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December 5, 2022 by Terran Leave a Comment

The Positive Impact of Simplicity in Your Imagery

I’ve spent the past few months surrounded by some of the most beautiful parts of this country, but today I want to share with you the beauty of — and the need for — simplicity in your brand’s imagery.

I love storytelling images filled with emotions and details and *sunlight sparkles,* but I am equally fond of minimalistic images that make a soul-stinging impact on the viewer. Those are the ones I am highlighting here…

Simplicity in Settings

Four words: Let the products shine!

An image with a single product is providing a clear direction for its audience. When you watch out for distracting colors or other objects in the frame, you create a transparent message. Clients see the product shining bright on its own; there are no additional elements they have to work through. They see the image and are immediately struck by the exact content you want them to see.

An image with a clear message is effective marketing.

You take one look at the image above and you immediately see the bright red Explorer Pack from P.L.A.Y. thanks to the muted-color setting we photographed it in. You also get a sense of adventure (it is an explorer pack, after all) thanks to the rocky, uninhabited landscape.

Simplicity in Composition

When compositions are kept simple and arranged carefully and thoughtfully, the imagery becomes an even juicier marketing win. Simplistic composition gives you more flexibility. Leaving room on the sides, top, or bottom of images gives brands the option to edit. That means your high-quality imagery becomes an easily customizable piece of marketing material.

Simplistic composition allows you to crop, overlay headlines, or add body copy.

For example, the image above could just as easily be cropped vertically with text on top as it could cropped panoramic across a full catalog spread with a headline and body text on the left. See? From simplicity comes flexibility!

Simplicity in Use

If you know your brand needs imagery for a very specific use or campaign, then work to create the perfect image for it rather than 20 so-so images that don’t hit your goals on-the-nose!

Simply stated: working closely with your photographer helps you achieve your goals.

If you know before the shoot that you need a tall, skinny portrait-oriented image for in-store advertising (like the above example), your photographer can create an image to perfectly fit the space. Need a really wide panoramic shot? Yep, we photographers can do that, too! How about square images for a specific ad space? I think you can see where I’m going with this… 


There you have it! It’s powerfully simple. The most important thing to remember is the underlying message of your imagery. Every brand needs product and lifestyle imagery, so when you’re up for new product photos, don’t forget the need for simplicity in your imagery!
 

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May – Aug. 2023: Utah, Wyoming,  & Montana
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Wyoming better move on over and make some room bec Wyoming better move on over and make some room because Montana now shares my heart. We spent 45 days in the western half of the state this year and I did NOT want to leave.​​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​On our last day, Roxy and I sat out by the Gallatin River together. I sipped my morning tea, we listened to the birds, and watched a little squirrel eat a nut in the tree next to us. It was pure perfection.⁣ 
My *TWO* Montana blogs are up on my website so head on over to westwaypets.com/blog or click the links in my IG bio!
We're officially back in San Diego but I'm still d We're officially back in San Diego but I'm still dreaming of Utah! Photographing Rey and her mom among the red rocks was one of the highlights of our trip. Rey's beautiful brindle tones worked so perfectly with the red rocks and I just loved the happy, natural smiles both mom & pup had when they were together!
I absolutely loved this peaceful spot in Jackson H I absolutely loved this peaceful spot in Jackson Hole. Down a gravel road, away from the tourist crowds, the Teton range stood nobly in the distance while tall trees, yellow wildflowers, and a friendly little chipmunk called this hilltop home. This was such a special evening and Mother Nature's dramatic sunset is not one I'll soon forget.
Here's a little Montana sunrise sparkle and a big Here's a little Montana sunrise sparkle and a big smile from Henry to start your day!
Hello, Las Vegas! Shutterhound starts TOMORROW!!!! Hello, Las Vegas! Shutterhound starts TOMORROW!!!! I know how hard the conference founders, Kaylee & Sam, have been working to pull this all together and I am 1,000,000% confident this will be an event to remember! I am honored to have been asked to teach two separate classes at the event and am so excited to get up there on stage and share what I've learned over the past 13 years as a pet photographer! Are any of my social followers here at the conference, too? Are you ready to have your socks knocked off????? I am!!!
Who's ready to go have some fun this weekend??? Who's ready to go have some fun this weekend???
We wrapped up this year's road trip in Big Sky, Mo We wrapped up this year's road trip in Big Sky, Montana and this was our final hike. Roxy rode in her carriage and was as happy as a little clam the whole time. She loves being out in nature and I'm just so glad we can still provide her with special outings like this one.
This year's Great American Road trip flew by way t This year's Great American Road trip flew by way too quickly. It feels like we were in Wyoming just yesterday, staring out at my favorite mountain range in awe, and photographing the amazing Harley and his mom.​​​​​​​​​ 
I'm flying out to Las Vegas next week to teach at Shutterhound, *the* conference for pet photographers. I'm excited to see old friends, meet new ones, and teach two classes! I am so honored to be part of the "rockstar speaker" lineup, which includes some of the very best, most iconic, and talented pet photographers from across the globe! Can Vegas even contain so much talent? As the conference founders are telling us, expect your socks to be blown right off more than once!
Montana taught me that I can plan and plan and pla Montana taught me that I can plan and plan and plan — but Mother Nature likes to have a little fun with those who get a little too confident in the weather! ➡️ We got completely drenched at one of our photo shoots this month and it will be one of my favorite memories from our entire road trip!
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