Click above to preview some of our regional assignments
Photo Libraries are the visual foundation on which any regional marketing strategy is built as the photographs it draws from largely determine the appeal – and the competitiveness – of a tourism authority’s promotional effort.
And, with thousands of dollars being spent taking those images into the marketplace (web sites, promotional collateral, travel shows and advertising etc), it makes sense to do it properly from the start.
As a large part of my work is spent working with regional tourism authorities in Australia, I thought I’d post these few suggestions on how to strengthen a regional photo library.
- Plan to build your library over several assignments. Recognise that it is unlikely you will get all the photographs you need from a single assignment (or for that matter, a single photographer). Work with the photographer to consider what should be a comprehensive Shot List of the subjects you need photographed for your library, taking into consideration seasonality, major events, travel time and acessibility. Then prioritise those that can be shot immediately and plan for those that can be captured later. Expect to add to your library over time, building on a foundation of quality.
- Recognise the difference between “Inventory Shots” (the necessary pictures that show the range of attractions you have to offer) and “Hero Shots” (the flagship photographs that are likely to lead your promotional effort). Ensure your best shots a high in the ranking of your library to create a favourable impression for those entering for the first time.
- Build your library on professional standards from the start ie Ensure all images are licensed to you and your stakeholders to use for promotional purposes, set technical standards for the photographs in your library (file size, format etc), establish administrative protocols for usage, captioning and model releases.
- Consider the most effective means for distributing and providing access to your photographs on an on-going basis (ie On-Line Library).
- Ensure your destination’s key marketing messages are strongly reflected in your photo library and that you have several appealing Hero Shots that define and differentiate your region from its competition.
You may see these suggestions reflected in the preview links above from some of the Australian regions I have photographed.
Next Stop: The Solomon Islands
