Take Beautiful Photos of Your Hardwood Deck
As a contractor, you know how to combine your customers’ requests with your own vision to create a beautiful project. But the work doesn’t always end when the job does. For example, are you taking photos of your completed projects? Photos are so important for promoting your business. You could consider using photos in a portfolio on your website or sharing to social media. However you use photos, customers love to see what you can do. Taking photos doesn’t have to be time-consuming – you definitely don’t need to hire a professional! – but there are some basic steps you should take to make sure your pics illustrate your skills and expertise. Here are our top 5 contractor photography tips.
Tip #1: Think about dimensions & sizes
Horizontal photos are best for social media and portfolios. Not only can you include more of your work in the frame, but it’s easier to crop out areas you don’t want included. Plus, think about the size and shape of the photos you’re sharing. If you’re emailing photos to an employee or marketing agency, the file will be large but that’s ok. You can make large files smaller but you can’t make small files larger! Crop your photo first (ideally, into a square) and then reduce the size to one that fits social media and websites. Usually, a 1200 x1200 square pixel will work well in both cases (including Facebook and Instagram).
Tip #2: Keep it clean
This one is simple but it’s so important. When you’re taking a photo of your finished project, make sure the area (that includes anything that will be included in the photo) is clean and organized. If you’re planning on using some sort of photo editing program (more on that below), it’s easy to crop out any messes along the edge of a fence or deck. But it’s better to save the cropping for anything you can’t remove, like an un-landscaped edge. Remove anything that could detract from your work, like buckets, tools, leftover wood, dumpsters, and vehicles. Staging the shot will make the finished photo look professional.
Tip #3: Use good lighting
The best photos take advantage of natural light. Noon provides the brightest light but morning and late afternoon also provide nice colors and shadows. Of course, you might not have the luxury of waiting for the best light! That’s where photo editing comes into place. You a filter or adjust brightness and contrast to make your photo look its best. Just don’t go overboard – you want to make sure a photo accurately represents your true work.
Tip #4: Edit your photos
As mentioned above, photo editing makes it easy to crop, filter, and resize. You may already have a design program for your business, like Adobe Photoshop, which means you’ll have no trouble editing your photos. If you’re interested in amping up your design game, you could also consider a free software like Gimp or Canva. But don’t overthink it. Sometimes the basics will work just fine, and you likely already have a free editing program on your phone or laptop.
Tip #5: Keep your eyes open for other photo ops!
Once you start taking photos, consider other opportunities that could enhance your marketing. Before-and-afters, progress shots, staff pics, or behind-the-scenes will enhance your brand.
Submit your photo to our gallery!
Once you’ve taken great photos of your latest project, consider submitting them to our photo gallery! We love to show off our customers’ incredible projects. Plus, the social media call-outs and links back to your website are great for your company’s visibility. Submit your project today!
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Lowest Prices For Tropical Wood Decking Available
At Hardwood Decking Supply, homeowners and contractors receive the highest quality grade-A ipe, batu (mahogany), cumaru, tigerwood, and garapa wood at incredibly low prices and excellent customer service from our decking experts.