Photography is Crucial for Blogs

Make photography part of your content marketing strategy if you want to lead the game.

High-quality photographs are a must-have for all professional websites and blogs in the world. If you are not willing to offer the best visual quality then don’t expect to have the best results.

Nowadays, blogging is one of the most profitable businesses in the digital world. With more than 4.4 million blog posts published every single day, it is safe to assume that Blogging is a thriving business for all parties involved.

Blogging is also the cornerstone of any professional Content Marketing Strategy that is published since the beginning of Digital Marketing & Branding. Either we publish something into our blogs or into our social media channels we actually perform a type of blogging or microblogging.

Who will ever disagree that a picture can boost our message stronger and louder than 1000 words?

Therefore, all visual elements and especially photographs are more than essential not only for our blogging efforts but also for the awareness of our brand. People connect and respond 60% faster when they see an eye-catchy picture.

The hard truth is that a great picture is capable to invite the quality of attention we creators & publishers need in order to make people read our words.

Only a few and well-know are able to grab the reader’s attention based on their signature value. It takes years to reach this level of writer celebrity status. We all hope to become as famous as the next Milan Kundera. Until that day and living under the pressure of a completely digitized world, we are doing our very best to stand out and earn our living.

Writers have become the new advanced form of sophisticated bloggers, where they use new terms like SEO, branding, digital networking, digital marketing, digital assets and social media in their business growth model. It seems that creativity and discipline have moved under the list of all of them.

Photography is equally important if we want to get a slice of attention in this new Economy of Attention. 20 years ago we struggled to grab the reader’s eye in the bookshelves. Today we struggle to grab the reader’s attention in an endless scrolling marathon through mobile phones.

We fight for the 3 seconds window of attention. That’s it the harsh reality: 1000 or 10.000 or 100.000 words rely completely on the first impression during these 3 seconds and one spectacular picture.

Find the Best Photographer for your Brand

The deeper you go into blogging & branding the more you will face the necessity for professional photographs.

In the blogging world, professional photography is one of the most important factors to drive traffic to websites. I am sure that you have already seen that some of the top-performing blogs are the ones with professional photographs that are eye candy.

Top-quality photographs attract the attention of sponsors, followers, readers, other bloggers, companies, and even advertisers. Before you toss away the idea of hiring a professional photographer for your blog, take into consideration that ALL blogging visual assets are shaping your net value as a professional content creator. Yes, writers & bloggers also called content creators.

Selecting the right photographer for your blog can be quite stressful. Follow these steps and make it a joyful experience!

How to Hire Top Photographers for Your Blog

Use Instagram to spot the top photographers for your blog. How? Search with specific hashtags and not names in the search bar. For example, at the moment I am looking for #bnw_greece in Athens. Within the given results just scroll down and notice which photos you like more. Write down the names of the accounts that fit your aesthetics and your blog.

Additionally, it is wise to look at what other bloggers are doing in your industry. By researching which photographers other fellow bloggers are using for their blogs, it’s easier to understand what kind of frames & style is acceptable. You don’t have to hire the same ones but it’s a good starting point for finding a photographer with an eye for your niche.

For example, a year ago I was looking for a #photographerinGreece and I ended up with an amazing photographer in Greece. She is one of the most talented photographers I have ever met. And I am so grateful for working with Monika Kritikou.

After finding 10–15 strong candidates for your project then send them a message and ask them for more details. First of all ask if they deliver photo shoots in your city, if they work outdoors and if they have experience with bloggers. (Not all photographers are available for outdoor shoots or working with bloggers.)

For those who are positive, before even meeting with them, arrange a skype meeting to check if you can communicate effortlessly and ask for their rates.

When you find your top choices, then have a trial photoshoot where you can have first-hand experience with the photographer. Usually, these trials last for an hour and the photos are 5–10 shoots that you can not use without the permission of the photographer. In many cases, photographers don’t give the trial shoots. You can see them but you can not use them unless you pay for them.

Be Aware of Trial Photos Restrictions

Trial photoshoots are not for free so be reasonable and never ask from professionals to give away their work without getting paid. If you insist then you are actually signing yourself into the blacklist of unwanted bloggers. You will end up with a bad reputation and all doors will be closed.

Today, news travels fast among professionals through emails and groups. These blacklists are shared among professionals to protect themselves from scammers or difficult bloggers. Respect others if you want them to respect you!

Tip: If a blogger wants free photographs then it would be better to ask from a friend, sister, brother, fellow blogger to take some pictures. Never ask free photos from a professional photographer because you will receive a cold rejection. Besides that, no blogger wants to have the reputation of freeloader among photographers or other vendors.

Photography Services Rates

Photography rates in Greece can vary depending on the project, location and duration. Usually, the pricing is on per hour or per-project basis. The rates are starting from 60 Euro + VAT/hour and there is a minimum 4 hours charge per appointment for outdoor photoshoots.

For studio photoshoots, the pricing is given upon request and is way more expensive as you can imagine. Keep in mind that photography rates are always open to negotiations if you are planning to have a long term collaboration.

It is clever to define the final pricing before the actual photo session and seal the deal with a contract that clarifies all details. Some photographers provide discounts to their clients if customers agree to schedule 2 or more photo projects. Knowing this in advance is critical when hiring a photographer because it helps you to control your budget.

Sign a Contract

When a blogger is hiring a photographer this is a common business transaction with all the usual restrictions and obligations for both parties. Sign a contract and be as clear as possible.

In the contract, you should describe the location, the duration, the specific number of photos for each topic, the pricing, if photo editing is included or not, deadlines, date of delivery and any restrictions on where to post or to use.

A contract should highlight all factors of the photography session, such as copyright to all images, how photos should be edited, the use of images, and the rate a photographer wants to be paid. Sorting out these details from the beginning will make it smoother to work with the photographer and will let you concentrate on the creative process of your work.

Typically, your photographer will be the copyright holder and will give you a limited license to use their work on your website & social platforms. Never forget that you may be the client but the photographer’s copyright is protected by law in all countries, for life. That means that no blogger can present a photograph without credits to the photographer unless is arranged by agreement not to mention.

The use of given images has some legal limitations that should be clarified in the contract. When a blogger works with brands, it is common to provide them the permission to repost images only on their social media accounts. In some cases, brands want to use the images on their marketing materials and websites. The photographer might ask a licensing fee for the extra use of images. Be proactive and work out these details with your photographer.

Priority Publishing

This is very important because when a blogger is collaborating with brands must hold the right of first publishing the images. Even the photographer can not upload the images on their digital assets if the blogger hasn’t completed their posting circle. In my experience, this takes up 4–6 months before making the images available for the photographer’s digital assets.

For bloggers that already work with established brands, it is common to face these restrictions. Sometimes it is a violation of the contract for a third-party to share images from the campaign without the brand approval.

Experienced blog photographers are familiar with all the publishing restrictions and will never complain about this. If for some reason they wish to publish some of the images, they will prefer to select another group of the photo session which doesn’t compromise the blogger’s concept, such as backstage moments or preparation etc

Plan Shoots Ahead

After you have found the right photographer for your blog now it’s time to plan ahead your photoshoot. Be as descriptive as possible. Give detailed information for the style you want, the colors, the storyline you want, the final impression you wish to build and where you want to use them(i.e. social media, blog, print etc). When the blogger knows what she/he wants then the photographer will be creative enough to capture the vibes.

Only the blogger is responsible for the concept, the venue, the production, the design and the outfits. The blogger should brief the photographer for the concept prior to the photo session. Share in details what you want from the photographer and discuss what will be the best approach for your blog.

The briefing should be done days before the photo session. This will give both of you the time to organize all the details. It would be perfect to walk through the location and highlight the preferred corners that best suit your blog. Take notes and give a copy to your photographer.

Define Timelines & Deadlines

Make clear when you need the photographs. Include all important deadlines in your contract. From my experience, it’s better to have them in your hands at least a week before the final deadline, just in case something needs final post-editing.

But, be aware that photo editing is an extra service and isn’t included in the original agreement. As an active blogger for more than 20 years, I only asked once for photo editing due to bad weather conditions.

My experience with Blog Photographers

When I first started my blog IDEADECO, my husband & professional photographer Patroklos Stellakis was producing all the photos. However, gradually the needs changed after the addition of new blog sections, so we had to buy more photos from photo banks.

At the moment, publishing more than 1000 posts per year it means that a rich photo library is necessary so hiring other photographers was the only option.

Here is my golden list of tips on how to handle a blog photography collaboration:

• Communication is the number one factor for a great result.
• The magical number of images you are going to need is 20 top pictures from 4 angles for each topic.
• It is most common to need 80% vertical photos and 20% horizontal photos for each topic.
• Send a must-have list to the photographer with all the details prior to the photo session.
• In case there is a brand involved with guidelines then the photographer is the first to be notified.
• Tones and filters are always pre-arranged. Show them your previous posts.
• The final use of the images define the nature of the capture, let the photographer know where you are going to use the images.
• Explain what to avoid before the photoshoot.
• Respect the time of your photographer!
• Pack and organize everything before the arrival of the photographer.
• Location-scout should be done prior to the photo session.
• Pick locations that have many and different backdrops.
• Pick locations that have parking and is easy to approach within city limits.
• Prepare meals and carry water or refreshments if you don’t want to spend time eating in a restaurant.
• Photo sessions usually last 4 hours and have short 10 minute breaks.
• With careful preparation, a 4-hour session can cover 3–4 different topics.
• The photographer is not responsible for your mood and is not your parent. Deal with your personal issues before the photo session.
• The photographer isn’t a magician. So have a good night's sleep if you want to look at your best.
• Your outfits, style, makeup, hair, and looks are solely your responsibility.
• For lifestyle photoshoots, set everything before the arrival of the photographer.
• Waiting time or changing time is always counted as working hours for photographers. You should be 100 % ready before they do the first click.
• Never give directions on how to shoot to a professional photographer. The luck of trust will kill the collaboration.
• Never waste the time or the goodwill of the photographer. Diva behavior or bad manners won’t get you far.
• Honor your agreement at all levels.

These are my words of wisdom after all these years as a blogger. I hope that my tips can help you find and hire the right photographer for your blog. Invest in the best photography services and work only with experienced photographers that can understand your blog’s needs and voice.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you feel like it, we can connect also at LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. In case social media isn’t your cup of tea, we can still connect here, in the wonderful world of Medium.