One of my biggest pet peeves is when a business owner settles for something less than what they really need, often out of lack of research, understanding, or trying to save costs by going the cheapest route. This usually results in low-quality outcomes, leaving the owner frustrated with deliverables that don't meet their expectations. Inevitably, they end up re-booking the service with a different provider, wasting time and money not getting it right the first time.

In the photography industry, I often see business owners booking beginner photographers or those from a different niche, like wedding photographers, for brand photography. Read this blog to see why you need to book an experienced brand photographer instead.

Venlo Studio capturing brands on camera

Purpose and Focus

Brand Photographers: Brand photographers are dedicated to creating images that reflect a company's identity and values. They work to produce visuals that communicate a brand's message, personality, and offerings to its target audience. This requires a deep understanding of the brand’s ethos, color schemes, and the emotions they wish to evoke. Whether it’s lifestyle photos, product shots, or corporate headshots, brand photographers ensure that every image aligns seamlessly with marketing strategies and branding guidelines.

The goals of brand photography are strategic and focused on conversions. The imagery needs to serve a specific purpose in the business’s marketing efforts, whether it's showcasing a product’s features or portraying a brand's values. The prompts and setups in brand photography are designed to highlight products intentionally, capturing the light and angles that make them appealing.

Wedding Photographers: Wedding photographers, in contrast, focus on capturing the emotions and moments of a couple’s special day. Their goal is to document the wedding in a way that tells a beautiful, cohesive story. This involves shooting the ceremony, reception, candid moments, venue details, and guest interactions. Wedding photographers must be adept at working in various lighting conditions and quick to capture fleeting moments that can't be recreated.

Two business owners in the kitchen — Brand photography for podcast hosts based near Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Planning

Planning for brand photography and wedding photography is quite different. Brand photographers meticulously plan each shot to ensure it matches the brand’s aesthetic and intended use. They create prop lists, coordinate backgrounds, and think strategically about each image’s purpose, such as cropping a photo accurately for a website hero.

Wedding photographers, while skilled at creating timelines for events, are not typically focused on these branding specifics. They are not considering the end-use of their images in a marketing context, which is critical for brand photography.

Desk Scene with Laptop — Brand photography for a local web design company based near Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Session

Lighting and Equipment: Most wedding photographers don't have extensive experience with studio lights. While they may be comfortable with an on-camera flash, many are not skilled with off-camera strobe or tethered shooting, which are crucial for high-quality product photography. Proper lighting is essential for brand photography to ensure the product is showcased effectively. In addition to proper lighting, setting a custom white balance is something a brand photographers rely on for accurate coloring in post production.

Posing and Prompts: Posing an individual business owner is vastly different from posing a couple. Wedding photographers often use prompts like “whisper something silly in your partner’s ear,” which are great for eliciting genuine emotions but fall short for solo business portraits. Brand photographers have the expertise to pose individuals and teams in a variety of ways that enhance their professional image and convey the desired brand message. They also tend to incorporate negative space while framing the subject for images that will have text overlaid (such as website hero images with a CTA on one side, or social media posts with text on top).

Posed business team photo — Brand photography for a local real estate team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Delivery

Most wedding photographers edit artistically, not really sticking to industry standards, and usually using pre-made presets. Brand photographers, especially here at Venlo Studio, are editing experts and always deliver true-to-color images. This is CRUCIAL for product-based businesses.

Brand photographers know how to deliver perfect-sized images for fast web speeds. If you hire a wedding photographer, your images will likely be large, high-resolution images for print (as they are used to delivering print-ready photos for couples making an album) and will slow down your website.

Minneoats Product Shots — Product photography for a local granola company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Why It Matters

Attention Business Owners! Choosing the right photographer is essential for achieving the best results. A brand photographer understands how to create professional visuals that align with your marketing goals, resonating with your target audience. Their expertise ensures a consistent and professional brand presence across various platforms, from your website to social media.

Posed seated business owner — Brand photography for a local digital marketing agency based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Conclusion

Settling for the wrong type of photographer can lead to disappointment and additional costs. Just as you wouldn’t hire a basketball coach to coach a soccer team, you shouldn’t hire a wedding photographer for your branding needs. Understanding the differences between brand photographers and wedding photographers helps you make an informed decision, ensuring that your investment yields the best possible results and lasting impressions.

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Brand vs. Wedding Photographers: Don’t Make This Costly Mistake!