In order to engage with your audience, it is becoming increasingly important to create a connection and build relationships. Providing professional photographs of team members on your website and/or in your printed literature helps aid the relationship.
In addition bespoke photography is fantastic at selling your practice against the competition. Perhaps you have a really attractive practice or a particularly nice building. By showcasing your facilities, then these can help promote what you offer against your competition and be a large part of the reason people choose to come to you.
Taking informal photos of your team, both individually and with patients can also help to promote the friendly, caring nature of your business.
You can see some great examples of these in our portfolio.
Needless to say, poor quality photographs do not create the right impression and adversely impact on your brand. Professional results require professionalism. Not only does it help with quality, but when new portraits need taking at a later date (perhaps new staff or a staff member was off sick) there is better chance that additional photos can be added to your set as if they were taken on the same shoot.
A professional photographer will have the right equipment for the each shot, including relevant lighting. They have the technical expertise necessary to capture the shot to make it really stand out and they also have creativity, enabling them to create fresh, original photographs that truly reflect your practice image.
But if you do want to take your own photos, particularly headshots of your team, then here are a few of our top tips to help you:
- Choose a consistent location/backdrop each time you photograph portraits.
- Choose the same camera each time you photograph portraits (and settings).
- Take portraits from front, off-left and off-right so as to maximize consistency and flexibility of photos.
- Try to photograph portraits in natural 360 degree lighting (to avoid amateur shadowing).
- Avoid using Flash if possible, unless you know what you are doing – either way, be consistent.
- Use a consistent lighting setup when photographing portraits.
- Never crop portraits - always leave plenty of space around the entire head (including hair).
- Ensure portraits include top of head down to below shoulders (to stomach if possible). Photos can always be zoomed in later.
- Keep a technical profile of distance/lighting/framing when photographing portraits.
- Use a steady tripod.
- Take many photos - more than needed.
Dental practice photography can form an integral part of any design and will work really well on a range of marketing materials going forward.
If you are interested in commissioning professional photography for your business or would like to see some examples, then give us a call on 01242 236600 or email marcus@bluehorizonsmarketing.co.uk.
