The Impact of Color and Lighting in Brand Photography

The right photos have the power to sway customer opinions in a matter of seconds, both positively and negatively. As such, carefully consider every image your brand puts out online or in print. This is why brand photography is so important.

Below, we’ll go over what brand photography is as well as how the use of light and color can help convey your brand’s identity and leave your customers wanting more.

What Is Brand Photography?

Essentially, this term refers to professional-level images that are meant to tell your brand story through visual media. It could be a collection of employee headshots, product shots, lifestyle images from the workplace, and so on. The goal of these marketing materials is to form a clear visual identity and convey the desired message to your target audience. These materials can be employed by the brand to add depth and authenticity to websites, social media platforms, email campaigns, press kits, and other marketing endeavors.

It’s important to understand that brand photography is more than simply taking photos. It’s using high-quality equipment and the skills of an expert to match the aesthetic of your brand and effectively capture the ideal image. Achieving the desired results requires careful use of props, backdrops, sets, and models. Two such elements whose importance cannot be overstated are color and lighting.

The Impact of Color

Knowing the ins and outs of psychology in marketing can hugely affect how you strategize photography. Using the right colors for images is paramount and can vary widely based on the subject. For instance, the colors used to advertise food service brands and their products often call on the psychology of color to enhance the message. Many brands understand that by playing up the color red, they can help rouse appetites and make customers more eager to engage. Another example of this tactic is using the color green. Brands will utilize green to portray freshness and natural appeal for their food products.

A professional restaurant photographer will also take color into account when capturing the ambiance of the establishment. Is the setting a cool, sophisticated locale? This may call for a palette of blue and black tones or the use of editing software to produce a cool, intense effect.

There are also more intricate approaches, such as monochrome which employs a single-color filter to create a uniform feel. Some shoots may be captured in black and white to pique interest through elevated depth and heightened contrast. Deciding which approach is best comes down to the photographer and the goal of the session.

The Impact of Lighting

The use of lighting can also impact the photo’s allure and, thus, consumers' purchasing decisions. There are many types of lighting that may be utilized for brand photography. A few of the most popular directions a specialist may take include:

• Soft light — This approach diffuses the light source for a subtle effect with less intense shadows. It can be used to give a subject a more youthful appearance.
• Hard light — Photographers intensify the light source for a high contrast, shadowy effect. The results are dramatic and edgier.
• Backlight — Using editing software or a strategically situated light source, this method creates a silhouette directly behind the subject to highlight it.
• Broad lighting — Another method used for a dramatic, contrasting effect, broad lighting has one side of the subject well-lit and facing the camera while the other is in shadow.

The Many Benefits of Brand Photography

The creative aspects of photography such as color, lighting, and other such elements can be used to give your brand a stronger identity. This allows you to communicate your brand values more effectively. As a result, you might see increased site traffic and other forms of customer engagement. Such compellingly composed images are why it pays to opt for professional brand photography.

Want further information on the impact of color and lighting in brand photography? Check out the below infographic provided by Jonathan Young Photography, a Los Angeles food photographer.