Lasting Impressions
Do the images on your website and within your social media leave a lasting impression?
Understanding how important your images are, is essential to your success.
In this blog we are going to be looking at why images create an emotional response and how they can be used to tell a story.
As Ancient As Time.
Mankind has been creating lasting impressions for many millennia.
Recently, the Leang Tedongnge cave in a remote valley of the island of Sulawesi, in Indoneisa, archaeologists have found the world’s oldest known animal cave painting.
The painting is life sized and depicts a warty pig.
It is part of a larger narrative scene. It was painted 45,500 years ago.
You can see hands of the artist in the top left of the painting. It is incredible to think that we have link to our past ancestors.
Photo by Maxime Aubert
Mona Lisa – Leonardo Da-Vinci
Iconic Lasting Impressions.
Arguably the most lasting impression of any painting, of artist, The Mona Lisa is probably top of the pile.
It is too soon to see if the cave painting of a warty pig will gain such prominence as the Mona Lisa, but, both images cause the viewer to stop and consider much.
Time.
Perhaps both images illustrate our mortality.
For a moment, we are here, fleetingly. Whether it be a hunting scene with the handprints of the hunter as part of the image, or, an image from the master, both are images captured in time.
The Eyes.
The Mona Lisa is captivating. Many have said that the eyes follow one about the room.
It is also unknown as to who the subject is in the subject.
Some speculate that this particular lasting impression is a self portrait, by the artist himself.
It certainly has an androgynous feel about it.
What do you think?
Making An Impression.
When considering your own images that represent your own business, one has to consider, how are you going to make a lasting impression.
Do you want folk to follow you on social media due to imagery? if so, how can you be a disruptive influence that leaves an impression?
Maturity.
As your business grows, creating lasting impressions often becomes easier.
As your business grows you gain more assets, along with experience.
You have begun to work out as to what will gain traction and create an impression.
You will also develop a maturity in beginning the creative process. As with our cave dwelling ancestors, when one starts out with creating imagery, it may be basic, lacking a certain level of maturity.
As you grow in stature and experience, you will develop your style and brand and be able to create more complex imagery.
Colour.
An almost seemingly never-ending debate revolves around whether images need to be in colour or black & white.
This depends upon so much regarding your brand and marketplace.
It also depends upon the subject matter and the story.
For example, the picture below is entitled The Fighting Temeraire by my favourite artist, John W Turner.
It depicts the demise and last journey of one of the warships, from the Battle of Trafalgar, being towed to the breakers yard by a small tug.
The pathos of the image oozes from the image. A great ship, from one of the most famous battles, has had its technology surpassed, and is therefore no longer of use.
If this was a black and white image, the emotional connection of the image will be largely lost.
Deciding upon whether you require black and white or colour is partly subjective, but, it is also objective at times.
The Fighting Temeraire – John W Turner
Impressionism.
Creating images that represent your brand, but, are realistic and not abstract can be a winner.
Christ of Saint John of the Cross – Salvador Dali
This image, by arguably the greatest artist of the style of Impressionism, is real, yet abstract.
It depicts Christ, crucified, but hanging over the water of the bay of the Spanish Port Lligat, and over a boat replete with fishermen.
Interpretation.
Most images stand alone, yet, there is a deeper meaning to the image. This is as true of images for business and commerce as it is of any work of art.
I argue that images for business are also works of art.
This painting by Dali is a depiction of Christ that is based on a triangle and circle.
The triangle, formed by the cross piece and the arms of Christ, is alleged to be a reference to the tri-unity of the Father, Son and Spirit.
The circle that can be seen in the head of Christ, is thought to be an allusion to a unity arising out of Platonic thought.
Effort & Collaboration.
In order to produce this image Dali arranged for a Hollywood stuntman to be suspended from an overhead gantry.
This enables the artist to see how a body hung from the desired angle.
It also helped to present the pull of gravity upon the human body to enable a realistic representation to be presented in the painting.
When producing images for your business, and your brand, it can take time, effort and collaboration.
Do not shirk the responsibility to produce imagery that tells a story and creates a lasting impression.
Print v Digital.
Neither the cave men, nor the great masters, had to contend with the modern phenomenon of print v digital.
However, this is a consideration for you, and your business.
If you are going to use your images in print, you will need to start with a high resolution image.
A Smartphone will not (yet) cut it in this regard. both the sensor and the memory within a device, are not sufficient to create a high res print ready image.
Black & White (B&W) Can Be Better.
As I have specified above, B&W can work and this can be, to a greater or lesser degree, a subjective decision.
However, some images just cry out for a black and white treatment.
Some of my own fine art work is better in B&W.
My images of boxers, fighting, capture the mood, intensity, athleticism and the brutality of this sport.
Fine Art by Arwyn Bailey
Being Technical.
The Smartphone device has created a democracy and accessibility to imagery.
However, such a modern device has not (yet) negated the need for experience and creativity, and skill.
Shooting these boxers, over the period of an evening, is the most challenging photography that I have ever undertaken.
There is little light available, the speed of the punches is incredible and the angles that one is shooting at requires extremely rapid framing.
There is not a mobile device on the planet that will be able to cope with the production of images within this type of scenario.
Likewise, within business, there are occasions when your own mobile device will suffice, but, on other occasions a professional is required to produce the images that will create a lasting impression, and gain traction fro you and your business.
Get in Touch.
The services that I provide, to you, provides you with media that is impactful and designed to create a response.
Tapping into my experience starts by you contacting me via my contact page by clicking here for a no obligation conversation.
Also, you can learn more about me by viewing my YouTube Channel that can be found by clicking here.
You can review the services that I offer to you, within a safe environment during this COVID-19 situation.
Start planning your own marketing endeavours with me.
Lord Pennington-Bailey, Arwyn, of Hougun Manor.