It’s not a secret that visual presentation of every brand, being a company or a person, is an inevitable part of reaching the desired audience. With the rise of social media and digital communication, visuals became even more needed on a frequent basis. Especially for professionals whose brand involves their physical appearance, such as talents, influencers, etc.
Musicians, as such, are creatives whose style and public appearance is part of their brand. Their job as entertainers involves live performances on stage, interviews, social work and influence. Their projects usually have a set theme or feel that needs to be translated from their sound to their visuals, styling and products. That’s why it’s important to have creative and accurately styled images that compliment their work.
If you’re a solo musician or playing in a band (or more), the way you come across your audience is as important as the instruments you’re using to produce the music you’re devoted to. Very often the marketing aspect of a creative career might be left neglected, as their time is spent in creating the art. However, if you’re serious about your music career and want to reach a bigger audience, you might want to consider the next tips.
Here are 4 bullets points on why it’s so important to have professional photos if you want to have more attractive digital presence:
The presentation of your music is as important as your music. Why? Because as humans we consume our information 90% through our visual sense. On the other hand, because of the Internet and smartphones, the majority of the information we first seek, find and search for is fully digital. Which means that the audience you’d like to reach and serve with your craft will most likely make their first impression of you via your social profiles and/or personal website.
So, what is the most used visual presentation online? - That’s right - still and moving images. The more professional and accurate your social media look, the more professional and knowledgeable you appear in front of your audience.
As a musician more often than not you are your own brand. The public knows your face, your style, hears your point of view in interviews and gains opinion based on all of what they consume about you, big or small. And as a brand your visual representation should be as professional as your sound and lyrics. Your musical projects are inevitably linked to still and moving imagery. Every project has a feel, a vibe, a specific look. This builds your brand, your portfolio, represents your professionalism and also how serious you take yourself as a creator.
As a creative, have you ever asked yourself - How do my public sees me? Can they see and feel the passion and quality I have for my work? If I haven’t met this person, how could I make him feel my vibe through the screen?
Do you want to show them low resolution, badly lit photographs or visuals that represent you, your craft and the quality you stand for? And don’t get me wrong - camera snaps, behind the scenes, a quick ‘Live’ with no filters on is totally fine, and in fact necessary to show the human behind the art. However, I’m pointing at the visuals that you should pay more attention to - art works for singles/albums, press photos, live performance images, photoshoots or collaborations with other creatives. Location or studio, professional images will make your brand look more professional. They will compliment the quality of your work on your website and physical products. They will also engage more with your audience on social media platforms if your visuals are eye-catching.
One thing all humans have in common (maybe except models) is that we usually think we won’t look good in photographs. Part of the job of a professional photographer is to make sure their clients look as good, accurate, presentable and natural or arty as they require. They know the angles of the different face shapes and body structures, so the images praise the subject not the other way around. Having a professional photographer you trust is a very important part of your brand and journey as a musician. Not every photographer can understand and bring to life the feeling of your work and that’s okay. Just make sure you find the one who can compliment your craft and translate the visual side of your story to your audience.
In a nutshell, if you’re serious about your craft, if you want it to be presented in the best way and your work consumed with admiration and awe, having professional photographs and videos is a must have in this day and age. How you appear to your audience won’t take away the hard work you need to put in your craft, but it will definitely help you in any aspect beyond that.
And trust me, everyone can look good in photographs and every work looks better when it's presented in an appealing way. Now the question is, how serious are you about your craft?
