People, digital and comms
People are as much a part of a brand than the products and services they sell. Happy teams, a warm greeting and first class politeness are the important ingredients of any great business and Lily have this in bucket loads.
Lily is a Leeds based multi award-winning provider of communications and IT solutions for business. They provide a wide range of innovative solutions for small to medium enterprises in the UK. Their services include phone systems, calls & lines packages, IT services, business mobiles and energy.
I was called in to provide a suite of image that reflected not only the physical aspects of the business (some 40 staff) but also the teamwork the business thrives on. The images are used across all platforms such as social media, website and print.
It was immediate from when I walked into the building that they have a very calm, professional and caring attitude. I was kindly greeted with smiles and nods, a firm handshake from Chris the CEO and was offered a coffee. I had 15 minutes to get ready so I settled in quickly. I was talked through what was happening for the next 30 minutes or so - a company wide strategy meeting, and they wanted pictures of that too.
As part of the day we had a boardroom meeting to do, lots of office and staff pictures and headshots. Images in the breakout pods and kitchen were a must.
Monthly business stragegy meeting for the MD and all 40 staff
Lily is a great place to take pictures and for several reasons.
Firstly, they have a lot of graphics within their working environment that reminds them all daily as to their mission.
Secondly they have a lot of different types of spaces that allows me to work the best angles.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the team are brilliant. They are engaging, helpful and flexible - crucial attributes on any shoot. Nothing is too much trouble for them. This clearly demonstrates the philosophy of the management team and the working practices of the business. Happy people deliver the best results and Lily see that as an important part of their brand. Great customers service inevitably follows.
The images shown below are those that I send to the client. They are edited but un-cropped. I prefer not to crop my images because the designer using them can have full flexibility of use. This can be really important to the end user as often the images are displayed with text overlay or headlines. Providing space all round the subject is always on my mind when looking through the lens. It’s not just the picture itself, it’s also the usage of it. As a designer too, this has always been important to me and so when passing the images over to another creative means I have done the best I can.
Providing images un-cropped means the designer can have complete control of how the image is used
The following images are a small selection of about 150 that I sent to the client. This will provide them with enough content for at least 12 months and demonstrates how a days shoot can provide great value for money.
Here are the 10 ways to make sure you get the best images from staff photography:
Understand the brief. What are the images being used for and what is the story being asked to tell. This keeps us all focussed on the aim.
Let the team know what is happening, why it’s happening and how long it’s going to take. This way those taking part can plan their own day around the shoot. Some people might only be required for 10 minutes whereby others more than an hour.
As a photographer it is important to be friendly. Yet it is also key to be able to instruct others what to do in a positive, respectful and constructive way. Try to develop a bond with your subjects. Mention how great they look for the shot or tell them its only going to take 15 minutes or so.
Be aware of your surroundings and what is (and what is not) available to you. Sometimes a planning meeting can help establish all the places, key people and opportunities for good pictures.
Be realistic. When you are dealing with people (as opposed to models) it is vital to be understanding, sympathetic and clear. Let people be themselves as much as possible. The shots will then look more natural.
Be in tune with the atmosphere of the business. Most are quite relaxed and informal, others might be a bit stiff and corporate. This is very much part of your work and reflecting on the culture of the business means tapping into it’s psyche.
Be professional at all times. You have a job to do and it has to be completed quickly. There may be many ways to deliver a staff location shoot and by talking them through what you want to achieve and mention how they can help is very effective. Inclusion is vital and treating everybody with courtesy is a given. It really is team work and you are part of that team.
Look for the human connection. I often ask staff too look at each other or perhaps one look at a computer screen whilst the other looks at their colleague. Its human connections that work best and eye direction can make all the difference to a shot.
Always tidy up afterwards if you can. It shows respect and professionalism. You son’t want to gain a reputation for being messy as you leave the shoot.
Always follow up with a phone call just to check that everybody is ok. Feedback, particularly critical feedback, helps you improve for next time.
You see, the art of any good photography shoot is how you treat others. The bond you can quickly make with a person is crucial because it relaxes people. Not everybody likes their picture taken. I would say it’s at least 25%. That makes the photographers job to settle the nerves key to the success of the day. Others are more than happy to take part and they make up for the more challenging scenarios.
Speed is quite important too. Nobody wants to sit around too long and the longer the shots take the more it will show on the final result. In my experience most sessions should only take 5 to 15 minutes. It’s when people are at their most fresh and natural.
Time out for a 1-2-1 briefing in one of Lily’s pods
You deserve the best
I am still surprised how many businesses still feel they can get away with a few snaps that somebody has taken on their phone or a friend as popped in to take a few shots for them. There is a place on social media for such images for sure. However, a great company deserves the best quality of any procured service and photography is no exception.
There is a place for stock photography too. There are some great offers out there for some stunning images. However, real people, doing real work in a real environment is where good businesses need to be photography wise.
You, your business and your staff deserve great photography to show prospects and customers what you are all about as an organisation. It lifts your profile, builds trust and it helps deliver on your promise to be the best you can within your sector. Great photography does not have to be expensive but it has to be right. Research widely, plan wisely and choose the right photographer to do the job.
I really hope that you have found this blog interesting and useful. Please feel free to connect on Linkedin as I post my blog links there too. And feel free to suggest any subjects you might want me to talk about for future posts.