Why work with a Professional Photographer?

Should you hire a Professional Photographer?

When considering your business expenses and marketing budget, hiring a professional photographer is often at the very bottom of the pile.

Whether you’re a new business building your website for the first time or a well-established business revamping your online presence, the cost of professional photography might leave you thinking you can get by without it.

After all, you could just take some pictures yourself or use stock photos. When it comes to professional photography, there are always other more important things you should be spending your funds on than professional photography, right?

Wrong.

The truth is that every business no matter the industry can benefit from having professional photography on their website. 

No matter who your customers are or what you are selling, high-quality photography is an important asset that will continuously contribute to your overall branding and success.

Professionally photography gives you the opportunity to stand out from the crowd, to really engage your audience and reward your employees.

With a professional photographer, you can build a portfolio of images that is unique to you and will always be available for your promotional campaigns or keeping your website fresh with updated photos.

Not sure it’s for you?

Check out our recent website design for Candlelight Care. We advised them to stay away from stock photography and bring in a professional to capture their clients and staff. We think the result brings our original design to life and makes their website absolutely unique and full of personality.

When you are setting up your business expenses and marketing budget, professional photography should be at the top of the list.

The rise of the QR Code – again

Since the rise and fall of the C word – the QR code seems to have made a huge come back.

Originally designed in Japan for the automotive industry, they were adopted because of being able to add additional information beyond the printed display. 

After a recent trip to Bristol, we discovered that menus were a rarity, with a mere scan of a QR code on our table, the menu was there, all singing with even an animated twist! But as I glanced around, I noticed it wasn’t just me that wasn’t the most tec savvy – as the waiter muttered “just point your phone at it” (well he actually meant the camera) much to my friends’ amusement, “I thought you were good at this tech stuff” she exclaimed! These codes have thrived recently and no longer do we need to download an app to access the info held in the codes but now Apple and Android phones have the ability to scan QR code using their built-in cameras. This behaviour has become ingrained in our day-to-day behaviour. In fact that 45% of shoppers used marketing-related QR codes in 2021. 

So, does your printed media need a QR code?  The simple answer is YES, but think about your customers – will they know how to access the info, and do you need both a QR code and printed media? Think carefully about where your code goes – weblink / social media / business card / Google drive. How easy is it to change the information you a guiding people too – you don’t want to be printing different QR Codes every 5 minutes. Can you analyse your QR code’s performance? and how will you measure it?

Sites worth a try:
https://www.the-qrcode-generator.com

https://www.qr-code-generator.com

https://www.qrcode-monkey.com

Recently we have helped a few customers pick up on the QR code trend. The Café at Frogmary, Farm and Field, have them on their tables. Stokes Partners have them on their new business cards and the lovely hairdresser Elizabeth Jarrett will be having them on her new stand. So, it really looks like they’re here to stay! But don’t worry if you don’t know where to start – we can help you pick the right format and output to get the perfect code to the right customers. 

Just a quickie > Did you know that the “QR” in QR code stands for “quick response?” 

QR Codes Stable Design
QR Codes Stable Design

Sustainability

Race medal design and set up for sustainable printing on wood  

We created these bespoke and fully customised medals and trophies for the Martock 10K race, organised by Race Nation Events. 

We love working with the exceptional Race Nations Events, and when COVID hit we were absolutely gutted for them. In a matter of weeks, we went from “halting the curve” to full lockdown and with it every event planned for the summer. What the public seemed to forget was this was totally exceptional circumstances. That so much goes into planning an event or race before the gun is fired – road closures applied for, health and safety, medals designed and produced, entry procedure, the list goes on (and on and on). We had nothing but admiration for Jody and Lucy who dealt with the onslaught of people on social media with such professionalism. So when lockdowns started to be lifted and Race Nation Events got in contact and asked us if we could help with some graphic design we jump at the chance. 

With this race running through the orchards of Somerset, although not apple season, we set to work in adobe illustrator creating the view of Burrow Hill Cider Farm surrounded by apples. The aim was to create a light, happy and fun design that didn’t take itself too seriously, for many of the contestants this was the first group run in over a year! We chose a happy, flowing font and complimented it with rich greens and strong berry pink.

This piece of graphic design was extra special to me as I received my own medal in recognition of my achievements – well the weather was hot hot hot and I was proper hungover, but pure stubbornness and a pint of water and I somehow managed to finish in less than an hour and got one of my extra special medals! 

Eco Friendly

Lots of options but where to start?

Our company is evolving – the energy we use, the processes we have in place, our print and packaging and how we handle our plastics.

There are some amazing advances in our industry with some awesome companies helping pave the way for future generations. 

Wherever possible we use carbon capture paper for our print – with the emphasis on sustainability and money going back to uk woodlands. 

We are also using compostable bags for packing and reusing cardboard and polybag postal items wherever possible – We encourage our customers and team to recycle and reuse.

One thing I would say is that recycled paper is not always the best eco option. The chemicals used to pulp and bleach sometimes outweighs the good. Sustainable paper maybe a better route but there are pluses and minuses in both situations! The same goes for veggie inks, but one things for sure, it is great to have soo many eco options! 

Can’t tell your PMS, CMYK, RGB and HEX colour profiles apart?

Pantone – 7599C
CMYK – 24/90/93/17
RGB – 40/48/39
HEX – #a93120

Looks like a lot of random numbers and letters? When input into the correct format, these codes become Stable Design Red, our main company colour since 1982. Want to read more about our colour choices? Check out Stable’s colour story in Our Colours Explained.

Keeping colours consistent is far more complicated than it at first appears. With visual communication now reaching around the globe on multiple platforms, both digital and printed, it is vital that you keep your colours consistent with the right colour profile.

What are the different colour profiles?

The main four are PMS, CMYK, RGB and HEX.

Anyone who works on a computer will have seen these terms used to describe colour types. Many people don’t understand what they are, how they’re used and what is the difference is between them.

The biggest difference is whether the colour is in print or on-screen.

Often people who design something onscreen in RGB will be disappointed when their finished printed piece is less vibrant than expected. Since RGB colours are illuminated by a screen, they will appear more vibrant. There is also a larger range of colours onscreen than could ever be absolutely replicated on the printed page.

It’s important to understand that the digital and print mediums depict colours very differently from one another. You don’t use PMS colours on a website just like you don’t use RGB colours on a printing press. They just won’t work.

Simply put: PMS and CMYK are for print. RGB and HEX are for onscreen.

Breakdown of the main colour profiles

PMS (Pantone® Matching System)

Around since the 1950s, Pantone wrote the book on colour types and created an industry-wide standard. Even now, Pantone’s Colour of the Year is eagerly awaited by creatives of many kinds. A Pantone ink is one solid colour throughout, whereas a CMYK colour is a pattern of dots that overlap to make the final colour.

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

CMYK colour (also called the four-colour process) is a combination of tiny transparent dots of four ink colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Different combinations of large and small CMYK transparent dots overlap each other to create a wide spectrum of colours.

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

The most commonly used colour profile is for the digital world of computers, TV screens and mobile devices. RGB is the process by which colours are depicted onscreen by using different combinations of only red, green and blue.

HEX (Hexadecimal Colour)

Digital designers and developers usually use HEX colours in web design. A HEX colour is expressed as a six-digit combination of numbers and letters defined by its mix of red, green and blue (RGB). Essentially, a HEX colour code is shorthand for an RGB value.

Convert Colour Profiles

You shouldn’t need to worry about converting any colour profiles. Professional designers and printers will have conversion tools in the graphic programmes they use, like InDesign or Photoshop.

Any professionals you work with will be aware that colours may change from digital to print output. They will let you know the colours may vary slightly, depending on what paper type or quality.

How can I remember all this?

Don’t worry! Download our handy PDF here.