I received an e-mail from the communications director of a large insurance company who’s thinking about creating a photo library of their key employees. He was looking not just for a price estimate but also suggestions on how to start this project. He realized that having an up-to-date photo archive would benefit his company many times over. However the communications director wasn’t sure if his company would even go for the idea.
Newspapers have long known the value of having their own photo library. Various levels of government and some universities also have photo archives. This is done for both public relations and historical purposes.
In today’s digital world, setting up and maintaining a photo archive is quite easy compared to the old film days. So why are many businesses so slow or hesitant to do this?
Larger corporations often do maintain their own corporate photo library. Some of these are online and high-resolution photos are readily available to the news media or general public. These libraries usually include photos of their executives and pictures of their products.
More businesses should be taking advantage of this and creating their own digital image library, whether online or not.
Photography in a corporate photo archive might include:
• Business portraits of the executives and board members.
• Executives or other employees speaking at press conferences or conventions.
• CEO interacting with other employees.
• CEO on the factory floor.
• Key employees doing whatever it is they do, especially if it’s more than sitting at desks.
• Interiors and exteriors of the business locations, especially if the architecture, design or landscaping is unique in any way.
• Manufacturing areas or assembly lines. Make sure proper safety gear is being used.
• Products on plain backgrounds and, if possible, products in use.
• How the company meets safety regulations.
• The in-house recycling program.
• The quality control area.
• The customer service department.
• Community involvement, sponsorships and donations.
A business with an up-to-date photo library will always have current pictures instantly available for any press release or any media request. Remember, just because there’s no request from the news media today, that doesn’t mean a business can sit back and wait. If they don’t come to you (i.e. a media request), you go to them (i.e. a press release). A press release with a photo always trumps a press release without.
Having a business web site means the company is a publisher. Like any publisher, that business should be continually creating fresh content. This is done not only to inform and educate its customers who visit the site, but also to enhance and build its reputation. A business will benefit from its own photo archive by having a rich source of pictures to support their business message.
