Photo & Video Guidelines

Photo & Video Guidelines

Note: If photos are planning to be used for paid ads, we often recommend using free stock photos, as paid marketing campaigns require a higher standard of quality and professionalism. We also realize many businesses do not have the feasibility to hire a photographer or capture photos with a high quality camera.

List of photos needed

The following list of photos is what is needed in order to build a compelling, persuasive story on your website.

  1. 4-5 photos focused on the people working to create the product or the service, the main focus of the photo should be the people.
  2. 4-5 photos of people working to create the product or the service with the product or service being the main focus of the photo, try not to include faces.
  3. 3-5 photos of people talking in the work space, looking focused, planning, designing, talking, etc.
  4. 2-3 photos of people working on each service you list on your website
    1. 1-2 photos of each of just the machines you use in the service
  5. 3-4 photos of the entire facility, if possible
  6. (if applicable) 4-5 photos of your customers enjoying the product or service
    1. Do not have them looking at the camera.
  7. 1 photo of each of your team members (for bios)

How to take good photos

Photos can make or break a website visitor's decision to sign up. By following these simple steps, you can increase your chances of convincing visitors to take action.

  1. Use a good camera. We at OWC can edit and optimize your images but only if you use a decent camera, iphones don’t cut it.
  2. Have people where company clothes This is important, make sure that the company colors and logo are reflected in your team members clothing
  3. Make sure things are clean When taking photos of people and products pay attention to the surroundings. Is it organized? Is it clean? It’s important that it is.
  4. Focus on people not things. Always try to show someone doing an action.
  5. If you are referencing products or process, show people using it. If you sell an item then take a photo of someone using it. First question on peoples mind is how will I be using this.
  6. Make sure people are looking away from the camera. This makes it easier to imagine ourselves being the person doing the action.
  7. Don’t fake it. Try to take photos that tell realistic stories, shouldn’t be too posed, it needs to be real world.
  8. Be aware of the surroundings. Minimize distractions and background items, keep the noise minimal so people don’t have to think to much to understand what’s going on. People should be able to understand intent of photo and what’s going on in a glance

How to take good product photos

  1. Use numerous angles when taking the picture, even if it's of the same subject (e.g., take forward and overhead shots of the same pastry)
  2. Change the background to something simpler. Currently, the metal drying racks provide a busy and distracting background, taking away from where you want the consumer to look. We recommend using a cutting board, plate, or a plain counter.
  3. Try to take photos where there is natural light (e.g., near a window, shooting away from the window).
  4. Attaching a few examples of photos to help guide the next shoot.

How to Take Good Videos

Videos are a powerful tool for storytelling. With a well-crafted video, you can capture the full emotion of your story in less than a minute. To maximize your video's effectiveness, make sure it answers the following questions.

  • Does your video identify your customer's internal and external problem?
  • Does your video express empathy and understanding for your customer?
  • Does your video explain why you're an authority in your field of expertise?
  • Do you talk about the steps to get started in your video?
  • Does your video call your customer to action?
  • Does your video talk about the negative consequences you help your customers avoid for not using your products and services?
  • Does your video demonstrate the happy ending you can help your customers experience
  • Can you feature a brief, concise customer testimonial in your video?