How to Build Product Photography That Supports Your Marketing Strategy
Shot for Path Water’s Core line. Wide angle to increase flexibility for use across channels. ©Juj Winn
Every brand wants scroll stopping images - something that feels “on-trend” or “cool” or “fresh.” Bright colors, clean light, sparkly highlights, glossy reflections. There is nothing wrong with wanting your products to look good, and no one is suggesting that tapping into attention grabbing trends should be ignored. The problem is when the desire for a cool aesthetic overrides what you need to support your goals.
Strong product photography should work in service to your strategy. It helps shape perceptions, build trust, attract the right customers, and build on the story you want people to remember when they are choosing between you and your competitors. If you ignore strategy you limit what your photos can actually do for you.
START WITH THE GOAL, NOT THE VIBE
Before you think about choosing colors, props, or compositions you need to ask yourself, “What is this image or shoot supposed to accomplish?” Not “what should it look like” but “what should it do.”
When brands jump right to appearance and skip purpose the photography becomes disconnected from the rest of the marketing plan.
BUILD IMAGES THAT SOLVE PROBLEMS
Good product photography should make someone’s job easier.
Clarity reduces customer service issues.
Consistency strengthens recognition.
Thoughtful styling removes distraction and increases the number of ways an image can be used.
When you design your images around these needs you get assets that work across more channels and for a longer time.
MAKE CHOICES THAT SUPPORT YOUR BRAND VOICE
Every brand has a voice. Calm, playful, minimal, bold, approachable - whatever it is it should be visible in the imagery.
All the choices you make in deciding on an image communicate something. Lighting, color, props, and angles help set the tone. A clean composition can be read as trustworthy. A rich color palette can suggest warmth or luxury.
The key is cohesion. When brands match their photography to their voice the visuals become an extension of their identity. Cohesion gives you a competitive advantage because it builds memory.
(Check out my work for examples of intentional brand photography.)
REVERSE ENGINEER THE SHOT LIST
A strategic shoot doesn’t start with “what looks cool.” It starts with, “Where will these images live and what do they need to accomplish?”
Think about placement - homepage, paid social, Amazon, packaging, PDP, etc. Each placement has different needs.
When you build your shot list around those needs you end up with photography that performs better because it is made for its environment.
THINK BEYOND THE MOMENT
It’s easy to treat a photoshoot as a one off. But the brands that think a little more long term get a better value. They look where they are headed and ask for images that can support that growth.
This doesn’t mean you have to plan a year ahead. It simply means thinking about how your visuals will evolve so the assets you create today still make sense six months from now.
Images built with strategy in mind stay relevant longer. They help you build a library of assets that fit within a visual world instead of just a collection of unrelated shots.
AESTHETIC MATTERS - STRATEGY MATTERS MORE
Your product photos are often the first impression someone has of your brand. They’re also one of the most cost effective tools you have to communicate your intentions. The right images support your brand strategy at every level. They help you reach the right customers, refine your message, build trust, and define a visual identity that feels unmistakably you.
When you shift the conversation from “what should this look like” to “what should this do” the photography becomes more than just a pretty picture. It becomes a business tool that actually pays off.
If you’re interested in creating product photography that supports your strategy, get in touch. I’d be happy to talk through your next shoot.