Few things are more rewarding than when a well-crafted image connects with our client’s audience and has a positive effect. This month, we’ll a look behind the curtain – or rather lens – to see how composition, technique, approach and perception play a role in helping us craft impactful images for our clients.

Portrait

We believe portraits that capture the essence of a person in their element are some of the most powerful images we produce. This often involves taking photos of someone at work. Sure, the subject is doing what they do the most, and if we’re lucky it’s something they love to do as well. Since they’re in their comfort zone, all the photographer needs to do is show up and snap, right? Maybe, but creating a portrait that encapsulates the subject and their personality while simultaneously honoring the environment and its ambiance is more complex than being in the right place at the right time.

Telling a subject to “act natural” can often have the opposite effect. Reaching and capturing that sweet spot where your subject hits their groove is the difference between the art of photography and simply taking a picture. Building trust with your subject, understanding their backstory along with the history of the setting, and taking the time to release any initial nervous energy can help them break into their authentic self, expression, and posture.

If you can capture a truly candid photo of your subject without infiltrating their consciousness, the process to pure presence may be accelerated. This is not always an option for the 365 DTM photographers, as the shoots are most often scheduled weeks in advance. All our subjects in private settings sign a release form to ensure we have their permission to take their photo and utilize it for our clients’ product.

Industrial & Farming

Industrial and farm settings are most commonly shot for our economic development clients who desire to promote their valuable existing resources. When it comes to telling stories through photography, our team values people over machinery, but in these environments, we must include both. Striking the balance between the human element and the production equipment or warehouse environment is critical for impactful images.

Another important aspect is productivity. By capturing skilled employees in their normal work environment, we can show the audience a slice of the positive activity that occurs in the field daily. It is important to the 365 DTM photo team that the photographs are authentic and reflect the worker’s task as it relates to the business enterprise. We do not stage our industrial and farming photos, rather we immerse ourselves into the environment to develop an accurate depiction and present a powerful visual to the audience.

Action

There’s something to be said for capturing a great image of a subject in action. Whether it’s a photo of a sport, a car, an amusement ride or an adventure activity, when it’s shot correctly, the photograph can be the definition of poetry in motion. In most fast-moving scenes, our photographers use a wide aperture and a fast shutter speed. The wide aperture – commonly referred to as an “F-stop” in photo lingo – will collect a large amount of light, ensuring the proper exposure for the image. Wide apertures work in concert with fast shutter speeds, which will freeze the exciting moment in time. Shutter speeds of at least 1/250 of a second are a good baseline for action photos.

When it comes to focusing, the photo team is skilled in tracking fast-moving subjects. By moving the lens on the path of the subject, our team can ensure the focus of the image remains on the most compelling part of the photograph. Sometimes our photographers want a subject to stay in motion and will adjust camera settings to create a natural blur in the background which can enhance the feeling of speed and exhilaration in the image.

Nature & Environment

Our clients hail from some of the most beautiful places in the U.S. and we’re lucky to be able to visit those sites in person. Although there’s no shortage of stunning natural settings, there is a distinct strategy 365 DTM photographers employ to capture the spectacular views and ensure the same breathtaking beauty experienced in person is reflected in print or online.

Shutter speed plays a huge role when it comes to waterfalls. A longer exposure will give the visual effect of flowing water in the still image, which brings the audience closer to the rush of the waterfall. In most nature shots, texture and composition are important as well. Whether it’s the variety of flora, a trail meandering through a forest or an expansive view at the top of a mountain, our staff works to show the complex layers of a given environment. There is a distinct skill in turning a three-dimensional experience into a two-dimensional photograph and we know our photographers possess that skill.

Food & Drink

It’s said that first we eat with our eyes. Making food and drinks look appealing with only one of our senses requires capturing them in a way that is enticing without smell, sound, and taste to back you up.

One way to accomplish this is by capturing the food or drink in action and creating movement within the frame. Showing people engaging with a dish or cocktail as they prepare for a bite or as they take a sip, can bring a photo to life. Helping viewers imagine themselves at the table or on the barstool brings them into the scene and inspires interest in the photo and/or the establishment being featured.

Another plan of attack is to shoot the food from an angle that a person on the scene would experience. Show the viewer the food as they would see it if they were in the restaurant, the café, at the bar, or in the market. Including more than one offering is also a way to engage the viewer. They can think about which treat they would choose, which creates a personal connection to the image and amplifies the impact of the photograph.

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