Everything You Need to Know About Construction Website Photos (with Tips from a Commercial Photographer!)
The photos on your website can make or break your project.
Humans are visual creatures and pictures can say a lot about a brand.
You can instantly tell when a construction industry website has put some thought into their photos — the website looks polished, the people look like real people doing quality work, and the overall experience feels both personable and professional.
On the other hand, we’ve also all seen those sites where someone has clearly chosen a few generic stock photos of people wearing “construction worker” costumes and called it good. And nothing screams a lack of professionalism and quality than blurry, low-quality images.
As a home builder, the work you do is very visual — from breaking ground and laying the foundation to the finished build with stunning interior and exterior design. Whatever corner of the industry you work in, it’s crucial that you have solid photography as part of your website design.
From my own personal experience, I know that it can be hard to know where to start, what photos to include, and whether to invest in working with a photographer.
That’s why I recently sat down with Bryan James, a professional photographer based out of Portland, OR who has experience working in the construction and remodeling industry. Here’s what he had to say…
Tips for crafting quality construction website photos
Before jumping into which photos to include (or leave out), let’s talk about what good photos actually DO for a general contractor website.
If you don’t spend a lot of time working in web development and online marketing, it can be hard to see pictures as a top priority. However, just like your branding, the images you select serve an invaluable purpose in communicating information and connecting with potential clients.
The types of photos you take and the projects you show off in them act as your calling card, letting potential customers know what’s unique about you and the way you work, and they can also help people understand what you’re best at.
Having high-quality, intentionally-chosen photos also builds trust and on a subconscious level helps your prospective customers feel more comfortable working with you. It’s a far more effective means of building rapport than outright statements like, “You can trust us!” matched with subpar design or photos.
Finally, having good photos helps you turn your website into a solid source of lead generation.
You can repurpose the photos you have taken for your website on social media, Google My Business, blog posts, and other promotional materials. Seeing photos from the same shoot or photos that have the same “feel” on both your social media and your site creates brand consistency that again underscores your trustworthiness.
Types of photos to include on your website
Team Photos
You need to have at least one overall photo of your team where everybody is standing together. Depending on how big your company is, you may also want to take photos of individual departments or teams too.
Project Portfolio Pieces
You should also include professionally shot photos of your work. Include a variety of projects that show you at your best so people can get a sense of how you work and the kinds of results they can expect. Make sure each one of these shots is done to show off a different element of your work with each project. For instance, if you build a house that has exquisite finishing, get some close-ups of that. Or, if you specialize in rehab projects, take pictures of the worst looking parts of the build before you start, then show their transformation.
Photographer: Bryan James
A quick word of caution — really think about what makes each project unique. You don’t want to end up with an album of pictures of identical-looking houses.
This is meant to show off your skills. Take some time to work with the photographer so the two of you can use each project to highlight a different skill or benefit of working with you.
Headshots
Photographer: Bryan James
While your team photo or photos will include everyone, it’s also worth doing individual headshots for the company leadership and the people your clients will interact the most with. People love being able to put a face to a name when they call into your office. Having personable, natural headshots of you and your company leadership helps humanize your company, building trust and rapport with your potential customers.
Behind-the-Scenes or Action Photos
Finally, make sure you take some behind-the-scenes photos of you and your staff at work, as well as some action shots of building sites. This helps people get a sense of what working with you will feel like, and it can also help set expectations with clients, as they can start to “see” themselves working together with you on their project.
And what photos to avoid???
Construction stock photos!
I get it, it can be incredibly tempting to skip through all of this. Maybe put up one team photo somebody takes on a Friday afternoon, and then populate the rest of your construction website with stock photos.
While stock photos do have a time and place, they’re just no substitute for real photos of your work and your team.
As a custom home builder, stock photos will cheapen the feel of your website. And “cheap” is not a word you want associated with your industry.
Construction stock photos are also deliberately generic. They could be any company or any construction project. They don’t show off anything about your unique skills or approach and they won’t help customers connect with you. Avoid them if you can.
If you do legitimately need to use stock photos, here are my top recommendations for stock photo sites.
So now you know how important good construction industry photos are, and what kind you need for your site. But how do you actually get those great photos?
Tips from a professional commercial photographer
Tip 1: Show your personality
The most important thing is to have fun and show your personality in your photo shoot!
Photographer: Bryan James
Remember, the whole point of having your own photos is to show potential customers what makes you different from all the other construction industry businesses out there.
While it’s hard to take a picture of concepts like “trustworthiness” or “high quality,” you can show off your personality and visually demonstrate these qualities in your pictures. For instance, if you have a high-touch approach to all your projects, then take pictures showing you working with customers one-on-one, showing them a blueprint, or working with them to design an element of your build.
And remember, while having good photos is serious in that they play a key role in the effectiveness of your custom home builder website, that doesn’t mean that you must be serious in your photos. If you love what you do and enjoy bringing humor or fun to your work, show that! The more you can show yourself and your team for who they really are, the more you’ll attract your ideal customers.
Tip 2: Make your team photo engaging
We’ve all seen the team photo that looks more like a photo taken on a school picture day. You know, with everyone lined up in a row, while someone sets a timer on a camera that’s set up on a ladder?
This is such a wasted opportunity!
Your team photo is another opportunity to show off your company’s personality and what sets you apart from your competitors, so take some time to think about how you can make the most of it.
Work with your photographer and make a plan for a location that tells people something about your team and play around with composition. There’s no rule that says you have to have everybody stand in a straight line. See what else might demonstrate your team’s uniqueness! You may even want to include a few props to help your team members feel more comfortable and engaged. The better the plan, the faster the photo tends to happen, and the faster the photo happens, the more enthusiastic people tend to be.
Tip 3: Make the most of your behind-the-scenes photos
Photographer: Bryan James
Good behind-the-scenes photos make your prospective customers feel like they know you before they ever meet you. Pick a job site that’s in line with your ideal client or a project you really love, and have a photographer take some candid photos that communicate your team’s focus, collaboration, and skills.
While your photographer may have some ideas about various stages of work they’d like to capture you in, you know your work and your team best, so think about the times when everything feels like it’s working seamlessly, or that you’re doing your best work, and clue the photographer into those. By telling them what to look for, you’ll help them capture shots that show off all the great work you and your team do.
Should you work with a professional photographer for your custom home builder website?
Getting professional photos done isn’t always cheap, so I understand the impulse to try to DIY it ... but I recommend working with a professional photographer whenever possible. Taking great photos (particularly in an industrial setting) is a skill, and so it’s worth setting aside the budget to work with a professional.
A professional photographer should also be prioritizing strategy and can help you brainstorm the kinds of photos and settings that will work best with your website, as well as making sure that your team and portfolio appear at their best. There are lots of photographers who specialize in professional shoots, including those that work specifically with those in the construction industry, so try to find someone with this kind of experience, so they know how to take shots that communicate your values and expertise.
The one area where you’ve got a little more wiggle room here is on photos taken solely for your social media. While you still need a suite of professional photos for your site and ideally, your sales posts on social media, you can play around a little with candid shots taken by you or your team on social media stories. These can also help personalize you and your business to potential customers, but you do need to make sure that the photos are still high quality. (You don’t want a blurry or messy-looking photo to come out in your marketing right next to some professionally shot portfolio pics!) If in doubt, use the ones your professional construction photographer took –– that way you’ll know that your customers are getting the kind of brand consistency and professional appearance that will help them feel comfortable approaching you and working with you.
Need a high-converting custom home builder website to go with your new photos? I’m here to help.
I’ve helped dozens of businesses in construction increase their conversion rates and book more jobs with strategic websites on Squarespace. I’d love to serve you and help you achieve the same. Learn more about custom website design by booking a free 30-minute consultation today!
