Why 99.9% of people poorly use their photos, and how you can QUICKLY fix yours

Photos and Video for your online biz brand are the whipped cream in your frappuccino, cheese in your macaroni, and a banana in your smoothie. Whatever you’re serving up to your customers is ohhh-so-much-better with quirky and unique on-brand personality-infused visuals that show people just WHO YOU ARE, what you’re like, and why they might wanna eat you up (or leave you untouched to get cold on the plate). The difference is that drastic. (And nobody ever gets fat!)

In your brand visuals people want to see your perfectly imperfect face, smile at the dimples in your cheeks, and adore the way your toes touch when you sit on your sofa and nerd out about your business ideas and principles.

They connect with your facial and body expressions.

They are curious about the paper-folded bird on your desk and the unusual ring on your finger - the story. And they’re interested in the weird painting behind your left shoulder (something catchy)…

They get a consistent brand impression (your shirts are pressed, your nails are trimmed, hair - clean, you’re positive and exude good energy) and values all across the platform (promoting drinking fair-trade monkey-poo coffee, supporting your local chipmunk preservation society, and donating used clothes to people who are rich with experiences but not with money)… all this good stuff shows up in our visuals and registers in their mind WITHOUT anyone having to make an effort to read a single line. It’s stupid fast! And it is impactful! Or rather - it CAN BE.

Here’s why I said “can be”, and not “is”.

Even though brand photography is at the highest point of popularity it ever was, unfortunately 99.9% of the online coaches either ignore, or don’t know about this high horse-power widget they’re missing out on. “Unfortunately” because if they didn’t ignore it - they’d be finding that growing their business, the hustle, the time it takes to become recognized - it’s all so much easier when your images TRULY support your efforts online.

Which is why I’m here, in my rented kitchen in Florence (Italy), where I currently work from and live in - on my nomadic adventure across the World, (and Europe specifically as of Fall 2021). And I’m fidgeting impatiently, editing this magnificent evidence to the value of my work - on the tip of this rustic kitchen chair, with the crick in my neck from too many hours in a non-ergonomic workspace - ALL FOR YOU, my friend. In hopes to help you blaze brighter and live louder.

Let’s take a quick run through all the good things images CAN do for you if you plan them right (and some things that happen despite your not planning, and that can work against you, if you’re not mindful). I’ll also give you examples to illustrate my thought-process when I work on a list of potential brand images for someone like you.

Visuals are the 1st thing we see

… and grasp with our conscious and unconscious mind.

It’s a given! After all - words are also images, but usually much smaller, and there’s a lot more of them. But, of course, people who are trying to prove the efficiency of visuals even go as far as making up stats like “images are processed 60,000 times faster than copy. Makes me roll my eyes so hard that I see green spots.

Which copy exactly? Which image did they use? How did they measure that?

It’s impossible to get a number like that. My friends who have their PhDs in neuroscience agree and chuckle along with me.

So let’s just accept that images are the 1st thing we see - always - and continue below to find out what exactly it means to us.

seT the mood

Visuals are the best mood setters (and obviously the most efficient) so be sure to create and manage that MOOD.

Are you grounding your viewer?

Do they feel elevated?

Are you pulling them into their dream destinations or feelings, leaving behind the ho-hum of everyday working grind?

Is your page comforting, like a big brotherly hug?

Or do you make them feel cold?

You can learn all about this and stimulate all human senses with my “5 Senses Framework” mini training (it is being re-recorded at the moment, pls signup to Newsletter to hear when it’s back up!).

Make people notice

notice YOU, and notice your content online.

Not every image will get you noticed. Most coaching brands use these dull perfected photos with their hands and legs “just so”. Photos that fail to create a connection with us. The only thing I (personally) notice about those photos is how much they make me shudder.

What most of us are drawn to is the CONTRAST. Contrast in light, in colors, in stories. Contrast in ideas, and in the way of life.

Stories. Not perfection.

Choice of an image will make or break the performance of your content piece when it’s placed in a feed to compete against other content for your attention. Scrollers do what they do best - they scroll and scan for something that will grab them by their eyeballs (or heartstrings). Will yours be lost in that sea?

MAKE US TAKE ACTION

Visuals trigger further consumption of your content. From headline, to the call to action - they often are the biggest reason people take the plunge down your slippery slide of a content piece. And there, in the end - they encourage us to take action. Or not! Are YOUR photos actionable? (which means they have to be EMOTIVE!).

Are you making your people want to read the title, read the caption, take the action? Or are you just using the image because it’s mandatory in order to create a post on Instagram?

Photos entertain

At least they are MEANT to!

One of my recent surveys shows that people look for very specific things in the photos they see. Once the image has caught their attention:

• they love checking out all the details in your photos

• want to see something new they haven’t experienced yet (e.g. in your travels)

• look for a “deeper” element or meaning - something that makes them “feel stuff”.

And you can make your photos MORE interesting by exaggerating your pose or expression, using props, and applying other elements of visual storytelling.

You also want to break patterns.

For example, if you have a highly expressive face, and all your photos and videos look like you’re clowning around, then a good contrast that catches their attention will be a photo of you looking completely normal, and not grimacing to make things super entertaining. Keep the variety up!

CONTRAST IS YOUR FRIEND.

trigger the emotion

photos have the biggest potential to trigger the emotion in our viewer. Visuals are processed by both hemispheres, and the emotional side gets to things much faster than the logical. Why use “flat” images when you can stir up powerful emotion in your people?

Go over your main messaging THEME-points and figure out what images would set the mood and get the emotion going. For example: 

If your message is “catch the wave/train/flight or any other opportunity for transformation” - then illustrate an act of grabbing that opportunity. Ideally with an entertaining twist (see the point above). 

make meaningful connection

And they do it fast (do YOUR photos do that?).

For example, when you look into the camera, you are connecting to the viewer with your eyes.

Eye-contact is so incredibly basic - people overlook it ALL THE TIME. But it’s very powerful. They are connecting with you and don’t even know it. So make sure there are enough closeups of you providing that eye-contact across your platforms.

How you come across and what’s your body language - these things are equally (if not more) important (depending on the image), so we’re being mindful of that when we think up the images for our shot list.

Subscribe to my newsletter to learn all the ways we can create a connection through a still image.

unforgettable 1st impression

There are different kinds of impressions. You can come out of your house today looking like a slob and most people won’t even notice you exist. But some WILL notice and you will become imprinted in their mind as a slob, even if they see you dressed to the 9’s everyday for the next 7 days. You can correct that impression with time and consistency, but that 1st one is a strong bond with their memory and the emotion they experienced when they 1st saw you.

I don’t always follow this rule myself, being a photographer and having an excuse to wear clothes that don’t attract too much attention, but you want to leave the house looking like you’re about to meet your future forever mate. Keeping that standard high shows people that you’re serious about being a stand up person. It’s like when men used to carry a handkerchief with them at all times - for the one time in their life when they are in the presence of a crying woman, so they can offer it to her. (I don’t know why I’m incredibly amused and touched by this. Where is my knight in shining armor with a tissue box in his backpack??)

They get people curious

So take the time to bring up subjects and stories that create that curiosity. You want to use this opportunity to stop the scroll and make people wonder who the heck you are, when you’re doing something unusual or even slightly outrageous. And eventually, with your “warm” audience you want to use consistent stories that raise curiosity, like - what’s up with all the ice cream eating and never getting fat.

The bar on image curiosity is still pretty low considering how poorly most brand images are planned.

We have a whole industry of quality photographers creating images that you ask them to do, and you need to learn to ask them for stronger images. They simply CAN’T be your artistic director, it’s a separate job on it’s own. So either become one, or hire one separately to work on your brand image IDEAS. (hint-hint: art direction is my favorite thing to do for other people, and this is what you get when you work with me)

Still images are globe-trotting mediators

Photography is more universal than any other communication means. It travels across cultures and languages.

Photo is a piece of real life - but focused on and frozen in a moment in time.

Why do you think Nat Geo is so big in the world of photography? The images they publish are powerful enough to capture attention and move the entire World.

(the company is also brilliant at marketing, but that’s another story)

But let’s simplify things to prove my point above.

As someone who’s been learning and speaking non-native languages all of my adult life, and became a pro at relocating and adapting, I must extend a helping hand to those who never challenged themselves with surviving in a foreign environment. I know that the majority of people - even in the developed World - have never left their own country, and if you’re not one of them please bear with me for just a sec as I describe the basic ninja-principle of surviving in the foreign land.

Have you ever been on vacation in a place where you don’t know the language?

Imagine you’re in Peru. You can’t read or understand what anyone’s saying. How do you find the nearest ice cream parlor?

You look at all the images and signs (also images) all around you. Something that typically gives away an ice cream shop -

This was a singular most primitive example, but the same goes for more global stories. Images like below clearly trigger an agenda and an emotion in everyone across the globe. 

What do you say?

Want some of this for YOUR brand?

Here are possible next steps:

• If you’re brand new to photoshoots - grab my shoot planning bundle to understand how the successful brand shoots are planned and what images you need to get you started.

• If you want to enhance your existing image creation efforts (you create ongoing videos - LIVE or recorded, you have done a photoshoot of two and feel like you can do better) - check out the “5 Senses” mini-training (it’s being re-recorded but signup to get news when it’s up!) that teaches you exactly how to use all senses stimulation to create more emotional images even before you get to your own act inside the frame.

• Want some serious and undivided 1:1 attention? There’s a 90 min 1:1 sesh we can start with, and after that you see if a VIP package or an ongoing project with me is something that’s a good fit for your marketing goals.

For me - the ultimate goal in branding with photos is for you to be blown away and inspired by your own brand. I don’t want to ever hear you say “I can’t seem to get it right, and after every shoot I still feel like something’s missing”.

Cover photo by Alex Radelich on Unsplash

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How are photogs similar to cakes + what can branding photographer do for you

Imagine walking into Whole Foods. 

They’ve got an okay bakery, right? They’ve got challah bread, naan bread (that yummy Indian flat bread that keeps calling my name every time I see it), cakes, chocolate chip muffins, oatmeal-whatever cookies - they’ve got a lot going on. 

So, on a regular night, you’d pick up your favorite simple-carb option (carrot cake for me! or chocolate!.. and you?), bring it home, eat it all at once (because who can ever stop? I know I can’t)... 

Congratulations! You just got fatter, and that’s not even the worst part. The worst part is that in 2 days you can’t even remember that you ate it. It’s so… ordinary. Even if it looks pretty…

Now… think about a special occasion. Think about a once in a lifetime event, like your favorite offspring’s 16th birthday. Would you go get a cake in Whole Foods? Are you saying you might? Ok, I’m not judging. But let’s imagine you’re on a sentimental side, like I am. I want the most special cake (last time I ended up getting three and freezing one for later) for my 6’2’’ tall “mom-I’m-no-longer-a-child-so-please-stop-treating-me-like-I-am”.

That’s the kinda cake (or three cakes!) we’ll talk about for a couple of years if not for the rest of our lives. #dontLetMomGoToBakeryAlone

I also won’t serve it right in a box, uncut, with a fork digging in straight into the pie.

It will be on a special “cake” platter, with a heavy glass cover, and it will be cut and served with the utensils I got from CB2 (the pretty kind). I’ll also get the candles on the cake, and there will be more candles all over the dining area. It’s a special experience that will make my heart melt to create and share with my loved one and our friends.

Now let’s go back to you and why you’re here.

You see… YOUR BRAND IMAGE ONLINE MUST BE A SPECIAL KIND OF EXPERIENCE. The kind that people won’t forget for a while. The kind people will forward links to their friends (my closest friends CONSTANTLY send me links to resources I might be interested in).

What does “branding photographer” even mean?

“Branding photographer” is specially trained and focused on creating images that will make your brand look SPECIAL, UNIQUE and UNFORGETTABLE. The key here is in their approach to planning the photoshoot with you much more than the actual picture taking.

See - most photographers are simply - technicians. 

• They master the camera and the light

• They figure out a few creative techniques that work for them and in their niche (be it portraiture, events or art) and they bang it out on an ongoing basis. It’s their system. Some may call it a “Style”.

The photographer I’m talking about here - knows BRANDING. They know ONLINE MARKETING, they’ve done it, they’ve invested, lost and made money using online selling methods. They know what people want from an online brand. They know what works visually, and most importantly - they’ve created a system that allows them to take anyone’s online platform and transform it using powerful imagery. 

They have no specific “style” per ce. They are flexible enough and good enough technicians to figure out the creative approach necessary to capture the images that will take your business to the next level of income and to the next level of badassery.

Now that I covered that - let’s review what such a person - a branding photographer - can do for you and your personality-based brand! And let’s use an abbreviation BP (branding photographer) for brevity of this post (which is not happening anyway, because when it comes to writing, I’m a “talker”).

1. They get you photos that allow you to grab immediate attention and proceed to capture hearts and minds with your images and your platform. 

That means - more signups, better conversion rates and therefore - bigger sales. Doesn’t that sound like “cha-ching”?

“I know I need photos for my website, but I’m not sure where to begin” - this is where we have the most fun. 

2. They give you confidence that you’ll get the images you need to uplevel your business

Working with a BP there is no question whether they’ll get your brand and you. It’s a question of whether you’re ready to unleash yourself and your brand upon this world. Because during the brand shoot planning work, while dotting all the I’s and crossing all the T’s - there’s no way in hell you and your branding photog won’t be on the same page on the shoot day.

3. They don’t just know how to use the camera, they are TRUE creatives and they specialize in BRAND creation.

“Regular” photographers are for “regular” people. If you want the sky to open up and to see a big hand come down and give you a lift up to the level where you see yourself be, as your business grows and gets established - you hire a branding photographer. They’ve got a magical “Visual-brand-thinking” hat, and once they put that on - it lets them figure out what perfect and catchy images you need most and how to get them for you.

4. They make you (and your audience!) feel SEEN, HEARD and UNDERSTOOD

BP understands the delicate aspect of speaking and appearing to your online audience in a very specific way while remaining genuine and authentic. BP takes the time to examine the details of your personal style and taste, as well as what appeals to your audience and can help you devise all kinds of possible ways of merging the two into your story brand and message. 

Showing your personality means getting the client you want. The client who already knows and likes you, is the more exciting to work with and help. And easy to sell to!

5. If you haven’t yet figured out everything about your brand - they can help you

BP can ask all the right questions about your brand. So if there’s something you need help specifying or focusing on, or brainstorming - they are a great addition to your team. 

BP KNOWS branding. They know what it involves to do the work and define the brand in the most precise ways - from competition and market analysis, to building the color/style and mood boards for your brand. They would not steer you wrong from what’s best for your business. They will challenge your vision and ask questions to help YOU gain clarity about your brand and to make the rest of the marketing EASY.

6. They are the outside brain that can help you identify your brand’s story

They pull out the stories you will tell your audience and connect them to imagery in a relatable and meaningful way.

They look out for your best interest, and are amazing to brainstorm ideas with. They have the visual experience you most likely don’t and they see the bigger picture, because they are not inside your head - too close to your business. They pull your focus where it belongs - on your audience’s experience and how to enhance it in a way they fall all over themselves in love with what you do and why you do it.

They can help you see different aspects, or angles, of things and invite you to get into details, so your brand provokes curiosity and entertains.

7. They are aware of all the latest trends and tricks of the trade

As a highly specialized business niche - they know the latest visual trends in the online marketing and will guide you in setting up your platform in a way to provide the best possible experience for your audience and to make you remarkable and unforgettable in their eyes.

8. They know online marketing so you don’t have to spend time getting them educated on your visual needs

They know what the sales funnel is and what the dynamics of it are. They know all about the cold and warm audiences and how to transition people from one level to the next. They’ll also help you better understand those dynamics so you can build a better sales machine inside your online business.

In all marketing terms - they speak your language. Lead pages, thank you pages, upsells, downsells, warm ups, email marketing, brand storytelling - they are your online marketing best friend who is like a golden retriever and a cheerleader in one bottle.

9. They will support you and talk you off the ledge

We all have doubts and bad days. We all get overwhelmed with projects that seem bigger than our heads. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone by your side who believes in what you do and will remind you how awesome you are when you most need it? Because chances are - by the time you two are done with the brand definition and a mood board - they believe in you more than you believe in you. Although, in my experience, once the mood board is done - nobody experiences much of self doubt anymore. Visuals have that kind of a power over us.

10. They can connect your design ideas and color schemes to the images that go well with them

Knowing all the design details they can see what kind of images will look best - based on the page’s visual theme, your style, the brand message and the mood. 

11. They will keep you accountable

Let’s admit it - when you’re working with a pro, you’re most likely under a contract, that probably has phases and deadlines established. And if you don’t want to lose your deposit or the money you pay them if they’re on a retainer - you’ll be completing the planning tasks assigned to you in a timely fashion, and not postpone this crucial step of building up your business for a month or 2 (which, as we all know can easily turn into a year or 2!). They are your accountability buddy - making sure the tasks are being completed and that you’re moving towards finishing this phase and things move smoothly towards your defined goals.

12. They know what you need on a technical side of digital imagery

They know about all the graphic considerations and image resolution specs you need for various corners of your online “party space”. They know about the copy space, and the margins. So when you plan your shoot, and execute - you’ll get the photos that are just right for your platform and fit the requirements of your web pages, signup forms and other assorted places, like social media, email signatures, profile pics etc.

13. A headshot is not the same as a profile photo.

And who knows the difference better than a branding photog? They won’t let you make the mistake of putting a low contrast pic that draws no attention to it - in the tiny square of your profile picture space. They’ll make sure to follow up as well, and guide you in making better image choices post-photoshoot (see my next point).

14. They’ll keep you “warm and hydrated” (as in “they won’t leave you high and dry”)

They will hold your hand through the usage and placement of the final product - photos - on your site, your social, and the works. It’s their honor and duty to do so. If anything needs to be brightened up, sharpened or color adjusted - they will work with you or your graphic/web designer to make sure those photos are giving you maximum boost and appeal.

15. They are partially your style consultant

They can help you figure out best props, locations, wardrobe, etc. to match your brand’s moodboard. They may not have them all at hand at your request, because every client’s brand is unique and you don’t want to reuse someone else’s ideas.

16. They’ll know what images will work better than you do

When you look at photos long enough - you’ll find that they all have certain energy and mood that they provoke in us. Your BP is an artist that can create a mood appropriate for the message you are sharing, based on the amount of experience they’ve had creating all kinds of moods in their photos.

17. They are GREAT at directing you to open up and be your best self during the photoshoot.

Unless you’re hiring someone who shoots flat lays (those images that nobody can stand anymore) your photographer has a great experience photographing people and knows how to make them look good. Everyone has different features that either can be highlighted or made less so, and nobody is a better master at those things than your BP.

I had some more coming, but I want to stop right here. Besides - we all have work to do and by now I probably convinced you to take certain precautions when choosing a photographer to shoot your brand photos. You also have some ideas on what questions to ask them during the initial consultation, right?

Cool.

Here are all the ways you can work with me as your branding photographer. Now, I’m real special in my field, because I also help people build brands. So there are quite a few options [offers are current and edited Nov 2021]:

• Power Portraits® package - helps define the personal brand along with its stories in one cohesive document, guides you while creating mood board, and climaxes in one (sometimes two!) photoshoots to cover all your immediate image needs and wants.

• The 1-on-1 time with me is becoming more and more precious, but for the moment you can still grab a 90 minute brainstorm or a consultation with me.

And if you’re not ready to get to work on your branding yet, sign up to get started with my regular coaching emails (you’ll get up-to-date info on trends and deals from me and my hand-picked and vetted affiliate partners (I’ll keep your information safe and sound).

K, bye!

Irina

PS: Sign up with for the emails that inspire you to build a more powerful brand. You’ll also get occasional tips and tools to make your online marketing easier, as well as fresh thoughts and other shenanigans I find worth (over)sharing.

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