The time has come – you’re finally getting yourself a website. A unique online space for your business and all the wonderful things you offer. Excitement abounds. It’s going to be – wait for it – legendary.
And then your web designer says: ‘We’ll need photos for the website. Do you have a professional headshot?’
And your heart sinks. Photos? Like… taken by a professional photographer? And what’s even supposed to be on them – not yourself, surely?
If this train of thought sounds familiar, read on. In this article, we’ll explore the role of website photos and you’ll walk away with a list of shots that will make your web designer – and, hopefully, yourself – skip with joy.
Table of Contents
Do I Need Photos on My Website?
The short answer is yes.
People generally don’t read websites from start to finish. Most of us just scan the headings and try to figure out if we’re in the right place as quickly as possible. So it’s good practice to break website content into smaller chunks and arrange it around visual elements such as illustrations, prominent typography or photographs. Anything that will make scanning and reading easier.
If you’re a solopreneur or have a business based on you as a person, a headshot or two can go a long way in removing anonymity, building trust and establishing a personal connection. After all, we all want to know who’s on the other side of the computer screen.
Overall, it’s a good idea for your website to include photos of people – yourself, your team, or happy people using your product (or all of the above!). When working on a website selling a map, UX designer Ben Hunt experimented with replacing a bare-bones product photo with a shot of a smiling person pointing at the map in question. The result? A conversion increase of 38 %.

Do I Really Need Professional Photos?
In some industries, it’s basically a requirement. Ever heard of a design-build studio showing off projects through phone pics?. In all other cases, it’s – at the very least – a good idea.
There are several things high-quality photos from a professional photographer can do for your online presence.
They Boost Your Credibility
Jakob Nielsen, one of the pioneers and founders of the field of user experience (UX) design, found out that users tend to ignore generic stock photos when scanning a website. Photos of people, places and products that look realistic reassure us on a subconscious level. I mean, if someone was able to take a photo of them, they probably actually exist, right?
Professional photos also show you’re serious about your business. You’ve invested so much effort and resources into your product, it seems almost a shame not to display it at its best.
You Won’t Look Like Your Competition
Getting your own photos means you won’t accidentally use the same stock photo as your competitors. Also, you’ll sleep better knowing that the copyright to your content rests with you (well, your photographer, but at least it’s someone you know personally).
They Give Off the Right Vibe
Are you a compassionate coach? Bold barrister? Talented translator? A professional photographer (hah :)) will know how to show you the way you want to be seen. They’ll help you select the right outfit and work with lighting, posing and props to create a visual message that aligns with your brand.
‘But my services are the same, never mind how pretty I look on my photos!’ I hear you say. Let me share an anecdotal real-life example that shows that – like it or not – sometimes appearances do matter.
A few months back, a friend of mine decided to go freelance. This guy is a data analyst with a PhD in mathematics and an academic background – he’s really smart. He built himself a simple website showcasing his work experience and impressive track record and finished it off with a rather unflattering selfie. A couple of people wished him luck on social media. A few days later, he replaced the selfie with a professional headshot – and only then did the comments start rolling in: ‘You look like a real pro!’ or ‘Now you can go work at a multinational company’, or ‘I’ll see if there’s someone I can send your website to.’ It was the same person, with the same expertise – but a single photograph transformed his entire online presence.

Use Stock Photos and AI-generated Images with Caution
Not every project has the budget for a brand photoshoot. No matter! We can always take just one or two of your own photos and use stock photography – or AI-generated images – for the rest of your website. High-quality stock photos are great for mood-setting visuals (a cup of coffee next to a laptop, anyone?) or those semi-hidden subpages few people will actually visit (such as the cookie policy or, ahem, your Terms of Service page). Stock photos are also great for visual inspiration and can be used in mood boards that communicate the feel of your brand to photographers or designers.
Naturally, there are downsides. Studies have shown that users tend to ignore generic images. You might also use the same photos as your competitors by accident, or unknowingly pick a cringe-inducing ‘stock photo cliché’ (the handshake, teams high-fiving each other in an office, etc.). Finally, as lawyers point out, you never know if the person who uploaded the stock photo actually has the rights to it – leaving you potentially liable if the actual author decides to press charges.

How Many Photos Do You Need?
So, you’ve reached the point where you are considering hiring a photographer. Congratulations! You’re scrolling through the websites of a few candidates and wondering which photography package to choose. How many photos will you actually need?
As usual, the answer is: it depends. How big is your website? Is it a company brochure site, or an ecommerce store selling dozens of products? For a simple one-page site, one or two photos will do. A multi-page website needs about ten. Larger websites or e-commerce sites will require a custom quote.
The one photograph you can’t go wrong with is a professional headshot. It’s that one photo we’ll use for your ‘About’ page or section, or – if you’re feeling brave (yes please!) – for the introductory hero section of your homepage. You’ll also be able to use it on social media, for your Zoom profile, or as a Facebook banner. Many brand photographers offer low-cost packages with a croppable headshot for example this reason.

What Type of Photos Do You Need?
At the very least, get yourself a headshot, a photo of yourself at work and a photo of your product in action (if you have one).
Everything else depends on your business. If you are targeting corporate clients, a professional setting will work best. If you’re a yoga teacher, you’ll probably want to ditch the suit. It’s the brand photographer’s job to help you create the right impression.
If your site sells products, they should be the main focus. For a website presenting a service, the following photos will set you up for success:
- Headshot. You looking into the camera. We’ll use it in the About section.
- You at work. Ideally a wide horizontal shot with a blank space on one side (left). We’ll use this for the introductory hero section. You can also use it as a banner or a Facebook/LinkedIn cover photo.
- You on the phone. We’ll use this in the Contact section or in the footer.
- Product or service shots. Photos that show what you sell.
- Lifestyle photos. Shots of you doing a hobby or enjoying a cup/glass of whatever your ideal client drinks. You’ll probably need these for social media anyway.
- Detail shots. Close-up photos. Hands writing in a notebook. Working with a tablet. Typing away at a laptop. Holding a cup of coffee.
It’s great to have a mix of photos where you’re looking directly into the camera and shots where you’re looking off to one side.

When to Schedule a Shoot
And, finally, when’s the best time to go and get your photos?
Honestly, any time works. ‘You don’t have to know what type of photos you want exactly,’ Kateřina Ceralová, a Prague-based brand photographer who works with expats, assures me. ‘It’s your brand photographer’s job to help you figure that out.’
From a web designer’s perspective, the best time to get your pics is when you have some idea of what your website will look like (if we’re working together, it’s after the kick-off meeting). The wireframes (website structure diagrams) will give you a good idea of the type of photos you will need and where they will be placed.
Final Thoughts
You don’t hire a professional photographer every day. Pick someone you like and make the most of the time you spend together. I sincerely hope you enjoy the experience and walk away with photos that will make you really shine online – and ones you’ll love as well.
Sources
- Emma Wiltshire: 5 Reasons Why We Are Wired to Respond to Visual Marketing
- Matic Broz: Fact Checked: “Human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text”
- Ben Hunt: Convert! Designing Websites to Increase Traffic and Conversion (str. 159)
- Nick Bilton: Study Shows People Ignore Generic Photos Online
- Petra Dolejšová: Měli jsme se potkat dřív, zdá se mi… [I Think We Should Have Met Sooner…]
Přednáška WordCamp Praha 2022 - Anita Nagypal: How to Attract More Clients With Brand Photos
Mini course February–March 2023