I was talking with a group of professional photographers recently about creating stock content and the production process that they go through when they plan shoots. The topics discussed ranged from subject matter, context, model selection & street casting, to locations and cost. The conversation was animated, interesting, and the debate lively. But, the discussion changed when I brought up the subject of ‘mind, mood and message,’ and when I asked what preliminary work they do on building out the concepts and mood methodology for the production, they were confused.

The photographers in this particular group had never thought of planning ahead for the concepting, or the mind and mood methodology of a shoot. The more we discussed this, the more I realized that this group was not alone. Many (perhaps most) don’t give it a thought, and assume the concept and mood will happen naturally and by instinct as the production evolves. Perhaps this is how it has always been done. But, doing what we have always done puts us in danger of becoming obsolete. The sheer speed and breadth of change in today’s world, combined with the massive access to content is forcing us to adjust our most basic assumptions. In today’s world, a customer expects to be asked for and to get what they want. If they aren’t/don’t, they will seek it elsewhere.

Yes, there is that word again… customer. It is a word that I use a lot. It is still all about the customer. We need to understand their wants and needs. And, as those wants and needs change, we need to adjust accordingly. This is also true in how we approach the creation of photography, and visually interpret or emotionally depict a concept in the construct of an image.

Mind and mood methodology simply put, is trying to understand the mindset and the mood of the target audience in relation to the product being offered. Concepting is interpreting that mindset and mood into something emotional and meaningful whether in an image or a campaign.

For example, one of the most talked about campaigns today is the Dove campaign for “real women.” This campaign struck a cord with women consumers at the right time and is very relevant today because of the mindset of women. Mood can be a general mood in relation to a product, or more specific to a point in time. I read an article recently that complained that the Dove campaign had missed the “mood” in London because it launched too late for the summer season. Women were not in the mood for firming creams post-bikini season. So while the same campaign was relevant in the minds of the women it was targeting, the campaign was not having the same impact because they were not in the mood.

In this increasingly competitive world, and in a world where advertisers and designers are researching and planning for every detail in the campaigns they create, it could be a distinct competitive advantage for photographers to spend a little time considering where the photography is going (the audiences/the society), trying to understand how campaigns are crafted, and designing photos (as much as possible) for the brands likely to be targeted for promotion.

The most successful commercial photography today (based on price per image) is that used in consumer advertising and thus for consumer branding. Therefore, creating photography for commercial use is really about creating photography for consumer branding. Advertising agencies and designers have for years studied and explored trends, and have defined “brand personalities” as part of building and designing for brands that tap an emotional chord with the customers targeted. They develop and build an understanding of the emotional qualities that the brands should evoke from the customer. Because imagery is often the most impactful and evocative piece of a campaign, designers will use mood boards to help clients define the brand personality as part of the preliminary work being done. The boards are usually full of images that project moods like soft and comforting, rugged, nesting and quiet, independent and free-spirited, sexy, stylish, etc…

Mood boards can be powerful tools helping clients express the emotional quality of the brand being promoted. Designers are charged with creating a brand image that is deep and meaningful. This is sometimes for products that are not necessarily deep and meaningful themselves – at least in the minds of the customer.

Let’s take the example of automobile tire advertising. Two different companies create two entirely different tire campaigns based on their target customers and their unique brand positioning. The concept for first brand is “safety.” The brand attributes encompass quality, protection, safety, caring, and being family oriented. You would never see a speeding car in a campaign for this company. They have used a baby-sitting inside the “safe” confines of their tires.

The second company is promoting to a completely different “mindset” and has built their campaign around “speed.” The ads for this company have red and yellow sports cars in them appearing as though they are racing by. While this is virtually the same product, this is obviously a very different client/brand relationship; a very different “mind and mood” orientation.

While the execution of these two campaigns themselves is totally different, the differences can be more subtle – a family shoot with one orientation toward more “traditional” families and one with a new definition of “family” as seen in this Volvo ad.

For a photographer shooting stock photography for agencies that sell around the globe, mind and mood methodology can be used to help develop a multi-cultural approach as well. It is really about understanding the customer’s mindset and mood. Start with the market you will be targeting. Where do most of their sales come from? The US, Europe, Asia? Look at the society. Is it family oriented? Are there trends you can point to, like nesting, or holistic medicine, growth in certain demographics, events that have created movement in one direction or another.

If you are shooting directly for design firms and ad agencies, what information are you asking for with your shoot brief? Do they create mood boards? Will they share copies? Have they defined brand attributes? When are they bringing you in to the creative discussions? Are they telling you what to shoot or what they want to achieve? The idea is to get connected in a meaningful way.

The best performers in any situation, whether in art or business or life, are generally driven by ideas and innovation, instinct and imagination. These things are stimulated by our experiences and our surroundings. As you evaluate what you are creating, look around, talk to those around you and think about the mind and mood of those for which you create. Shooting great images may not be enough anymore because there are so many great images available. The real opportunity for driving relevance and differentiation will be seized by those that go beyond to connect with customers in a meaningful way, at the right time, with imagery that speaks to the right mindset and mood of the customer today.