The Professional Photographer – Define Your Vision
The most important defining tool for Art Buyers has been a photographer's vision and visual approach over the past several years. Surprisingly, many photographers don't realize how important it is for them to market their vision.
Many people still believe that their relationships with their colleagues and technical skills will win them assignments. How do you perceive clients hiring talent? Are you convinced that your personality, technical skills and lifestyle photographer are the most important elements you sell? Do you realise that clients demand that you market a particular vision?
Assignment buyers now evaluate each photographer's visual approach to determine if they are “right” for the project. The relationship with talent was the only thing that defined “the fit”. However, Vision now defines “the fit”. Photographers who have a vision that is compatible with the assignment are eligible for the job.
This shift can be summarized in two words: CORPORATE BRANDATING. Corporations continue to spend tens of thousand of dollars each year to identify, define and market their “Brand.” The Brand is the value message they send to consumers. This is why every annual report and advertising campaign clearly emphasizes it.
Companies have also done extensive research to identify and define their target audience. They are able to identify who they are and what publications they read.
Before any photographer is assigned art, the art director has established the campaign's look and this look is determined by the corporate brand with the target audience in mind. An art buyer will seek out images that reflect that style and feel.
Different visual styles communicate different messages. Your lifestyle photographer may be defined by your visual approach to life. Are you a photographer who captures moments that are calm and reflective? Or are you a photographer who shoots sports that demand lots of color and a bold lifestyle? Different corporate messages will be influenced by different visual styles.
Let's take a look at the automotive industry to see how branding has impacted the advertising process.
Every auto company has its own brand identity. Safety was the core of VOLVO's brand identity for many years. Although the car wasn't very attractive, its safety record was remarkable. After conducting market research, the company decided to focus on safety and found that families were their target audience. Teens and young adults don't care as much about safety than they do about looks, speed, and performance.
Next came economics. The Volvo target family was wealthy because of the high price. These families did not make trips to KMART. These families were out canoeing or skiing, and even trekking to the Caf. These images depicted families participating in these activities. VOLVO continued to communicate the brand message Volvo, which became synonymous with safety in the minds and hearts of customers through their advertising campaigns.
VOLKSWAGEN had a desire to reposition their brand (value messaging) a few years ago. After market research, the decision was made that they would target customers who were interested in the driving experience. Volkswagen created the “DRIVERS WANT” campaign to target the youth market.
The experience of driving was the main focus. Images were vibrant, youthful, had a youthful lifestyle feel and included a little humor.
The Art Buyers world is not the same place where the Volvo campaign was photographed. Both campaigns had different goals. Buyers are looking for images that depict family and connected moments. The books they call in or the websites they visit are different from those they would use to search for images of talented photographers who are energetic, fun, and quirky.
Although both Volvo and Volkswagen make the same product type, their brand messages to consumers were vastly different. Each campaign required different visions from the photographers.
This is a common example across the editorial, design, and advertising worlds. Companies have specific messages they want to convey to their customers. These messages require specific photography. Art buyers, designers and photo editors are searching for imagery that is relevant to the task at hand.