The business side of photography
Most of us have the deep need to be part of a group. A sense of belonging is an emotional need that’s been with us for a very long time. Being part of a group is for more than survival and security.
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If your company is organizing or sponsoring a professional sports event then you know that you need photography. The photos can be used for your social media, press releases, event programs, annual report and to market next year’s event.
Look at the following pairs of photos. In each pair, one image was shot by an employee with a cell phone or a cheap camera and the other image was made by a professional photographer. Can you figure out which is which?
“Why do I need makeup? This is how I look at work.”
A 2011 study looked at the effects of women’s makeup on first impressions of competence and trustworthiness. It concluded that the use of makeup produced “a significant positive effect on judgment of competence.” Makeup had a lesser but still positive effect on perceived trustworthiness.
. . . makeup had significant positive effects on ratings of female facial attractiveness at brief and longer inspection times. Ratings of competence increased significantly with makeup look tested on first glance and longer inspection. Effects were weaker and more variable for ratings of likability and trustworthiness, although generally positive.
Here are three sample sets of headshots from that study. In each row, from left to right, the model is wearing no makeup, natural makeup, professional makeup and glamorous makeup. The latter three labels were used by the study’s authors.
Which version of each woman do you think looks more competent and trustworthy?
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Look at the portraits of the four world leaders. Who looks friendly and approachable and who doesn’t? Who looks comfortable and who doesn’t?
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In 1985, the Getty Museum in California bought a rare sixth century B.C. Greek Kouros for $9.5 million. But before the purchase, the museum brought in scientists to examine the 1,100-pound statue to make sure it was authentic.
The scientists used scientific and technical analysis to examine the marble statue. Their conclusion was that the statue was indeed authentic.
But some art scholars also examined the work using their eyes and gut instincts. Their conclusion was that the statue was a forgery from the 20th century.
It turned out that judging the statue on its face value was correct. The statue is widely considered to be a fake.
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If you’re thinking of getting a business portrait done, you’ve probably found out that, in Toronto, the price ranges from about $50 to over $1,000. Why is there such a wide price range?
Why does the price of running shoes range from $20 to over $300? Why does the cost of a men’s haircut in Toronto range from $8 to about $450? Why does a Toronto hamburger cost anywhere from $1 to $100?
The magic phrase is: you get what you pay for.
When it comes to professional photography, a higher price means that you get more and you get better: better advice, more attention to detail, better editing, better technical quality, better artistic quality and more experience. All these combine to give you a more reliable and more effective outcome.
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Look at the following pairs of photos taken at some Toronto business conferences. In each pair, one picture was shot by an employee with a cell phone and the other made by a professional photographer. Can you tell which is which?
