Photos on File, Right?

Recently I got caught breaking a basic marketing rule--one I am forever impressing upon others: Always have professional photos on hand to help promote your business.

How foolish to miss an opportunity to be featured in a newspaper or magazine, your chamber newsletter or other venue: “No I don’t have any photos of my widgets, or the factory... I could go take some with my phone or can you wait until next week?”
 

When an editor asks about the photos on your website, you don't want to explain they’re not yours, that you have no idea who the people in the photos are. Or worse you've seen the same photos on a competitor's website.  The best marketing photographs for any enterprise are real, showing your audience that you're real-- not part of some big, impersonal organization.
 

Andrea Peak, Gymnastics Studio owner, Worcester MA

As a photographer, I have thousands of images that I can readily share to show the range of my work.

But I did not have a business portrait of myself to help promote my company in connection with a marketing talk I am giving at BizConNH 2011 in October. Oops. Don't get caught without a good head and shoulders photo as well as other photographs that help tell the story of your business, school or nonprofit. You want the photos to have heart and do some work in expressing the feel of your organization, as well as how you can help your client.

Here are some portraits I’ve made of various business people. I worked with them to capture in a single frame their energy and personalities. Not all business portraits need to be suit-and-tie formal, but they should be professional quality.

Chef Luca                                         Harriet Sanford,President/CEO           Rosaly Bass, Organic Farmer

                                                         NEA Foundation                                                                                                                   

Peter Manso, Author                                                          Culinary Student, Jeff W.      

     Julie, Yoga instructor                                 Groton School Chaplain               Karen Allen, Actor/Entrepreneur

Robin Eichert, Principal                       Katina Makris, Author                            Gyakyi Bonsu-Anane, Film maker/Dad

PeopleSense Consulting                             

Katina Makris, Author                    Laura Putnam, Executive Director      Diane Kellner, Singer/Foodie
                                                     Summerhill Assisted Living

 Chef Linda                                 Tim Steele, Founder/President                  Estelle

                                                    MicroSpec Corporation                             MicroSpec Corporation