Why Photography Is Key to Industrial Websites

Many industrial websites lack clear, concise, and compelling messaging.  These companies know what they want to say but just can’t convey their point with words.  As a result, pages become dense with text explanations, making it hard to look at, and read.  In these cases, photography is a key counterbalance because photography is the only universal language of expression understood worldwide. It can tell a story that could not be put into words, make the mundane magnificent, and simplify the complex.

While most industrial companies agree on the importance of quality photography, many manufacturers and distributors still use dated, poor-quality images that lack impact.  A misunderstanding between “taking a picture” and “making a photograph” could explain why.

The term “taking a picture” means pointing and clicking a device without attempting to influence the end result.  The way a photo turns out is thought to be a reflection of the camera’s ability to capture whatever is in front of it.  The good news for those who ‘take pictures” is professional high-end gear can be rented at a fraction of the price of buying it.  It could even be shipped directly to you, making quality equipment available, affordable, and accessible.  But even when pictures are taken using professional gear come out tack sharp and perfectly exposed, they still lack the oomph needed to motivate buyers to take action on your website. The reason being, a camera makes a great picture as well as a computer types a great novel.  In other words, great photography is a result of deliberate intentions.  Great photography is a function of noticing and responding, engaging and interacting…not just pointing and shooting.

To sell a product online takes more than the world’s greatest photography equipment. It takes a photographer with an ability to interpret and translate a value proposition on sight, then conveys its benefit at a glance through composition, lighting, and camera settings.