by Kirsten McGoey | Nov 5, 2024 | Ajax Food Photographer, Ajax headshot photographer, Bowmanville, Brooklin, Business Content, Durham Region, Durham Region Food Photographer, Food Photographer, Headshot, Local Business, Magic, Markham, Oshawa, Oshawa Food Photographer, photographer, Photography, Pickering headshot photographer, Political Photography, Port Perry, Portraits, Scarborough, Storytelling, Trinity Design, Uxbridge, Whitby
Business Photography: Where do you start?
The art of business photography is work with a client to create a series of images that will represent their personal brand or business brand.
Quality over Quantity
This is a quality over quantity proposition by where the quality matters in each image much more in the long run. A client once said to me I hired you for this event because last year I received 1000 photos of which I only felt 50 worked, when I hire you I know if you give me 250 I will be able to use them all.
What do we explore before we even take a photo?
Just like a traditional headshot for business packages we explore the following:
- what is your immediate budget?
- what is the long term plan for images of your brand?
- how the images will be used?
- what location works best for your brand?
- will the images be cut out and used on different sorts of media?
- wardrobe discussions to align the clothing with your brand and ensure it looks amazing on camera
Why we recommend booking out the day.
To create images that tell your story it is never just one photo. It’s very normal for a client to be a little nervous and need a simple thing – time. It is key we work poses, outfits and use the time to get comfortable.
We have packages that start at 20 images through to 50 images. Anything more results in filler images* that will not be used. We want to showcase you, your staff, your office, your services and the vital storylines that make your business unique.
* Exception would be product photography but in those cases we do not cover those in business packages but instead in commercial photography quotes for each individual company.
Success Stories of Business Packages in Action
Below we are showing some business packages in action that are supporting local businesses in Durham Region today:
The dental team at Birch Dental wanted images to launch their new business and they had a wonderful, modern new office that was bathed in natural light. We prepared for the images we wanted, needed and the nice to haves. In the end the final results align with their modern brand and showcase these two entreprenuers for potential clients and existing ones.
The owner of Parents Therapeutic Massage wanted to showcase her treatment room and her brand. We brought in models to shoot treatments in the room you would be in and showcased Melissa the owner at work. A blend of the warmth and skills she provides to keep parents going with her treatments is in the images.
As our MP for Whitby Ryan Turnbull wanted to showcase the partnerships he has with various people and organizations across Whitby. His website shows him in action to meet with constituents and also included some headshots. Images are bright and colourful to match the enthusiasm he brings to the table as a member of parliament.
How do I choose which package works best?
Choosing a package for your business photography should align with your budget for the year. We never want to sell you more images than you need, again quality is our first goal and aligning with your growth strategy is a close second.
Want to learn more?
Send us a connect form and we will call to walk you through our process, your business and make recommendations.
Kirsten McGoey | Trinity Design | Visual Storyteller
by Kirsten McGoey | Sep 8, 2024 | Ajax, Art, Bowmanville, Brooklin, Business Content, Copyright, Durham Region, Editorial, Educational, Events, Family Photographer, Family Photos, Food Photographer, Headshot, Licensing, Local Business, Markham, Modern, Oshawa, photographer, Photography, Port Perry, Scarborough, Sports Photography, Storytelling, Trinity Design, Whitby
The idea of who owns the copyright for photography is perhaps the most important part of running a successful photography business. Without it the landscape to earn a living wage is diminished so if you are just starting out or perhaps need a refresher we are here to help. If you are a new or existing client we would love you to read along.
A partnership with your photographer is a wonderful thing and we know it’s important to sometimes explain how are services are set up and our fees calculated. This allows for that photographer to stay in business as your photographer for many, many years to come.
What is Copyright in Canada?
“For all artistic works, the author of the work is the first owner of its copyright. The author may then assign the copyright to another person. Determining who is the “author” of a photograph will depend on when the photo was taken since the process, as outlined in the Copyright Act, was amended by the passing of the Copyright Modernization Act in 2012.” (CIPPIC, https://www.cippic.ca/articles/copyright-and-privacy-in-photography)
So we need to look at work created before and after 2012 when the Copyright Modernization Act came into place.
Before 2012 – “photograph authorship fell under a special regime in the Copyright Act. When a photo was taken, the copyright, by default, belonged to the person who owned the film negative, or digital camera at the time the photograph was taken. This means that the photographer was not necessarily the author of the photograph.” (CIPPIC)
Thankfully this has changed because this would be for clients and photographers alike hard to keep track of. With the rise of digital cameras and phones the law was updated in 2012 under the Copyright Modernization Act.
After 2012 – “As of November 2012, the author of a photograph is the person who takes the photo. This brings photo authorship in line with the rules governing other “Artistic Works” such as paintings, drawings and sculptures.” (CIPPIC)
AppRevenue streams that come from being able to sell licenses to use photography is a revenue stream for photographers.
Just like an author sells books in a quantity, a photographer – when appropriate – sell multiple licenses to create revenue from content they have created. Clients may ask for a time period where the content is exclusive or to buy copyright, but this then would be sold at a much higher cost as revenue streams then are lost to them. (Note: Resale is more on the commercial side, not so much for retail).
By selling a license to content the photographer remains in control of the use of the work they create. This ensures that the work is not used by the organization without the photographer’s input. For example, I recently had to ask images I made for a client to not be used to advertise images another photographer was taking for them. The images were not representing to their clientele what they would receive and were not created for that use. The exchange was cordial as likely they had no idea about the copyright on the images they used.
When the budgets to create content are constantly lowering and the fees to run a business increase copyright ensures the right to earn a living wage. In our industry operational costs versus income determine our fee structure but sadly many photographers do not understand the cost of doing business.
When we do as a photographer we ensure a strong business that can serve you and your organization for years to come with reliable services and new skills. After almost 12 years in business I know it has made my business viable.
(There are two main areas of photography that photographers like myself work in.
The first is retail photography which is defined as B2C or business (that’s me) to consumer (that’s you hiring me for personal photography). In B2C I provide services such as family photography, graduation photos and so on (it would also include weddings).
On the other side I also provide commercial photography – defined at B2B or business (that’s me) to your business (that’s any business you run or work on behalf of). In B2B I cover events, create content for magazines, shoot headshots for employees and create content for ad campaigns.
In both cases I release content with a license that defines how it can be used.
For retail this typically is for personal use and doesn’t get too picky, for example, if you want to add it to a family album. But you cannot on the flip side get married and then provide the images to vendors as the license doesn’t allow for sharing beyond your own personal use. It also might ask you not to edit with filters and the like so as not to represent our work in a way that it wasn’t given to you. As mentioned before we do not typically resell on this side of the services we offer, using it only to ensure it represents us and is not used for commercial purposes.
For commercial the points of use are often negotiated – depending on the use, duration and budget – this can look different from client to client. A client might ask for exclusive use for a time period or in some rare cases to buy the content outright. The latter is demonstratively more expensive and is rarely in line with the budget so licensing is standard in the industry.
Building a relationship with your photographer through licensing their work is a great asset to your business.
We already spoke in an earlier article to the pitfalls of using stock images and know using fresh content is a stronger option for a successful brand.
It also means you have a reliable, local provider who understands your business and will be in business for many years to come.
Want to work with us – connect with us via the website form: Connect
Kirsten McGoey | Visual Storyteller
by Kirsten McGoey | Aug 20, 2024 | Ajax, Ajax Family Photographer, Art, Bowmanville, Bowmanville Family Photographer, Brooklin, Brooklin Family Photographer, Christmas Photos, Courtice Family Photographer, Durham Region, Durham Region Family Photographer, Family Photographer, Family Photos, Holiday Photographer, Local Business, Magic, Markham, Modern, Oshawa, Oshawa Family Photographer, photographer, Photography, Pickering Family Photographer, Port Perry, Port Perry Family Photographer, Portraits, Print the Experience, Scarborough, Storytelling, The White Box Experience, Trinity Design, Uxbridge, Uxbridge Family Photographer, Whitby, Whitby Family Photographer
So you booked your Holiday White Box Experience 2024 and you are wondering how to prepare this is the article for you!
Get ready for FUN with your humans.
The White Box is fun, we have done over 100 sessions and by far it is the favourite session of most of our family clientele. They are a chance to get a reluctant partner or child excited because they are quick, allow for creativity and are full of laughter. Yes, you actually sit inside a 4x4x4 box.
What to wear and what not to wear.
The White Box is “white” so it is what we call an alternative universe to regular family photos. The white means leave your dark and black clothing at home and embrace colour. A lot of families like to do christmas pjs – we only ask not to all match, because you all get mixed up. Instead pick coordinating outfits, so we know who is who by clothing as well as the “story” in each box.
These images show you how they all look the same until you focus on the face.
Many of our studio items are shown in this version from faux snow balls, head pieces like antlers and so many Santa hats, too many to mention!
How to plan your boxes.
We encourage you to bring items from your own Christmas celebrations to use in the box. While we do have a HUGE choice of items here for you from books, signs and other holiday items – your own adds that personalized storytelling.
See images for a sample of items we have in the studio for holiday sessions, the collection has grown so you are welcome to have use of anything we have in the studio.
We did this amazing card for the ladies of Elm Law group – each session includes a 6 image collage 5×7 .jpg to create Christmas cards (actual cards are not included).
During the session.
Here are some more handy tips:
+ Arrive 5 minutes ahead, no sooner please as we have back to back sessions all morning/early afternoon.
+ A session is 15 minutes with 5 minutes buffer between sessions.
+ Come dressed – there is not room for changing when we do this many experiences in a row – there is however a bathroom and in studio mirror.
+ Work with us to plan the 6 images for your card and then we also shoot as many other options for larger items which you can order at your in person review.
+ We cannot go past your 15 minutes, if one of your humans is not cooperating we can sort out another option at a later date.
+ If you are a glasses wearer put in contacts or remove them, our light set up will show light reflections and impact the image. If you are okay with that then we will do our best to reduce the impact glare.
+ Let us get your littles to look at us, I will have an assistant on that day and we know how to get a child’s attention.
+ Worried about your weight? We have poses that work well for all body types and sizes.
+ We have fit four grown men in the Box at one time, it is strong and can hold a lot more than you think. It is also reinforced with two by fours and raised off the ground – which all our knees will be thankful for.
Shown above is a styrene mounted print on a wood block (blocks are no longer sold) – but we have lots of great products for you to choose from to gift to family this holiday season.
Reveal and ordering session.
We host all sessions in the studio for an in person reveal to accomplish a few things:
+ We review your images in proof form and make your collage for your card – 6 images in total. This is included in your session – a 5×7 .jpg (no physical cards are included).
+ Then we determine if there are any other products you wish to order from prints backed with styrene, to mounts and a few specific items that work well with this type of session.
Note – ordering additional products is not mandatory. We do need to order them before mid November in order to get them by the holidays as our provider gets very busy.
Have to book yet?
We would love to have you at the studio – click here to book:
Join us for the return of a day of limited edition Holiday White Box experiences.
+ Shot in our home studio in an actual box.
+ 15 minute time slots.
+ Up to 6 persons (due to time constraints).*
+ 1 collage included – 6 images in a 5×7 card format
+ In studio reveal to build card images AND order additional items such as larger collages, mounts and more.
* If you have a larger group we can book a solo session for you.
Kirsten McGoey | Visual Storyteller
by Kirsten McGoey | Jul 3, 2024 | Ajax, Bowmanville, Brooklin, Durham Region, Markham, Modern, Oshawa, Port Perry, Scarborough, Trinity Design, Uxbridge, Whitby
There are lots of reasons to use stock photography when you first start out but in our research there are likely more reasons to skip stock in favour of actual content sessions with a photographer.
Some of the positives are what draws businesses to think this is the right path:
1. Stock can be convenient.
2. It can be less money to purchase a few stock images. Initially.
3. They are often better than images you can take yourself.
4. There is a lot of variety, in fact so much it can be overwhelming.
The positives often draw in small businesses who are looking for a budget friendly solution. There are however many reasons why long term investing more in your photography can bring you more clients and in many cases more effective and cost effective solutions.
Reason #1
Diversity and inclusion are a must have in today’s brand planning. For years stock photography was focused on creating content with white persons dominating the medium. Persons of colour were not included and images showing same sex, trans and other inclusive stories are just recently becoming more prevalent.
Diverse and inclusive images are more effective in connecting you to your target audience.
In this session for Oshawa Tourism the instructor works Treetop Eco-Adventure Park and was happy to join our shoot which also featured other models from the region.
Reason #2
For a brand to appear it is fake or unreal is extremely damaging to a brand. As a brand uses overused photography from stock sites makes the message seem cliche compared to brands using fresh content they created.
Creating your own images allows you to avoid cliche imagery and potentially losing your audience in the face of more effective communications in the market.
Showing Marco with a real client in his actual establishment is storytelling gold for Hunt and Dagger in the Explore Whitby magazine. His apron, his tattoos and so much more tell a story that cannot be replaced with stock photography.
Reason #3
We all have seen the two men shaking hands in a indistinguishable boardroom. Customers see this as a faked or inauthentic version of your brand which is not the effect you want to from branding imagery.
Creating your own images with your team, your office and your products lends an authenticity to your brand. Show your city or town and connect to your clients.
Chances are stock photos are not including a boy feeding a goat on a boat as we showed in the Oshawa Zoo session, this is another authentic way to tell the story through your own photography.
Reason #4
Stock photos are purposely made generic to sell to as many people as they can. They often have no real message that will support a brand looking to stand out in a cluttered marketplace. Without a focused brand message your marketing is less effective for your brand.
Making your own content means your messaging can show specific stories that only align with your brand. That key messaging can lift you above the competition and reach your competition.
Showing the parents of current owners making their special Dutch treats in tandem are a strong authentic story to tell for the Village Bakeshop. It’s also one of my favourite image ever taken for a local business.
Reason #5
Stock can be accessed at many price levels and increased access at lower pricing means overuse happens more often. Not to mention the pennies an artist receives from stock sales compared to fifteen years ago. Again low pricing, over use leads to over-saturation of images which is not helpful.
Creating your own content keeps artists making a living wage and creates content that is not over used and under performing.
This table, that board, and those cannolis can only be found at The Station: Traditional European Bakery in Brooklin, which means your customer will love seeing the actual items they saw in the Whitby Digital Food Guide.
Reason #6
Stock photography items all come with licensing based on usage. A fee to use it on your website versus Instagram can differ depending on the reach. This can over time lead to more expense than your original purchase and without further expenditure limit it’s usage.
While both stock and content creation fall under photographer copyright and licensing fees using local talent both sustains the local economy and provides a space to establish usage and budgets to align with your business goals.
Content created for the Town of Whitby archive can be reused over and over for any Town of Whitby project.
Reason #7
Stock photography show people who are not you. It can not be discounted how valuable your face and that of your team are in successful branding strategies. Stock photos of actors from another part of the world, the country and skylines that do not match your own are not helpful.
Your town, your office, your service or products in use with your team or ideal clientele. I personally will spend more on beer at a well branded craft brewery than buy a big brand beer.
Actual dentists from Birch Dental in their new office which is a beautifully designed space with natural light makes this a winning brand image.
Reason #8
I have spoken to many graphic designers who have spent countless hours scouring stock websites to no avail. Content did not suit their needs with incorrect skylines, lack of diversity or inclusion in the images available and other issues with stock they spent reviewing.
Making images that work for your brand saves time searching. It focuses your time and budget on creating content that will generate the results you need now.
It would take a long time to find an image of the exact wooden tokens we use for the Downtown Whitby Beerfest. Hiring event photographers ensures you have plenty of imagery to tell your story year after year.
Reason #9
In my past life I worked at three major advertising agencies at the start of the internet media metrics science. We invested in tracking to prove our campaigns worked for our clients. Stock photos under preform in media metrics which is ample reason to invest in unique content.
When images used perform lower effectiveness the return on investment (ROI) comes into question. Picking a stronger set of images is the stronger choice when making branding decisions.
When creation of content it is important to have both long and short term goals. In balancing your budget and end goals for return on investment often times content of your own can serve your end goals with more success.
We would love to chat with you about your content and how to generate content that will support your brand.
Kirsten McGoey | Visual Storyteller
by Kirsten McGoey | Jul 3, 2024 | Ajax, Ajaz Food Photographer, Bowmanville, Bowmanville Food Photographer, Brooklin, Brooklin Food Photographer, Courtice Food Photographer, Durham Region, Durham Region Food Photographer, Editorial, Food Photographer, GTA Food Photographer, Local Business, Magic, Markham, Modern, Oshawa, Oshawa Food Photographer, Peterborough Food Photographer, photographer, Photography, Pickering Food Photographer, Port Perry, Port Perry Food Photographer, Portraits, Scarborough, Storytelling, Trinity Design, Uxbridge, Uxbridge Food Photographer, Whitby, Whitby Food Photographer
Amazing food (in part through our photography) in the Durham Region is a story we have been telling locals and visitors to Whitby about for many years. For 2024 we have continued this alongside our client partners at the Town of Whitby Tourism team with ten new pages and a refreshed look to the entire guide.
The guide is an award winning piece that was awarded the EDAC’s the top Marketing Canada Award for a Single Publication – 5 or more pages from the Economic Developers Association of Canada in 2023. The design by Amanda Jones and the entire team is alive with the amazing food scene options we have to offer in Whitby.
Please note all content is made for the Town of Whitby tourism and they hold exclusive rights to this content for 6 months from launch. Afterwhich all content can be purchased for use by the respective businesses showcased.
As you might imagine a refresh means content from the 2022 and 2023 issues remain and we have added new content each year. I am only going to showcase the pages with our images from the 2024 refresh but invite you to spend time with the full guide which we will cite at the end of the blog post.
Page 5: We took only the images from Namak Handi.
Please note all content is made for the Town of Whitby tourism and they hold exclusive rights to this content for 6 months from launch. Afterwhich all content can be purchased for use by the respective businesses showcased.
Kirsten McGoey | Visual Storyteller
by Kirsten McGoey | Jun 17, 2024 | Ajax, Bowmanville, Brooklin, Durham Region, Events, Local Business, Markham, Modern, Oshawa, photographer, Photography, Port Perry, Scarborough, Storytelling, Trinity Design, Uxbridge
As a member of the Rotary Club of Whitby part of my volunteer work is doing the local event photography for the Food Truck Frenzy event. Over the course of two days I cover the event and now that I have done a few I can focus on moments and less on the trucks which makes this even more fun.
This year our marketplace included a vintage market, our kids zone had a new John Deer Blow up, the game zone was a huge hit, the Helen’s came out in droves to dance (think Three’s Company) and as per usual we had the Whitby Fire Department on site giving tours of their trucks.
Is bigger better? With 30 food trucks, a children’s area and a marketplace I think we got the size and the offerings just right. Sure the event raises money for work we do all across the region and the around the world; but it also needs to be small enough for little feet to navigate.
Events are a chance to bring out the zoom lens, wait for smiles, capture the spread of owl wings and so much more. You need patience in this line of work and with so many great people, trucks and volunteers one cannot help but have a good time.
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