When you complete a project that has been in the making for the last couple of months, it is going to feel like an accomplishment; happy client, beautiful art you designed, and so much more.
“If we [you] have spent all this time creating our [your] art, should we [you] not value it enough to document that art through professional photography?”
Too expensive? A recent podcast I listened to, from EntreArchitect, goes over a list of reasons why an architectural photographer is worth every penny.
A Photographer Has More Experience Than You
“If you want a great piece of architecture, you hire an Architect. So if you want great photos, and you want photos that take your work to the next level, you hire a professional architectural photographer.”
Architectural photographers have spent years developing their craft, practicing, and learning from other professionals in their field. This is our area of expertise and we strive to refine our craft to make it the best that it can be. A photographer has likely been faced with many difficult situations in their career, and because of that they have learned how to handle what is thrown at them. With the experience in our pockets, we are setup for success. Delivering you the best quality of images.
Improve Your Online Portfolio
Professional images will improve the overall look of your website. By having clean and consistent photographs, you will create a brand and appear more professional. With today’s market becoming more visual, potential clients most likely will find your website first before talking to you. Having quality photos on your website can help them decide if they want to use your services.
Social Media
With so many images uploaded to social media platforms, it is essential to provide great images to stand out. Using professional photographs on your social media page, will get you noticed and drive viewers to want to see more. Having consistent quality uploads will not only entice more views, but it’ll also make you look better and more professional.
Blog
If you have taken advantage of the benefits of blogging, then you may have noticed that photographs help tell the story. Using images in a blog post gives your story visual depth, and can help readers connect to your post. Additionally, by using quality photographs viewers are more likely going to share your article, driving more people to your site.
Use for Marketing
When creating marketing material for your brand, including professional images can draw the attention of your targeted clients. Images on postcards, in brochures, and other physical materials can show prospects what you do and can tell a story of who you are.
Use for Project Sheets
When submitting a proposal to your client, it is beneficial to include some images of projects that you have done. Allowing them to see what you can do, giving them a good sense of how their project will turn out. A client is likely to agree to the project by seeing the potential of their finished design.
Publication Scouts
Chances are, most magazines don’t directly connect with an architect or a designer for no reason. It is likely that a publication scout made first contact to a publisher to promote the designer’s latest endeavor. Using quality images, sometimes paired with a story, scouts promote the work of a designer. Having professional photographs market the project, this in turn will help get it noticed and published.
Create a Monograph
By compiling a series of professional images from your projects, you can create a monograph. This can be used for marketing when pitching your services to a potential client, or you can even sell it for extra income. Monographs are a great way to see your work come to life, allowing others to enjoy and find inspiration.
Makes Great Client Gifts
A great way to thank clients for their service is to provide them with a gift. Some ideas you could do, is to take the images of their project and give them a professional printed photo album. Alternatively, you can print a large format of one of the photographs and frame it. Not only will your clients be excited to have quality images of the project, but it can be a fantastic marketing tool.
Design Awards
“Projects don’t win awards. Photos win awards.”
If you are planning on submitting your project into a contest, you will need to have professional photographs. When judges are viewing submissions, they are looking for lighting, attention to detail, sharpness, and of course the subject. You want the jurors to fall in love with the image of your project. Unfortunately, a single point and shoot camera or amateur cannot recreate the necessary details in an image that is required for winning design awards.
Archive for Future Use
Having an archive of your past projects can allow you to see the history of your firm and some of your achievements. Alternatively, you may want to write you own book in the future showcasing your past work. On the other hand, someone may want to write a book about you, with an archive you can provide them with professional images of your history.
Show Your Clients You Care
Hiring a professional photographer to document your latest project will present to your clients that you care. It shows them that you value what you have accomplished, and more than likely, they will be honored that you are proud of the work that you have done. This is seemingly a great way to encourage word of mouth, as they will want to tell their friends and share the images on social media.
Improves Firm Culture
Having your company’s projects photographed will not only help document and market your firm, but it will also build the strength of your team. When you hire a professional photographer to photograph a project your team has been working on, they will be proud that their work makes a difference for the company. With your firm being confident that they can bring something to the table, your team will become stronger; only increasing design productivity and office relationship.
It Will Confirm the Dream
When you decided to become an architect or designer, more than likely you had a passion that you wanted to pursue. After investing so much blood, sweat, and tears into a project, seeing your art and effort photographed will confirm the dream. Having your craft presented in a professional quality will not only be something to look back on, but will confirm and remind you what you do.