“What a shame that shoot wasn’t coordinated better.”
“We don’t have permission to use those photos.”
Sound familiar?
You’d love to invest in a professional photographer to refresh your image library, but between the logistics and finances it might just not be possible right now.
And yet… you still need beautiful, on-brand content that aligns with your values and connects with your ideal audience, for social media, press, bios, website headers — everywhere you need to show up visually.
Here’s a three-step framework I use with clients to manage brand photography, even when a full shoot isn’t in the cards:
- Firstly, for retainer clients, we keep an Unsplash collection of on-brand images always on-hand.
This is your low-cost (or free) option — but let’s talk ethics. If you're using images from platforms like Unsplash, remember that photographers aren’t paid. Personally, I’ve contributed to these libraries knowing I likely won’t be compensated.
So, some common sense applies: if you’re using an image for a high-visibility campaign like a billboard or major ad push, consider finding and compensating the original creator.
- Secondly, use paid stock imagery
There’s a time and place for stock, especially with niche needs, and it’s gotten much better.
For example, Truestock is great for Aotearoa-specific culture and has recently launched into Australia too. We also love Disinfluencer, who prioritise inclusion and accessibility in their collections.
- Ideally, you can invest in a dedicated brand photoshoot
This is the gold standard.
A custom shoot gives you full control over how your people, product, and places are portrayed. From staff bios and proposals to your website and media appearances — everything looks sharper and more trustworthy with professional photography.
It’s an investment that pays off in brand equity.
Bonus: Stage a collaborative shoot.
This is a smart option for sole traders, small teams or community groups.
By teaming up with aligned brands or businesses, you can split costs and still get high-quality imagery. Sure, the images are shared and may feature people outside your organisation, but the results often exceed expectations.
Collaborative shoots allow you to capture group settings, staged client interactions, and more. Just make sure there's clear agreement on how and where images will be used.
But remember: brand consistency wins.
Whether you’re commissioning a shoot or curating stock, brand foundations and consistency are key. That’s where image guidelines come in.
Image guidelines define the style, tone and aesthetic of your brand photography (and other visuals). They help your team choose the right images, faster — and keep your brand looking unified across all touchpoints.
One startup I worked with kept it super simple: for their blog cover images, every photo was a hand against a coloured background, holding a random object. It was quirky, cohesive, and memorable.
Take a peek at your brand guidelines—do they include image guidelines? If not, we can help you create them.
Need help briefing your next photoshoot?
We offer one-off projects and ongoing marketing leadership to help you clear roadblocks and focus on what you do best. Get in touch or book a free chat.
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