Great photography can represent your business like nothing else, offering an insight into what your work environment is really like – good or bad. Here’s what a photographer says you need to know ahead of a shoot
If you run a business – of any kind – great business photography is now essential. Between your website, social media, blog posts, and employee’s LinkedIn profiles, business has never been showcased as much as it is today. Pete Martin is one of Leicester’s premier photographers. For 22 years, he was a professional guitarist in function bands, before moving into photography in 2018. Photography wasn’t a new skill. His father had bought him a film camera at the age of seven, and he’d started posting family photos after the birth of his daughter in 2013. Based on these shots, friends encouraged him to pursue photography. Six years into this career and spending a half-day with a business to create their new web content has become his bread and butter. It’s a collaborative process between photographer and client. Over the years, Pete has identified some key points that businesses should factor into their shoot day:
What you see is what my camera sees
“I turned up to a warehouse recently; there was grease and oil everywhere and bits of metal flying about. That’s what the photographs are going to show; it’s not going to look like a pristine Tesla factory that you see in adverts. It’s going to show it for what it is. “I can focus on certain highlights, and I can blur out other stuff or light it a certain way, but the environment is the environment.”
Presenting your best self might involve some creative thinking
“A friend called me and asked if I could come and take some shots of his staff in the office. I told him that was fine, but I’d come and have a look at his office first to make sure it was suitable. “It was this tiny corner of a multi-office building. I asked him what he was hoping to get from the shots, and he said, ‘clean and professional’. Straight away I could see 11 wastepaper bins in this office, an air conditioning unit hanging off the wall, a Hoover in the corner, and dog bowls on the floor. No disrespect, but I didn’t think the photos would turn out as he was hoping. “I suggested he call one of his clients with a nice office and ask if we could go and take the photos there, which is exactly what we did. We set up some desks and computers in this lovely glass wall-fronted office, and the photos looked great.”
We all have insecurities
“My favourite thing to photograph is people. I get to learn something about everyone I meet and take a little piece of them away with me. “Some people don’t like having their photo taken – I’m one of them. So, to put them at ease, I’ll often get them to photograph me. I’ll then point out my flaws as I see them, and they’ll say, ‘that doesn’t count – I’d never have noticed that.’ To which I say, ‘Exactly! So, no-one will notice yours either’.” See what Pete’s talking about at petemartinphotography.co.uk. What impression do you get from the businesses he’s photographed?
