imageflow-blog

How Applied Imaging Can Give You The Edge

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:09:23 +0100

Are you bored of the same old types of images used to advertise your products and services? Does every photographer come out with the same boring ideas, when you want is something new and unusual to capture your markets imagination? Well applied imaging is what you are looking for.

What Is Applied Imaging?

Applied imaging is a term used for a number of different photographic and imaging techniques. These include Infra Red, UV, Panoramic, High Dynamic Range and 3D photography, as well as other techniques such as Time Lapse and Aerial photography. These methods are often an outgrowth of scientific research, but the eye popping effects they produce can be used give your promotional images something your competitors don’t have. Before we discuss what these techniques can do for your sales, first let’s give a brief description of each of the methods we’ve mentioned.

Infra Red and UV Imaging- These techniques use an extended range of the electromagnetic spectrum to produce images that cannot ordinarily be seen by the human eye. By using special filters and sensors we can produce spectacular images using light that we cannot see.

Panoramic Photography- Panoramic photography is the ability to capture scenes using an elongated field of view. Instead of sticking to the normal angle of view, panoramic photography uses special lenses or multiple exposures to produce images that cannot usually be seen all at once.

High Dynamic Range Imaging- HDR, (as it’s known), uses a much wider range of tones to produce an image that is much closer to human vision. Our eyes adjust automatically to produce a full range of light intensity levels, but until recently, this technique wasn’t widely available to photographers.

3D Photography- This one is obvious, we all have put on the cardboard glasses with different colour lenses and seen dinosaurs or superheroes leap out of the pages of books. But new techniques and technologies have advanced this method into the 21^st century.

So How Can Applied Imaging Help Me?

So now we have heard about the different methods of applied imaging, the question is how can it help me? Well these techniques may seem like complicated and novelty ways of producing images but when used in the correct area, produce photographs that help you stand out from your competitors. For instance Infra Red, Panoramic or HDR imaging can all be used to produce striking Property images. Not every image of your property would use these techniques, but they could be used to make an arresting image to hook the potential customer. Likewise 3D and HDR imaging can be used for images of your products, to give them an edge in a competitive market place. There are also applications for techniques such as Time Lapse or Aerial photography when you need to capture something that happens over time or that is best viewed from above. All these techniques can give you something different in your advertising and marketing to help you stand out and ultimately get potential customers talking about your business.

With thanks to- http://blog.pqlite.com/20-examples-of-infrared-photography/

http://www.kozoklix.com/tag/house/

http://www.city-data.com/forum/general-u-s/160346-photos-your-houses-area-5.html

http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/andy/blogimages/eustontowerana.jpg

An Image Is Worth A Thousand Words...

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:07:58 +0100

...and maybe a thousand extra sales. Whether you sell online, using a catalogue or in store, the presentation of your products is key. If your merchandise doesn’t look attractive to your potential customers, your sales will suffer. You may have a great product, a wonderful location and award winning customer service, but bad or non-existent images of your products will allow your competitors to profit. If you operate in a crowded marketplace that gives the consumer a lot of choice, the best presented product will always be the top pick. The cost of getting your images photographed professionally may seem expensive but it is an investment that will pay off in the long run.

Once your products have been photographed professionally and presented in their best light, you can use the images for a multitude of marketing opportunities. Online sales, catalogues, flyers, leaflets, posters, billboards, newspaper or magazine adverts and web adverts can all be used to increase your sales. Of course there are other ways to set yourself out from your rivals, such as price, customer service and reliability, but you need to draw your potential customers in to start with. By using badly taken, incorrectly resized or no photograph at all, you are not even giving your product a chance.

Some Interesting Research

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:52:01 +0100

An interesting piece of research I found on my travels through the internet, with a handy graph as well.
It is some market research by The Nielsen Company, asking people in New Zealand searching for properties online what they wanted to see. Top of the list is Large Selection of Images, third is High Quality Images and sixth is Large Images. The conclusion of the research is that "Image related resources are highly attractive for real estate website research". Granted the survey was only taken in one country and the sample size was 1206, but it does show that people who are looking for somewhere new to live want to be able to see professional images of the prospective properties. As I've mentioned before, most images on estate agents websites are poor, but with a little time and investment they can be greatly improved.

How Photography Can Help Sell Your Properties

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:54:55 +0100

We all know that first impressions count. The first thing most people see when searching for a property to buy or rent is the listing on a website or local newspaper. They will have a lot of different things to consider, the price (most importantly!), the area it is in, the amount of space it offers and the area it is in. The first three issues can be communicated easily by text, but the last feature can only be properly shown by photos or visiting the property. With numerous different properties to choose from and little time to see them all, most people rely on the images posted by the estate agents on their website to choose which to visit. Unfortunately more often than not these images are taken by the agents themselves, and though highly skilled negotiators and sales people they may be, most agents aren’t great photographers. This means that the majority of property images on estate agents websites are too dark, out of focus or dull. With limited time and patience, most people looking for a new place to live are unlikely to give a second look to somewhere that doesn’t look like a nice property.

This is where a property photographer can help.

By ensuring the photographs of a property are accurately exposed, in focus and properly composed, a photographer can boost the chances of a sale or letting. To do this does not mean turning the property into a studio with lights, reflectors and backdrops everywhere. A technically good, appealing photograph can be achieved with a minimum of equipment and fuss. The bigger the property obviously the bigger the advertising budget, with more time being taken over the images. But even with the smallest apartment, something can be done to enhance the chances of selling or letting the property. In fact the more “compact” or run down a property, the more urgent the need for a professional photograph. By emphasizing the good qualities of the property, a photographer can help the estate agent increase viewings and in due course lettings and sales. But this does not mean that the photographer will use Photoshop to add windows where there are none and remove unsightly features. A well taken photograph will get prospective customers excited about a property, and this makes the agents job a little easier.

“Location, location, location” is the famous adage about the most important factor in selling or letting a property, well “Professional, professional, professional” could be the mantra when it comes to the importance of using images to show off your properties. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it doesn’t have to be time consuming and it doesn’t have to take a lot of equipment. But it will improve the amount of viewings and ultimately the number of satisfied customers you have. Don’t let all of your hard work go to waste by using bad photographs!