Guest blog: Power of photography

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While it may be easier than ever to take high resolution digital pictures, to be a good photographer takes more than just a good camera. Commercial snapper Nigel McMillan explains more.

A good picture is worth a thousand words.

Yes, I know it is a well-worn cliché, but how true it is! The photograph is an essential tool for getting attention and then arousing interest in an article or product.

Magazines rely heavily on the front cover image to initially attract attention and then hold it with various offers of the delights inside. Similarly, adverts use a photograph to get the viewer’s attention in the hope that the copy will then be absorbed as well.

Thousands of photographs are now taken every day using phones, tablets and even cameras. It has never been so easy or so cheap to get a reasonable photograph.

Unfortunately, some firms have decided that they can save money by doing their own photography. Nothing wrong with that idea and it can work well.

But, even in the days of sophisticated point-and-shoot technology, there is no substitute for experience: the photographer has to know how the camera is dealing with the subject and be prepared to overrule the technology if it isn’t giving the required result.

This is very easy to see on a website such as Rightmove.  The quality of photography for houses ranges from superb to dreadful and potential customers can be easily put off by poor photography.

I have been a commercial photographer for 30 years but I am still surprised when a company commits to spending money on a new brochure or advert and then uses poor photographs which don’t do justice to the product or service on offer. This is known as spoiling the ship for a ha’pworth of tar.

Good photography doesn’t cost a fortune these days and always gives good value for money. Try it the next time you need new advertising, a brochure or new photography for your web site.

About the author:

Nigel McMillan is a specialist commercial photographer with more than 30 years’ experience and has just moved to Cornwall from Lincolnshire in search of new challenges.

www.photo43.com

1 COMMENT

  1. I agree with this Nigel and I do think we are starting to see the use of good photography growing with sites like Pinterest promoting creative images and companies seeing the benefit of good photography and how it can promote a brand or product online.

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