5 things you absolutely need to know before you hire a photographer

In some ways the four photos at the top to the right tell you everything you need to know about why good, authentic member photography matters, and I could just leave it at that. However, getting the right photographer and more importantly the most out of any shoot boils down to 5 golden rules.

Clearly a bad photo sticks out like a sore thumb, as does a cheesy stock image, so investing in proper member photography is a no brainer. But how do you go from good photography to real, authentic, standout photography that truly supports your membership marketing and elevates your comms material. Attracting your target audience and resonating with your existing members.

Exceptional member photography can support an acquisition campaign as well as your retention campaigns if executed in the correct way.

The benefits of going through a creative agency for your photography are many. If you don’t currently work with a creative marketing agency there are a few things worth checking when you put out your tender.

Your creative agency should have a proven track record within the membership sector

They should be able to provide you with various relevant examples of the work they have done with the photographer they are recommending (if they don’t have an in-house photographer).

They should have an art director from their in-house team, who will direct the shoot.

The art director should ensure that the shots being taken are suitable for your campaigns, social media, and any other support materials e.g they will make sure the composition allows for text overlay and work to the dimensions of the various social media platforms etc.

They should provide you with real added value to your shoot, by grabbing additional shots where they can and getting to know the subjects of the shoot, so they can incorporate this knowledge into their campaigns.

Often if you only have a photographer, they will ensure the composition is good from an image point of view, but may not necessarily be thinking in terms of text overlay and use within various different marketing materials. So you’ll end up with a killer shot, but one that is actually quite tricky to use across all platforms.

It is really important to invest in your photography. If you do, not only will the images last throughout many campaigns, they’ll also be perfect for use across multiple platforms.

As an important member of the MemberWise network you may well have noticed how the team always use photography to showcase the interactivity of their events. They are brilliant at capturing the members at the conferences and it enhances and supports their ethos of being people focussed.

I’ve been fortunate enough to work on a number of member photoshoots and it’s amazing how much you learn about each organisation from just a short chat with each subject. I will, whenever possible, record these discussions (with permission obviously) because from these informal chats often come gems of insight, perfect for acquisition and/or retention campaigns. This means that not only do I have a beautiful authentic shot, where the subject is relaxed and happy, but I also have a great line of copy that champions the organisation. A shiny nugget that comes from the heart, that really resonates with other members and potential members, is priceless.

Speaking of price I know for most organisations (particularly in the current climate) budgets are tight and it’s tempting to save every penny wherever you can. Photography really can’t be the area where you scrimp though. It’s important to remember that you’re not just paying for a day or two’s shooting, you’re also paying for all the post editing, which in some cases can take longer than the shoot. Your agency’s art director should also streamline the process for you by going through all the shots with the photographer and only selecting the shots that work for the comms materials you need them for, discarding any that are not representative of your organisation. This saves you literally hours.