The bigger picture…

Why you should always use a professional photographer

Ever since the digital camera was invented, in 1975, the number of misguided PR and marketing teams who think that they can do without great photography to support their press releases has risen. To editors, the following sentence is hugely depressing: “A quick shot on a smartphone will be fine – and it’ll save us the cost of a photographer”. Less cost for the marketing team equals a lot less impact for the news they are trying to get out.

(promotional business feature)

Business & Innovation Magazine’s chief photographer is Rob Lacey, who has over 25 years’ experience in photography. He began his career in advertising studios, moving into press photography, spending time on the staff at regional newspaper The Gloucestershire Echo. He then launched a successful freelance career, working for a mix of newspapers, editorial and corporate clients.

Nicky Godding, editor of Business & Innovation Magazine, said: “You can indeed take amazing photographs on a smartphone – many off-duty photographers do – but a sharp shot is only half the story. Light, composition and the telling of a subtle story are as important, and seldom does a marketing team really understand how to do that. Sometimes they get lucky, most of the time I bang my head on the desk in frustration when I download second rate photographs which I’ve been promised are wonderful.”

However, this story could be ending more happily than once feared. There finally seems to be an acceptance that marketing and PR teams are great at writing copy (something most photographers have always admitted they can’t do), but should keep their smartphones in their pockets when doing press photographs, and get a professional in.

Business & Innovation Magazine considers that the visual image is as important as the written word. Together, they make for a powerful combination to illustrate news and better enable the reader to absorb the information they are reading.

That’s why we always advocate the use of an experienced, professional photographer, and commission our own photographer for all our social coverage.

Rob’s diverse experience has delivered a successful mix of creativity, speed and professionalism. His work has been published in the UK and abroad, in regional & national newspapers, trade press, books and magazines.

Using his experience in press photography Rob provides PR photography in styles suitable for tabloid and broadsheet publications and magazines. His photography always meets the brief, is high quality and always delivered to deadline.

He also works for a wide variety of corporate clients offering a full range of photography for annual reports, corporate portraits, brochures, conference and events.

Based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in the Cotswolds, within 40 miles of Bristol, Birmingham, Hereford, Swindon and Oxford, Rob covers South West & Midlands as well as Cardiff and London. Competitive rates starting at £150 for the first hour photography (including mileage within 40 miles of Cheltenham).

He is regularly commissioned by clients in Central London, shooting corporate portraits, headshots and conference photography as well as public relations and the arts.

Rob says: “With over 25 years’ experience in photography, I have seen the radical evolution of photography from black and white, to colour then digital first hand. But the fundamental reason I enjoy my job is my ability to tell a story through pictures.”

For information please contact Rob Lacey on 01242 861118 or Mobile 07802 542598 or email rob@roblaceyphotographer.co.uk

www.roblaceyphotographer.co.uk