Custom photography isn’t quick, easy, or cheap. However, it can take your project to new heights. 78 percent of online shoppers want photographs to bring products to life. It’s going to be difficult to do that with stock.
Before trying to convince you that you should pay for custom photography, we’ll look at the other side of the coin—a few reasons why it might not be right for your project.
When Custom Photography Might Not Be for You
Lower Budget Production
Custom photography may simply be a luxury you can’t afford. And that’s okay. A limited budget may mean that a better allocation of resources is put toward other production needs like web design, marketing collateral, or copywriting.
The Project Has a Short Self Life
If your project is looking to take advantage of a current trend and that may be quickly outdated, an investment in custom photography might not be wise. It can be a time-consuming process, and if you’re on a short turn around, it can be more trouble than it’s worth.
You Don’t Have Specific Needs
Sometimes the visual requirements of a project can be basic. We’re not saying your project is basic. We’d never say that. But the images you have in mind could be generic in nature, which means your needs can be met with high-quality stock images. Since stock photography has a wide range of options, it can suit various themes and styles.
When Custom Photography Is Right for You
You’re here to be sold on Mad Genius’ razzle-dazzle, so here we go. Let’s look at a few of the factors that go into answering yes to the question, “Should I shoot custom photography or not?”
Do You Need To Get Specific?
The most apropos time to shoot custom photography will always be when you need to get really specific. You must show a certain building or certain images based off specific scenes in an original script (brilliantly written by one Mad Genius super talented writers). These are times when it isn’t just the best option—it’s the only option. Images, like the ones from Mad Genius’s “So Much More” campaign for Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance, could never be replicated from stock images.
Showcase Your People in the Field
This is a must when you want to show off your people. Check out some of the great work we did for Alliant Construction below. Sure, we could have dug through stock images and found some random actors in hardhats, but the level of authenticity from real workers on the job can’t be beat. A steelworker looks and moves like a steelworker. Unless you’re getting stock images of Shang-Chi doing business, you can end up with images that look wooden.
Custom Photography Lets Your Unique Business Shine
Your project will never suffer as a result of getting the perfect photos that are just right for you. Nobody else will have these photos. You’ll be the only one who has these beautiful images that highlight your brand in exactly the right way. If you want the ultimate creative control and liberty over your project, custom photography is the only one way to go.
Are you looking to shoot some custom photography, or maybe you just have some question for one of our geniuses? Use the calendar below to schedule some time to chat.