Photography Tips for Your Business Website and Social Media
Good photos make a massive difference to your business online. Whether it is your website, Instagram feed, or Google Business Profile, quality images build trust, grab attention, and help convert visitors into customers.
The good news is that you do not need a professional camera or years of photography experience. Modern smartphones take excellent photos, and with a few simple techniques, you can dramatically improve your business photography.
Why Photos Matter
First impressions count. When someone lands on your website, they form an opinion within seconds. Professional-looking photos signal a professional business.
Stock photos feel generic. While stock photos have their place, customers can tell the difference between a real photo of your team or workspace and a staged stock image. Authentic photos build trust.
Social media is visual. Posts with images consistently get more engagement than text-only posts. On platforms like Instagram and Facebook, your photos are your first impression.
Google favours photos. Businesses with photos on their Google Business Profile receive more clicks, calls, and direction requests than those without.
Essential Equipment
You do not need much to take great business photos:
Your Smartphone
Modern smartphones (iPhone 11 and later, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, Google Pixel 4 and later) have cameras that are more than capable of producing excellent images for web and social media use.
A Tripod
A small smartphone tripod costs around $20 to $40 and eliminates camera shake. It also lets you take photos of yourself or your team without needing someone else to hold the camera. You can find affordable options at Officeworks or JB Hi-Fi.
Good Lighting
Natural light is free and produces beautiful results. If you need additional lighting, a basic ring light ($30 to $80) or an LED panel light ($50 to $150) can make a big difference, especially for indoor photos.
A Clean Background
A clean, uncluttered background keeps the focus on your subject. A plain wall, a tidy desk, or an outdoor setting with a simple background works well.
Lighting Tips
Lighting is the single most important factor in photography. Here is how to get it right:
Use Natural Light
Position your subject near a window with indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight creates harsh shadows, while indirect light (a window that does not face the sun directly, or an overcast day) produces soft, flattering light.
The best times for outdoor photography are early morning and late afternoon, when the light is warm and soft. The middle of the day tends to produce harsh, unflattering light.
Avoid Overhead Fluorescent Lights
Office fluorescent lights cast an unflattering greenish tint and create harsh shadows under eyes. If you must shoot indoors without natural light, use a ring light or LED panel positioned in front of your subject.
Front Light, Not Back Light
Position the light source in front of your subject, not behind them. If someone is standing with a window behind them, they will appear as a dark silhouette. Move them so the window is to the side or in front.
Consistent Lighting for Product Photos
If you photograph products, consistency is key. Use the same lighting setup for every product so your images look cohesive on your website and social media. A simple setup of a window on one side and a white reflector (even a piece of white card) on the other side works well.
Composition Tips
Rule of Thirds
Imagine your image divided into nine equal sections by two horizontal and two vertical lines. Place your subject along these lines or at their intersections rather than dead centre. Most smartphone cameras have a grid overlay option that makes this easy.
Leave Space
Do not fill every inch of the frame with your subject. Leave some breathing room around the edges. This looks more professional and gives you flexibility to crop later.
Shoot from Different Angles
Do not just take one photo from eye level. Try shooting from above, below, or to the side. For products, take photos from multiple angles to show different details.
Keep Backgrounds Clean
A cluttered background distracts from your subject. Before you take a photo, look at what is behind your subject. Remove anything that is distracting, messy, or irrelevant.
Use the Rule of Odds
Groups of three or five objects tend to look more visually appealing than groups of two or four. When arranging products or props, use odd numbers.
Specific Photo Types for Business
Team Photos
- Use natural light when possible
- Choose a clean, relevant background (your office, shopfront, or a professional-looking outdoor space)
- Have team members wear clothes consistent with your brand image
- Capture a mix of formal headshots and casual, natural shots
- Genuine smiles and relaxed postures look better than stiff, posed shots
Product Photos
- Use a clean, plain background (white is the standard for e-commerce)
- Light products evenly from the front and side
- Capture products from multiple angles
- Show scale by including a common object or a hand in some shots
- Keep colours accurate by adjusting white balance if needed
Workspace and Premises Photos
- Tidy up before photographing
- Shoot during the best natural light (usually morning)
- Capture the space from corner angles to show more of the room
- Include some lifestyle elements: a cup of coffee on the desk, a plant, a team member at work
- For shopfronts, photograph during the golden hour (shortly after sunrise or before sunset) for warm, inviting light
Food Photography
If you run a cafe, restaurant, or food business:
- Use natural light from the side
- Style the dish neatly on a clean plate with a simple background
- Shoot from above or at a 45-degree angle
- Add context with complementary items (cutlery, napkins, ingredients)
- Photograph food immediately after plating, before it wilts or cools
Before and After Photos
For trades and service businesses:
- Take the before photo from the exact same position and angle as the after photo
- Use the same lighting conditions for both
- Keep consistent framing
- Show enough context for the viewer to understand the scope of the work
Editing Your Photos
You do not need Photoshop. Here are free and easy tools for basic editing:
Smartphone Editing
Both iPhone and Android have built-in photo editors that handle basic adjustments: brightness, contrast, saturation, and cropping. These are sufficient for most business photos.
Free Editing Apps
- Snapseed (free, by Google): Powerful editing tools with a user-friendly interface
- VSCO (free with premium options): Great presets for consistent colour grading
- Lightroom Mobile (free with premium options): Professional-grade editing on your phone
Basic Editing Steps
For most business photos, these adjustments will improve your images:
- Crop to improve composition (use the rule of thirds)
- Straighten any tilted horizons or walls
- Adjust brightness so the image is well-lit but not washed out
- Increase contrast slightly for more depth
- Adjust warmth to correct any colour casts
- Sharpen slightly for clarity
Be careful not to over-edit. Natural-looking photos are more trustworthy than heavily filtered ones.
Building a Photo Library
Take more photos than you need and build a library you can draw from over time. Set aside an hour each month to take a batch of photos for your website and social media.
Organise your photos by category (team, products, workspace, customers, events) so they are easy to find when you need them.
When to Hire a Professional
While smartphone photography is great for social media and regular website updates, there are times when professional photography is worth the investment:
- Brand launch or rebrand: First impressions matter. Professional photos set the right tone.
- Key website pages: Your homepage hero image and about page photos should be the best quality possible.
- Product catalogues: If you sell products online, professional product photography can significantly improve conversions.
- Real estate and architecture: Property and building photography benefits greatly from professional equipment and expertise.
A professional photographer in Western Sydney typically charges $200 to $500 for a basic business shoot and $500 to $2,000 for a more comprehensive package.
Start Shooting
The best camera is the one you have with you, and for most of us, that is our smartphone. Start taking photos today, apply these tips, and your business photos will improve immediately.
If you need help incorporating quality photography into your website or social media strategy, Cosmo Web Tech can help. We work with Western Sydney businesses to create websites and social media content that looks professional and drives results.
Worried about website security and uptime? Cloud Geeks manages cloud infrastructure, backups, and cybersecurity for businesses across Australia.
Ashish Ganda is the founder of Ganda Tech Services, a Sydney-based technology consultancy helping Australian businesses grow through cloud, web, and mobile solutions.