Engaging consumers through photography and videography
Ivana Reay-Jones is no stranger to the world of media. Her father was a cameraman for a local television station, one of her uncles was a photographer, and another uncle was a magazine editor. At the age of 12, Ivana became the family photographer, capturing memories of everyone on family trips. Growing up in this type of environment inspired Ivana to obtain her master’s degree in photojournalism from Boston University.
Ivana spent a brief period of her career as a newspaper photographer, then journeyed over into teaching mass communications. By 2015, Ivana had created her own photography business. She has since added videography and real estate photography to her repertoire. “As someone who recently bought a home, I was more likely to ask my realtor to show me homes with nice photos online. Although I cannot guarantee that nice photos will sell your home, I believe they may increase the showings and interest.” Ivana’s business continues to grow, as she is now offering brand photography for businesses. She explains, “I was a brand photographer of sorts before I was a portrait photographer. As a photojournalist, I was trained to take photos that tell a story and the expectation was to tell the news through photos and to do it right the first time – there were no repeats. I was trained to tell stories in pictures, expect the unexpected, and pay attention to details.”
This chapter officially started when Ivana was hired by Flow Town Yoga in Downtown Florence. Initially seeking headshots for the studio, Ivana decided to help tell a story through her work. “The photos also showed the studio’s connection to downtown, as well as what yoga practice looks like. Adding a video enhanced the studio’s image and exposure.” Ivana showed off her storytelling skills once again when hired by Florence Pediatric Dentistry for office headshots. “We mixed it up a bit to show their relaxed, fun and playful side, and I came up with some non-traditional office photos for them.”
According to Ivana, professional photos can help make businesses look better and stand out amongst the competition while inspiring consumer confidence. “As a consumer who is also a busy person, I like for things to be simple, clean, and easy to access, navigate, buy, or use. Having professional photos of your products or services helps to convey trust and professionalism. I am personally more likely to engage with a business if all those facets look professional. As a business owner myself, I feel that businesses need to keep up with technological advances and work for their current audiences. If you keep doing the same things over and over, you will always get the same results.”
When it comes to helping businesses shine in the spotlight, Ivana makes it her top priority for the photos to be consistent with the business’s brand. “This is why, before I take any photos, I place emphasis on communication, planning, and research. I consider all aspects of the business: what the business owner wants to convey, the audience, the products/service, social media, and marketing. This gives me an idea as to what I want to photograph and in what manner. I approach the project with my photojournalism background and think about the brand, what the story is, and how I can help the business convey this story.”
Videography is an extra bonus when used in marketing a business. “Videography is an extension of my photojournalism background and is a great way to increase brand awareness and to stand out in the busy, fast-paced world of social media. Videos can enhance the brand’s personality and exposure. When I don’t know how to do something, I go on YouTube. When I am unfamiliar with a business, I look it up online. And when a business I like has a professional website, behind-the-scenes or how-to videos, these increase my confidence in that brand’s expertise. Consider how many views videos get on social media and are more likely to get shared and increase exposure – that alone is free advertising. And in this digital age, we are constantly competing for attention. Adding brand videos can be very useful and beneficial.” In addition to photography and videography, Ivana also teaches basic photography classes.
Ready to Brand Your Business?
This experience may be yours to enjoy, as Ivana will be offering a special deal for the first two businesses to mention this story through contacting her for brand photography and videography services. A brand photography session must be booked in order to receive the complimentary one minute commercial. Some rules and exceptions apply.
Ivana Reay-Jones can be contacted through her Facebook page, Ivana Reay-Jones Photography (@irjphoto), or her website www.irjphoto.com to improve your brand and expand your business!