for any photo shoot — from lighting equipment to backdrops — which helps ensure that each image is crisp and clear regardless of the setting.

They also have experience with various editing tools, allowing them to adjust colors, contrasts, saturation levels, etc., ensuring all images appear natural yet polished.

They’re Skilled in Photo Editing

Professional photographers are highly skilled in photo editing, which has become an integral part of modern photography. They use various editing software programs to enhance their photos and manipulate them to match their creative vision.

Photographers can adjust the color balance, contrast, brightness, saturation and other parameters to improve the image’s overall quality. They also use specific editing techniques to remove imperfections, such as blemishes or distracting elements in the background.

An Expert Can Set You Up for Success

Professional photographers have a deep understanding of how to stage a product shoot to showcase the item’s best features. They have a trained eye for detail and can identify the product’s most crucial selling points, such as its texture, size, shape and color.

Photographers also understand how to position the product and how to capture angles that will create interest and intrigue, drawing in the viewer’s gaze.

Put Your Images to Work

Having professionally-taken photographs can put you ahead of the curve when it’s time to design marketing materials. And, if you’ve decided to put most of your budget toward a photographer, you can save money by using a free design platform like Adobe Express to get the most out of your photos. Here are some of our favorite ways to use professional images in marketing:

• Brochures: The Adobe Express product brochure creator is a user-friendly tool that enables businesses to create stunning product brochures. With a wide range of customizable templates, it allows brands to showcase their products and services in a visually appealing and engaging manner.
  
• Flyers: The Adobe Express flyer maker is a great tool for designing visually striking flyers that incorporate business photos. With easy-to-use templates and powerful editing tools, you can create custom flyers that effectively communicate your business offerings while showcasing the unique characteristics of your brand.
  
• Opening Soon Poster: Using the Adobe Express opening soon poster creator, businesses can easily create professional-looking posters to announce their opening. With a variety of templates, graphics, and fonts to choose from, the process is quick and seamless.
  
• Photo Collage: The Adobe Express photo collage maker is a great tool for businesses to showcase their products, services, and events in a visually appealing way. With a variety of layouts and creative options, businesses can easily create high-quality collages to share on social media, websites, or other marketing materials.
  
• Web Page Design: With the Adobe Express website page maker, businesses can easily create beautiful and engaging web pages to showcase their photos. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to design pages that are visually appealing and display images in a creative and professional way.

Professional photography is a powerful tool for building a stronger brand identity. It helps to create a visual language that speaks directly to your target audience, conveys your brand values and tells your story in a compelling way.

With so much competition out there, every brand needs to find ways to stand out and make a lasting impression. Professional photography can help you achieve that and more. Invest in high-quality photography and watch as your brand grows stronger, gains more recognition and becomes a force to be reckoned with in your industry.

For more information about how we can help boost your brand, reach out today!