The hero image: beyond the cliché in brand photography
I was inspired by couple of speakers at a recent summit I attended online and came away wanting to spice things up a bit (and to challenge myself), to bring more creative direction and conceptual ideas into my brand photoshoots.
I had the idea of introducing a hero image – obviously, it’s not a new idea by any means but I also recall only a few requests for one in all the years I photograph businesses. And it just happened to fit perfectly into the brief for this client who wanted to feel more personal across all her platforms. So, I suggested an idea. That one photo that holds the feeling, the message and the energy of a brand, not just the face of it.
I also wanted to challenge the clichés. We’ve all seen them: laptops, coffee mugs, the “professional but friendly look”. For this particular shoot, I actually had to include one of those items (yes, the laptop with the apple on top) because that is part of a web developer’s world, there’s no getting away from it.
Do your brand photos tell your story or just fill the space?
Lorraine’s brief included words like personalisation, expansion, freedom, colour palette, environmental, camper van, her rescue dogs, service over product.
And understanding her story and chosen location shaped the creative choices.
The goal wasn’t to make photos about her work but to show how her work fits into her world, her values, her energy and the freedom that drives it.
That’s always been my starting point: to focus on the brand story and the feeling we want the photos to evoke, rather than the literal or expected. A laptop might be in the frame, but it’s not what the photo is about.
Why your brand photos should make people feel something?
Over the years, I’ve learned that a brand photoshoot isn’t just about taking pretty pictures. It’s about creating a visual story that makes people feel something real about your work or see themselves working with you.
My perspective also shifted. I see the photoshoots as marketing campaigns where every photo should hold the brand story in mind.
Why does this image work? What does it say? Does it capture the essence of the business?
Yes, we all want to love the way we look in our photos and that confidence helps us actually share them. But brand photos aren’t just about that. They shape how your business is seen and understood online. They help people connect with you in a way that words alone can’t.
The creative concept for your visual content is born from understanding your brand as a whole. It comes from research, being experimental, curious, purposeful… and when those pieces come together, your photos carry real meaning and weight.
Not all brand photoshoots are created equal
Not every industry can (or should) go all-in on creative expression but every business deserves photos that feel like them.
Some businesses are drawn to creative concepts and narrative-driven imagery, while others need a more straightforward, strategic visual approach that aligns with how they show up in their industry.
I don’t see one as better than the other. What matters most is that there’s thought, strategy and vision behind it. Whether the focus is on creative storytelling or clean, professional consistency, as long as the visuals supports how the brand wants to be positioned, it’s doing its job.
For the brands and business owners who are open to pushing boundaries a little further, creative concept can take many forms. It doesn’t have to be using unusual props or something wildly out of character. Sometimes it’s the composition, the colour palette or the environment we photograph in – small shifts that expand how a brand can be seen.
Expanding on the idea of a hero image at this photoshoot
Even with the best intentions and plans, creative ideas evolve and that’s often where the most interesting outcomes come from.
For Lorraine’s shoot, the initial idea for her hero image was her sitting on the roof of her camper van, laptop open next to her but her facing the beach – a visual metaphor for freedom and perspective, two values central to her brand. But as I learnt on the day, that wasn’t possible due to the van’s fixings.
Instead of scrapping the concept, we adapted. We found ways to hold onto the feeling behind the idea. There is always a room to reimagine when there is a strong concept in the first place. That process of adjustment, of thinking critically and creatively on the spot, is what I find most rewarding.
Lorraine did use one of her photos as a hero image on her website – check it out here, it’s not the one I would pick but that’s the beauty of photography: it’s subjective, emotional and personal.
If you’ve been thinking about updating your brand photos, let’s start the conversation here. A good brand shoot doesn’t just make you visible, it helps you feel seen.
