Brands Play to Their Strengths to Meet Challenging Market Conditions
You are in good company if you are concerned about the future of your business right now.
The latest regular survey of business leaders by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) finds that sentiment has turned negative for the first time in over two years. Weak UK economic growth and global uncertainty — especially around US tariffs — are denting confidence.
While confidence may be lower than ideal, successful businesses are past masters at adapting to change — and this time is no different.
Good businesses always find solutions to new challenges, which, let’s face it, are a fact of life for any firm operating in dynamic, competitive markets.
Emphasising European Heritage
One response we’re seeing among international clients is a renewed emphasis on their European markets and the inherent strength of their brands.
Their brands stand for consistent values — excellence, dependability, and resilience — all of which are vital in the face of sustained volatility.
I recently spent nearly a week in Paris completing a commission: a series of portrait photographs of directors and senior managers, using internal and external locations that visually highlight the client’s European heritage. This is a smart hedge against potential loss of custom in North America due to tariffs.
Working in Europe — Be Prepared
Something you may not have considered is what UK photographers must do when entering the Eurozone for work.
We have to complete fairly detailed forms listing all equipment we’re bringing — including the serial numbers for absolutely everything, not just camera bodies, lenses, light boxes, reflectors and laptops but even USB cables!
Before departure, these forms need to be stamped in the UK, and again upon arrival in the Eurozone. For my recent trip to Paris, this meant tracking down the right official at Gare du Nord railway station and this wasn’t instant by any means.
Since I work in Europe fairly frequently, I’m used to the vagaries of the process — but it definitely takes some getting used to if you’re new to it.
My professional habit is always to arrive early, whether working at home or abroad, but it’s especially important when travelling into Europe, as waiting times to complete formalities are hard to predict. This said, I’ve always found French officials to be helpful, polite, and refreshingly unbureaucratic.
The lesson here is because of the preparation involved, it’s vital to give your photographer plenty of notice ahead of Eurozone shoots. The bonus? Booking a photoshoot comfortably in advance helps you save on our travel and accommodation costs, stretching your budget in these tougher markets.
Flexibility Is Crucial for Photographers
It’s not just clients who need to adapt — professional photographers must be flexible as well.
A recent UK assignment, which also required pan-European site visits, came with a last-minute change of brief. The new requirement called for standardised shadowing across every executive’s face, no matter the location of the shoot.
This was a technical challenge — and being a very late request, it required on-the-spot adjustments to camera settings, lighting rigs and software setups.
The lesson, as always, is to know your equipment inside and out, so you can fix problems immediately and remain able to work at pace. Shooting a new subject at ten minute intervals is a demanding schedule, especially when photographing hundreds of people.
Refreshing Your Corporate Photography With a Focus on Europe
If you are looking to highlight your European heritage as part of your visual branding, please get in touch. We would be delighted to help.
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Professional corporate photographer, providing company headshot photography and video for businesses in London, the rest of the UK and Europe. Piranha are commissioned by FTSE100 companies and start-ups alike, for numerous projects, covering a wide range of work and styles. Portraits and office photography for use on websites, events coverage and PR shots for press and publications, as well as Board and location photography for annual reports. Using top of the range Leica cameras and lenses. We process the images promptly and to an extremely high standard.
