What photos does a new business need?
Written by Jack Harrington and Gabriel Pozo, the founders of Urban Media, Melbourne. Updated .
Real photos make a new business look established faster than anything else you can add to a website. Stock photos do the opposite: customers can tell.
Here is a shot list you can work through in a single day, with a phone or a photographer.
People
- You, looking at the camera, in your working clothes.
- You at work, not posed.
- Your team, if you have one.
Place
- Your van, shop, workshop or desk, tidy and in good light.
- Anything with your logo on it in real life: signs, uniforms, cards.
Product or result
- The finished job, from a few angles.
- Before and after pairs, where that makes sense.
Process
- The key steps of how you work, in order.
- Close-ups of hands, tools and materials, which make a business feel real.
Formats
Take both vertical and horizontal versions. Vertical is for stories and short video, horizontal is for the website. Shoot more than you need, and choose the best few.
When to bring in a professional
A phone is fine to start. A professional shoot earns its cost when the photos carry the brand: the website hero, the ads and your first months of content. Our launch shoot is built around that, and it follows the brand so the photos match it.
More guides for new businesses
- Logo or website first for a new business
- What to do after registering an ABN
- New business launch checklist, Melbourne
- How to name a business in Australia
- Business name vs company name in Australia
- Do I need a website for a small business
- What is a brand identity for a small business
- Brand guidelines for a small business
- How to get your first customers as a new business
- Google Business Profile for a new business
- How much a new business should spend on ads
- Website checklist before you launch a small business site
- Landing page or website for ads
- Social media profiles for a new business
- How to start a business in Melbourne
- How to start a clothing brand in Australia
- How to register a brand name in Australia
- Do I need an ABN to start a business in Australia
- Sole trader or company in Australia
- Do I need to register for GST
- How to choose a .com.au domain name
- How to get a logo for a new business
- Business email for a new business
- Privacy policy for a small business website in Australia
- What to post on social media when you start a business
- Setting up a business in Victoria
All of them are on the guides page.
Who is behind this
Urban Launch is built and run by Urban Media (ABN 28 169 446 902), a Melbourne studio founded by Jack Harrington and Gabriel Pozo. Urban Media makes video, design and websites for clients including Box Hill United, Brighton Grammar and Porsche Club Victoria.
If you want to talk to the people doing the work, call 0456 785 904. More about who we are, and how to check us, is on the About page.
Common questions
- Can I use stock photos for a new business?
- You can, but customers often recognise them and they do little for trust. Use them sparingly for backgrounds and use real photos wherever you are showing your work.
- How many photos do I need to launch?
- Enough to cover people, place, product and process, usually a few dozen good ones. You can add more as you work.
Start with a Launch Call
Live and generating enquiries within 45 days, or we keep working at no extra cost until you are. The Launch Call is where we check it is the right fit before we book anything in. For a real example, read the Airwize case study (12 conversions, meaning leads that became sales, in the first month of Google Ads from $70 of ad spend, our figures). You can also read how a launch package compares with hiring separately, or go to the packages and prices on the homepage.
More: Brand and website package, Melbourne, Startup package for a new business, Melbourne, Branding, website and photography package, Melbourne.