The terms headshot, portrait, and brand photo get used interchangeably all the time. They're all the same thing anyway, right?

Kind of. But not really.

Each type of image does something different. And knowing the difference can change how you are coming across in your website and marketing.

I recently had the opportunity to photograph the grand opening of CHOPT, documenting the launch of their newest location and the energy that comes with welcoming a community into a space for the first time.

There’s nothing wrong with stock photos (she says, side-eyeing the multicultural handshake). They’re bright. They’re polished. They’re easy. And they’re usually ridiculous. They’re also completely forgettable. If you’ve ever scrolled a website and felt a serious sense of déjà vu, congrats — you’ve discovered the “copy + paste but make it branding” era of the internet.

Sometimes, photoshoots get treated like a box to check: schedule a shoot, get the images back, update the website, post a few times on social media, and move on. 

Brand photography isn’t meant to be one-and-done, well planned and executed photography is meant to last.

Photos have the ability to shape how people perceive your brand, build a level of trust between your brand and consumers, and in the end, play a part in whether or not someone engages with your content over time.

When you invest in hosting an event, whether it’s a conference, gala, fundraiser, retreat, or company celebration, you’re doing a lot more than just having a party. When you host these events, you’re creating an opportunity to tell a story, market your brand, and create a  connection with your audience. Professional photography turns these moments into marketing assets that you can use long after the event is over.

At Melissa Kelly Photography, my team and I help organizations capture the energy, emotion, and intentionality behind your events so you can leverage those photos across platforms year-round. Here’s why professional event photography delivers such a strong ROI.

We all have the same 24 hours. As a business owner, there (hopefully!) comes a time when your calendar fills up, inquiries keep coming in, and you find yourself wishing you could be in two places at once. As a photographer, often the only way to scale your business is to bring on help. When the amount of work became overwhelming, and I wasn’t able to clone myself, I decided that I needed to build a team I could trust.