Image sourcing

If you are pulling together a website, marketing material or your franchise recruitment campaign you will want to add images as they are a great way to bring your brand to life: you can effectively represent your brand and images deliver a message helping you instantly engage with potential customers or franchisees.

You can also differentiate your franchise brand with your images. The style, angles, composition, colours, etc. you use can set your franchise apart from your competitors. If you are just looking for one image or want to build up a library, here are some points you may want to think about.

Finding the perfect image

1. Think about the message you want to get across to your audience and keep referring back to this when image searching. Does this image reflect the franchise/brand and does this image get your message across?

2. Look at your competitor’s images and bare this in mind when you are putting an image library together. Avoid using the same images and differentiate your style.

3. Write down all the formats and uses for the images (web, print, etc). This will help you get the right-sized images and formats. Remember, you will not be able to enlarge a low resolution (pixels per inch) photograph. If enlarged it will lose quality and start to blur.

4. Always remember never to use low quality images as this reflects on the quality of your brand.

Now it’s time to make a decision on how you will source your images. Here are some popular ways to get good quality images.

1. Purchase images or illustrations from an online image library
2. Commission a photographer
3. Commission an illustrator/designer to create illustrations/graphics.

Image libraries

Image libraries are a great way to find well composed, good quality images – and they have good search facilities that help you narrow your search. Take time to work these facilities out as they will save you time. There are many different websites that offer a range of images; from specialist libraries like www.nhpa.co.uk (nature and wildlife focused) to more general image libraries, such as www.gettyimages.co.uk or www.istockphoto.com. Once registered, you can instantly buy and download images online.

When you are deciding on an image be aware of the license agreement. Remember that the image library holds the copyright – you are, in effect, borrowing these images.

There are 2 main types;

1. Royalty Free: you can use these images multiple times without incurring additional fees. Prices are based on the size of the image. This license is for you only. You cannot give permission for another person/company to use these images.

iStockphoto (along with some other sites) specialise in low-cost, royalty-free images - xsmall images for the web can be purchased from as little as £1 (you do, however, need to purchase a number of credits to start downloading images). Getty is more expensive, but they have a fantastic range of creative images.

2. Rights managed: these images are licensed with restrictions on usage and cost is based on factors such as how large the image will be and where you will be using it. This is a much more expensive route, but Rights Managed images tend to be of higher quality and ideal for high profile campaigns. Again, this license is for you only.

If you are using the image on your franchise recruitment campaign, website or in marketing material with no manipulation, the terms are straight forward. However, you will need to carefully read the terms of each image library if you want to change the image considerably, use it as part of a logo or use the image on a product that will be sold as all of this is usually prohibited. You must also be careful if you are going to associate a model with a sensitive matter, for example, crime, abuse or mental health. If in doubt, check with the library that owns the copyright.

A downside to purchasing images from an image library is that anyone can use these images so you may see your images on another franchise website or in an advert.

Commissioning a photographer

Commissioning a photographer is a fantastic way to capture good quality, original images that are personal to your brand. Here are some points to consider:

1. When selecting a photographer, make sure they have relevant experience (business- or studio-related, for example), look at their work. Does their style look inspiring and good quality? Look at a few photographers and compare styles and quality. If you are looking to get some pictures that incorporate movement and that are fun and energetic, ask the photographer of examples of this.

2. Unless otherwise agreed, the photographer owns the rights to the photographs they have taken – even though they are of your company. This means you can only use them for the purpose they have been taken for. You cannot, for example, let other companies use your images to represent their organisation. Make sure you read the photographer’s terms so you are aware of how you can use the images and negotiate with them before the shoot if required.

3. Always write a brief for the photographer so they are clear on what you want to achieve, including what you want the images for. Think ahead: if you want the images for a large stand in the future the photographer must be aware of this so the pictures can be taken at the right size. The brief also allows you to refer back if the images are not what you wanted.

4. Prepare for the shoot. Get your models ready, make sure the office is tidy and brief everyone so they are wearing the right outfits. This will reduce the time the photographer needs to be there, reducing costs. Also, plan for someone to be with the photographer to speed up the process and so the person can look at the pictures as they go (it’s best to monitor quality and suitability at the start so changes can be made quickly – and not after the shoot has taken place). If the shoot is off site and no one can attend then make sure the brief is tight.

Photographers or designers can make changes to images after the shoot, but these need to be realistic and bear in mind this can be time-consuming and is not cost effective.

5. If the photographer is taking pictures with people in, you must get these people to sign a Model Release form (parents need to sign this for minors) which allows you to use the photograph. It is best to get staff to sign a release form just in case they leave the company and you still want to use the image.

Related articles:
Franchise advice and support
Franchise directory