Let's talk about photos where you're reading your own book...
Creating photographs while holding your book online are important visual storytelling assets to share.
But photos that capture you pretending like you’re reading it is a bad look.
The other day, I scrolled through a colleague’s Instagram profile, and clicked on the link in their profile.
The layout of these links allows for images to be included in the mix, which is a cool addition - it makes me want to do this for my own Link.tree link in bio, actually!
Amongst the different links to her website, medium account, and various other services she offers those she serves, there were professional portraits that accompanied each of them.
Very cool - the images entice you to actually click on each link.
When you scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, a link to buy her book on Amazon appears.
The portrait connected to it looked technically great as she flashed a warm, inviting smile.
The issue I had with the image was that she was reading her own book.
What’s the problem with that?
While the photo might look pretty and technically serves the purpose of connecting the author to their book, the issue with regards to visual storytelling is that the moment captured in front of the camera feels disingenuous.
I mean, you wrote the book for the people you serve to read and apply the insights and strategies into their businesses and lives.
So, why would you need to read it? Are you double-checking for typos and grammatical errors? What are we doin’ over here?
It just feels too contrived and fake, and it could distract folks from wanting to learn more about how this book can help solve their problem based on that subconscious ehhhh feeling when viewing this image.
With that said, not all photos of you reading your own book are to be put on the no-fly list.
For one client, I photographed her at a bookstore signing reading a passage of her book to the audience. In this context, it made all the sense in the world to create these candid visual assets as it reinforced her authority as the author sharing knowledge with her audience.
Another layer to reinforcing the author’s expertise was when I captured photos of audience members reading the book cover and thumbing through its pages during the Q&A portion of the book signing.
(Shooting in a bookstore is a cool photo opp, by the way!)
Also, if your book is a key element in your trainings and workshops, these are great opportunities to capture the book being used in action.
What’s even better is when participants in the room are doing the exact same thing and your photographer captures them engaging with the book.
While these candid lifestyle photos of the book in a real-world environment are excellent additions to your image portfolio, it’s not enough.
You still need promotional portrait images where you’re holding the book that can be used to submit for podcasts and other media-related opportunities.
So how do you create these without projecting a level of disingenuousness to your audience?
Just look directly into the camera, hold the book in your hands, and position the cover so it’s clearly facing the camera:
It’s that simple, folks.
And, if you still want photos where viewers can clearly tell that the book is being read, and you’re the only person available for the photographer to shoot flipping through the pages, instruct your photographer to anonymize the image by cropping out your likeness in each shot:
Again, a simple solution to the problem.
One last thing to consider:
Once your book is launched and out into the world, encourage readers to take selfies of them with the book - posing with it, reading it, and even sitting on a table next to their beverage of choice.
These types of images resonate even more with your audience because THEY’RE the ones in the pictures. THEY’RE the ones reading and engaging the book.
And, THEY’RE the ones singing its praises, which only serves to help spread the word and inspire other folks to buy a copy for themselves.
Keep this in mind before the next launch of your book and when talking to your team about the types of visual assets needed to support its marketing and promotion.
For more visual storytelling strategies and insights for experts, I’ll talk your eyes off through my blog.Sign up to receive them directly in your inbox, and if you have any questions,set up a time to chat with me and then I’ll talk your ears off, too :)