Customers hire landscapers based on stellar reviews and great reputations, but they also like to imagine themselves living in lush gardens and walking down beautifully laid stone paths. If you already have a steady stream of clients based on your past work, improving your landscaping photography can give you even more of an edge.
To really draw in new customers, use these six tips to make your landscaping look like it came straight out of a home and garden magazine.
Before and After Photos
It’s easy to forget to take photos at all during busy days, but prospective clients like to see the progress you can make. Remember to take before and after photos to showcase your team’s talents.
Lighting
To enhance your photos without extra equipment, take lighting into account. Professional photographers often take advantage of the “Golden Hours:” the hours right after sunrise and before sunset that create soft yellows, pinks and purples.
Composition and Perspective
Professional photographers utilize the rule of thirds. Basically, a photo can be broken into nine boxes in three sections. For instance, if you’re taking a photo of a large landscape, use the horizon or a distant fence to break up your shot horizontally. Use shrubs or the corner of a house to break it up vertically.
Many smartphones and professional cameras have settings that show this grid as you take your shot.
Close-Ups
Your work can cover acres of ground, but pick out some highlights you’re particularly proud of — neat flower beds, beautifully-trimmed shrubs or stones. This shows customers you don’t just have skills, but an artistic vision, as well.
Invest in Camera Equipment for the Best Landscaping Photography
Any of these tips can be used with smartphones or cheap digital cameras, but for truly better photography, invest in a little equipment:
- A camera with an adjustable lens for focusing close-ups
- A tripod for evenly-composed shots
- Editing software
Investing in basic photography equipment takes your marketing power to the next level.
Drone Photography
This may sound expensive or complicated, but drone photography is more accessible than its ever been. Packages sold online come with cameras and remote controls for around $200. You’ll even have a screen that shows what your aerial camera sees in real time.
With drone photography, your portfolio will look like stills from a movie set. Because drones allow you to get the best overall pictures of your landscaping, this technique packs the biggest “wow” factor. Just be sure to check local and FAA regulations first. Often, if you can see your drone, it’s flying under 400 feet and it’s during the day, you’re all set.
Let Landscape Web Pros Help You Market Your Landscaping Business
Better landscaping photography is only the beginning of better marketing. While you make clients’ dreams come true, Landscape Web Pros can:
- Create a website customers can use easily.
- Use SEO and keyword techniques so new customers find you online.
- Manage your social media and local listings.
- Improve your business’s visibility with pay-per-click advertising.
If you want to build your landscaping business or hardscaping business, we can help you today. Just take a look at a few of the landscaping businesses that have improved with our marketing expertise. Schedule a free consultation today to realize your business’s full potential.
