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.