Photography is such a powerful tool in wellness marketing! Visual content plays an enormous part in how potential clients view your health and wellness practice.
High-quality photos can make your brand appear welcoming, credible, and aligned with your values. And while you don't have to be a skilled photographer to create photographs that have an impact, there are times when it makes sense to hire one.
Having a clear visual brand can set you apart, build trust, and help potential clients understand what your practice is all about. This blog post will provide you with photography tips to stay aligned and on-brand.
Understanding Your Brand’s Visual Style
Before you start snapping photos, defining your brand’s visual style and approach is important. Your visual style is the essence of your brand… captured in pictures!
It covers everything, from the tone of the images and ideas you want your photos to portray to color schemes and lighting selections.
What emotions do you want others to experience when they see your pictures?
Which feelings do you want to stir up?
A sense of calm, a boost of energy?
Maybe to be struck with optimism?
Understanding these pieces will allow you to develop a cohesive look that captures the spirit of your business.
Choose colors, themes, and props that represent your core values and service offerings. For example, if your business is about holistic care, you might want to use elements inspired by nature, gentle lighting, and earthy tones to strengthen your message. On the flip side, if the focus of your practice is high-energy fitness, you might want to use dynamic poses and vibrant colors.
Having a distinct visual style will help your images stand out on your website, social media accounts, and marketing collateral by making them easily identifiable and consistent. This is why we suggest having professional holistic branding done first. It will make planning your photos much easier when you have a brand guide to follow.
When to Hire a Professional Photographer
There are times when spending money on a professional photographer is totally worthwhile.
If you’re launching a new website, rebranding, or prepping for a major campaign, having high-quality photos that match exactly with your brand’s vision can make a huge difference. In addition to their technical expertise, skilled photographers also know how to style and arrange photos to tell a captivating story.
You'll want to look for a photographer who understands wellness branding and whose portfolio fits your vibe.
To make sure you get all the photos you need, make sure you share your goals with the photographer before the session and prepare a shot list. On that list, you might consider headshots, action shots of your services, lifestyle photos, photos of your clinic (inside and outside), and even product images if you sell physical wellness goodies. Also make sure you get a mix of both horizontal and vertical imagery.
To make the most of your photo session, it can be helpful to set up your space with branded props and clean and tidy backgrounds.
By investing in an experienced photographer, you’re not just paying for a bank of photos—you’re investing in visuals that will help your brand for years!
Capturing Authentic Moments
In holistic wellness photography, whether you're shooting on your own or working with an expert, capturing genuine, authentic moments is one of the most important parts.
The intention is to communicate warmth, genuine care, and trust—essential elements in the health and wellness world.
Authenticity often means moving away from posed shots and embracing candid, in-the-moment images. Consider showcasing the natural interactions between you and your clients and team, or just a calm, introspective moment of meditation.
To capture these moments (naturally!), try creating a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere during the photo shoot. If you photoshoot is hours long, be sure to take breaks to maintain a light and natural energy.
If you're showcasing services like yoga or massage therapy, focus on the little details, like the soft touch of a massage therapist's hand or the peaceful expression of practicing a posture. These details tell a story and let clients visualize themselves working with you.
When you share those real, authentic moments, you create images that connect on a much deeper emotional level. This builds trust and helps potential clients see your practice or clinic as a warm and genuine environment.
Choosing the Right Props and Backgrounds
Props and backgrounds are more than accessories—they can help define the tone and vibes of your practice. While the incorrect elements might confuse and distract, the right ones can elevate your photos and strengthen your message.
Start by choosing objects that complement the themes of your brand and are relevant to your work and services/products. Things like fresh herbs, essential oils, or crystals can help communicate a sense of healing and nature within a naturopathic or holistic practice. For a fitness brand, you might use yoga mats, resistance bands, or dumbbells.
When it comes to backgrounds, less is often more. You'll want to make sure everything is tidy and uncluttered so that the subject can take center stage. Neutral tones, soft textures, and nature-inspired settings can all work well, depending on your brand’s personality.
When taking pictures indoors, think about incorporating textured materials, wooden surfaces, or soothing color schemes to create visual appeal without overpowering the image. Little details can have a big impact, such as a cozy, comfortable blanket draped over a chair or a simple plant in the background.
The secret is to keep things intentional and straightforward. Everything in the frame should complement your practice's mission and story.
Editing and Using Your Photos Effectively
The next step after taking photos is to edit them to give them a cohesive look and feel. Editing doesn’t mean drastically altering your photos but rather lightly enhancing them to match your brand’s style.
Make minor adjustments like brightening, boosting contrast, or adding a touch of warmth to maintain consistency. Many easy-to-use tools, such as Canva, Lightroom, or even smartphone apps, can help you achieve a polished look.
Consider the context while choosing images for various platforms. Select high-quality photos for your website, highlighting your offerings, personnel, and surroundings. Choose lifestyle photos for social media that captivate your audience and tell a story. Consider creating multiple versions of the same image—cropped, resized, or adjusted for different platforms.
Regardless of your chosen style, maintaining visual consistency is really important. Stick to your color scheme, tone, and editing style on all platforms to create a cohesive brand experience wherever people may discover you!
Visual impact matters in a lot of industries, but we'd put health and wellness at the top of that list!
Thoughtfully planned photography makes it easier for prospective customers to relate to your practice, understand what you're all about, and feel more comfortable choosing you and your services.
The work you put into creating beautiful, genuine pictures will pay off in the end, whether you choose to take your own photos or hire a photographer.
If you need help developing a visual strategy that aligns with your brand, we're here to help! Our goal is to help you develop a visual brand identity that connects with your target market and elevates the visibility of your business.
Shayah Reed
Virtuwell Balance Director
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