Photography tips for websites and printing

Photography plays a key role in building and strengthening the identity of a brand or product. By choosing the right images, compositions, and colors, the design can evoke the desired emotions and engage the viewer in the story you want to tell as a company. A poor photo can also undermine the brand experience and design.

Therefore, we would like to offer you some tips for providing and taking the right photos.

It is important to consider the application. Will the photo be used in a digital or printed format? For printed materials, especially in large formats, higher resolution is required to keep the image sharp. Often, photos for print are taken with a good digital camera or sourced from stock photography. If the photo is intended for online use on a website or social media, a photo taken with a phone is often sufficient.

Consider the aspect ratio and the final position of the photo in the design. Is a portrait or landscape image needed? If you want to place a landscape image in a portrait space (or vice versa), a crop will be necessary. This can result in an important part of the photo not being visible. If it’s not yet clear because there is no design available, it is useful to provide both options so that the designer has enough flexibility.

Ensure that the photos have a sufficiently high resolution to display sharply and with detail. For print, a resolution of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) is recommended, while 72 dpi is suitable for digital/web designs. The most commonly used file format is JPEG (.jpg) due to its good balance between file size and image quality. Other formats include PNG (.png) for images with a transparent background and TIFF (.tiff) for high-quality and editable images.

It is important to use only photos for which you have obtained the necessary permissions or that fall under the correct licenses, such as royalty-free or self-made images.

Do not send photos via WhatsApp or in a Word document. These programs reduce the image quality, causing a significant loss of resolution. Submit photos via email or WeTransfer to maintain the best quality.

If you need assistance in choosing or taking the right photos, AllesOnline can always advise you or handle the photography for you.