Taking photos and posting them to social media has become something common and a hobby like thing to do.  Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have become our living photo albums. To a private person those are places to store and share experiences and tips also to a chosen follower group or openly to all platform users.

To businesses and companies creating social media content is an important way of increasing brand awareness and credibility and many other things. In this post I want to dig into a conversation about aesthetics and consistency and unity as a part of branding. How to build trust, with content suitable, well chosen pictures and photographs.

To start I need to say that making photos is not my profession, but here is something that I have learned and experienced. When you start creating brand content you need to build trust. Trust comes in many ways but here are a couple things to consider when choosing a photos to mach your content and brand book. In a brand book you visualize also fonts and colors you are going to use.

Show human faces in photographs

Showing people and human faces is maybe the easiest way to build trust. Happy faces experiencing and showing emotions. People in the photo makes it easier for anyone to adapt and picture themselves in. People in pictures bring things and experiences closer to us. 

For example:

In Tourism Business, when you post a photo of an empty beach. Picture most likely is beautiful but makes you wonder if it is real, what happens in this picture, what’s the purpose. It’s generic and could be taken from an image bank. I’m not saying you should put a human element in every picture but use it regularly. Make it look reachable and yours. Include staff, friends, animals or sometimes even a hand or a element that gives an impression, like a fun shadow of you, is enough.

Include and show clients, tell a true story

Let photos tell stories about other people experiences, clients and business partners

If you only show the same face and maybe only your own, people can’t relate to the action you are trying to market or achieve. Outsiders stories give a wider perspective.

But remember to ask permission before posting a photo showing anyone else’s recognizable features or faces.

Harmonic atmosphere and lighting in photos

Planning a photo shoot will make a difference

Organize a photo shoot day with a partner, photographer or by your self. Before that you need to create a plan about content. What kind of photos you are going to need. Use a social media calendar to help planning. I have used Planoly, but there are several to choose from.

How do I know what kind of pictures I need?

In the tourism business you can try to think of these. 

Are there some special days, offers or events ahead that you need to promote?

What can you show and tell to people about your regular day or week activities?

Are there any co-works or campaigns you can promote and try to achieve more follower and organic actions to your page.

TIP: Remember to pack loads of props and different clothing with you to create different setups and make it look like “just another day”.

Photo a sneak peaks

Give sneak peaks. People realize that photo shoots are often a set upe and shoving a reality makes you more approachable and human. 

When you follow these steps you don’t always need a professional photos. Just remember to book time from your calendar to create these shooting days advance. A need to take a photo to a post will probably just increase your stress levels and block your creativity. Randomly taken photos in a hurry will show. You will try to save a photo with exaggerated filters with a hope of getting shown the motion or atmosphere you were trying to seek.

There’s a place for random photos too

To make your account and photos live it’s human to post real life photos without overly thinking it too. Use reels and stories for publishing photographs about more random and “living in a moment” things. This way you keep your account also clean and maintain your account visual look professional looking. Happy photos hooting and planning.

Good accounts with and interesting photos in social media

It is not easy to find a nice site but here are some accounts that I find interesting. Travelling sommelier called Trotterwine Andrea Zigrossi makes a wonderful and delighting content that stands out. He is a traveller. Palmademallorcaguide on instagram uses nicely also people in their photos to create it more interesting. Most of the visit sites on social media lack perspective and publish generic scenery photos.