Design, Captured: Building a Signature POV Through Photography
A dining room by Lucas Studio Inc, captured by Karyn Millet.
For any creative business, your portfolio is your most powerful marketing tool. The success of your brand hinges on finding a photographer who understands your vision and can translate the nuances of your work into compelling visual stories. Choosing the right photographer has an outsized impact on your brand, but should you hire the same photographer for every project?
For any brand looking to build awareness, collaborating with the same photographer—one who understands your unique value and your vision—will ensure the consistency your brand deserves.
Establishing a long-term relationship with a talented photographer has many benefits:
IT SAVES TIME AND ENSURES CONSISTENCY.
Once you get to know each other’s work styles, the photographer will know what’s important to you and can style shots more quickly. “It’s an unspoken language,” Joe says, “Karyn can anticipate the shots I might need for different placements or a piece I might want to showcase from one of my vendors.”
YOU DEVELOP A SHARED VISUAL LANGUAGE.
The photographer can suggest angles that emphasize your vision while maintaining a visual standard that reinforces your brand. As Joe says, “Karyn doesn’t just capture the big hero shots, she captures the details we put so much love into, which tells the story of the project.”
THEY GET YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES.
A long-time creative partner knows when to trust your instincts and when to push you creatively.
EDITORIAL INSTINCTS.
If the goal is a press feature, a photographer whose work has been featured in shelter publications will know the best shots to catch an editor’s eye. When is it appropriate to include hints of lifestyle in the room, like that cup of coffee and the newspaper on the kitchen counter? Or would a clean surface work best for that cover try?
Joe Lucas, principal of Lucas Design, Inc. and owner of Harbinger, a trade showroom and design collective in the La Cienega Design Quarter of Los Angeles, has worked exclusively with photographer Karyn Millet since starting his interior design business. “She gets what’s important to me and I have learned so much from working with her,” says Joe, underscoring the value of collaborating with a trusted partner over time. “I do my own styling but she has taught me how to look at the space differently when we’re shooting. She really shoots the heck out of my projects to make sure we’re covered for that image we might want for a publication a year from now.”
Sarah Boyd, founder of communications and brand development firm Sarah Boyd Co. also emphasizes the editorial value of having that single eye capturing your work over time. “If you’re thinking of publishing a book one day, it really makes a difference when your photography connects from page to page.”
Of course, there are times when it might be necessary or beneficial to bring on a different photographer. If you have a campaign or product launch that is looking to reach a new audience, it is critical to expand on photographers who meet different artistic needs. And it needs to be said that if you think your photography is getting stale, or you feel your photographer is becoming complacent, you should not feel obligated to continue working with them. It doesn't hurt to try another photographer who brings a different point of view, and it could be helpful if you have a project that may require a different approach and style.
In an industry where visuals are everything, investing in a photographer who aligns with your design sensibility isn't a luxury — it’s a necessity. The right partnership can make your work stand out, improve your chances of publication, and ultimately define your brand.
