In my role as a commercial fashion and portrait photographer, how many times have I witnessed retail owners who had compromised on building appeal by using self-created or stock photo-images to showcase their products and services? To save money? But are they? Aren’t they really devaluating and misrepresenting their product brand and quality that they consistently strive to demonstrate?

Using custom photography makes you unique and can make an instant connection with your audience. It’s best to go for quality by selecting the appropriate image that effectively communicates the value of your service or product through lighting, expression and posing, appropriate background, props, angle, and composition to name a few conditions. In contrast, stock images are made for general use. Expressions can be overly exaggerated and unclear so that the message is lost. Viewers can discriminate between authentic images and ones that have more of a contrived feel.

Self-created images are also equally ineffective in advertising. Dead-on lighting is critical to the image’s impact. How many times have I seen dark and dull images? Do you really want your aquamarine bracelet to appear as a black blob to your customers? Do you want them guessing what is really the color of the stone? How would it looked paired with a tourmaline pair of earrings that a customer may wish to wear for a special celebration? Will they be tempted to look elsewhere? After all, it’s only one sale lost. This mis-information sets you up for a negative association with your business when what you want is a positive regular buying relationship. You want them to think of you first above your competition.

Be thoughtful in your photo selections. Choose photographs that directly relate to your product or service as it really does make all the difference.