5 Reasons You Don't Need Professional Brand Photos for Social Media
I know what you’re thinking… “But Kinsey, I can’t just post shitty cell phone photos on my feed. People will think my brand sucks!”
Well I’m here to tell you a little secret my friend.
No one really cares if you post a “shitty” cell phone photo from time to time. I took the photo to the left through a dusty windshield with my cell phone, and it’s still one of my favorite photos ever.
In this blog post, I’m going to tell you why you don’t need professional photos for every single photo you post on social media + teach you how to take professional looking photos all on your own!
1. Brand photography is expensive. It's worth it, but not for every single social media post.
Listen, I get it. We all want our Instagram grids to look pretty while telling our story - I even get caught up in it myself! So I’m here to give you permission to care - it’s okay! There are so many amazing brand photographers out there who take absolutely stunning photos, and there is definitely a time + a place for those.
But your Instagram doesn’t need to have a perfectly curated image for every single post - that just exhausts me thinking about it.
As long as the image fits your brand’s overall vibe, you’re golden.
Every single image doesn’t have to be “perfect,” whatever that means 😜 As long as the photo makes sense for your brand and serves a purpose, I say go for it!
And if you need help figuring out your brand’s vibe, you know I’m here for ya!
Keep scrolling to learn about our new brand vibe bundles!
Want to learn how to tell your story on the ‘gram through photography?
Check out this episode of the Feel Good Social Podcast with adventure photographer + storyteller, Holly Mandarich! In this episode, we chat about how you can create an experience for your followers that gives them value and makes them trust us.
Click here to tune in! 🤗
2. Social media reduces your image quality anyway. So all those extra DPIs you're paying for with professional photos don't matter for your posts.
We’ve all had that moment when the notification pops up when we’re scheduling a post that says “Instagram may reduce the quality of the image when posted.” I know for me, I typically don’t pay attention to it when I’m posting a normal ol’ cellphone photo, but I definitely notice it more when I’m posting a “profesh” brand photo and a little part of me gets sad inside.
This is why you don’t really need a ton of professional brand photos when Instagram is going to lower the quality anyways. If you really think about it, most people are looking at your photo from their tiny cell phone screen so they’re not looking that close.
If you’re just starting out, your cell phone photos are just fine.
For new entrepreneurs, their brand image is everything - as it should be! But I’m here to tell you that you should’t worry about having a million professional brand photos to choose from all the time, especially if you’re a brand new entrepreneur.
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3. People love seeing your brand’s “real” moments.
I’m going to be the first one to tell you that if you're always showing up as perfectly posed + quaffed on social media, your brand won't feel as authentic and trustworthy… and people won’t trust you either.
Sorry for the truth-bomb there, but someone needed to tell you!
People connect with other people, not brands. Behind every brand out there is a person who poured their blood, sweat, and tears into it, so every brand is basically an extension of someone out there. It’s a physical representation of their dream.
Life isn’t perfect, and your instagram shouldn’t be either
I love a pretty grid as much as the next person, but it’s not the most important thing in the world when it comes to building your brand’s presence on social media.
STORYTELLING IS.
If you need help telling your story, check out our podcast here! It’s filled with lots of tips, tricks, and real-life examples of how to best tell your brand’s story on social media.
4. Your phone + presets = magic
Let’s face it, our phones are getting better and better cameras as the years go on - some phones have better cameras than actual cameras sometimes. With all the fancy settings our camera phones have now like the ability to automatically adjust to night mode, zoom capabilities, and switchable modes, we’re basically holding a professional camera in our hands.
lightroom presets are the magic touch
The easiest way to make your grid look + feel cohesive is by using Lightroom presets. By using a pack of similar presets on all of your photos, your grid will have a cohesive feel that feels on-brand - plus it’ll save you a bunch of time.
Need help figuring out your brand’s vibe? Our new Brand Vibe Bundles contain individualized presets that will help you create a cohesive grid with the click of a button. Paired with our Creating Branded Visuals Guide [insert link], you’re on the road to having the prettiest grid out there!
P.S. The photos to your right were edited with our Boho Soul presets, which you can find here [insert link]!
5. you can’t use the excuse “i don’t have any good photos.”
If you’ve gotten this far in the blog post, you can now never use the excuse I mentioned at the very beginning: “But Kinsey, I can’t just post shitty cell phone photos on my feed. People will think my brand sucks!”
You now have the knowledge and empowerment to go out there and post the dusty car windshield photo (if it fits your brand’s vibe of course 😜)
You have the power at your fingertips.
And if you still need help, you know I’m always here for you my friend.
This blog was jam-packed full of resources you can use to create an on-brand, cohesive grid without breaking the bank on professional brand photography. And if you still need help, we have plenty more resources you can check out! If you’re looking to create a brand that looks + feels good, check out our new Brand Vibe Bundles! As always, I’m only a message away!
creep us on the ‘Gram! 👇
