I live in Manhattan, and happen to be on a block that has a number of those cloth “billboards” that get draped along the sides of buildings. In the past, I’ve had some attractive billboards for premium alcohols or the latest box office hit, so imagine my surprise when I was walking to work the other day and saw the inset image.

My personal feelings about online gambling are trivial compared to the horror I felt when I saw this image. No, really. Pure horror. Here is a company that spent a fair amount of money to advertise. But instead of hiring professional models and a professional photographer, they decided to go cheap. What they got was a poorly composed picture filled with unattractive people and a flash that only covers part of the image.

I don’t think the average person would be able to articulate why the photo is bad beyond the ugly models, but they would know that this is a poor image. Compare this with the huge Calvin Klein billboard near Houston St and Lafayette. There is no mistaking the models, photography, art direction, etc.

The quality of the image is an extension of the brand.

The image is a second rate — ill-conceived and poorly executed. It makes me believe the same about the website without even visiting it.

Of course, I’m preaching to the choir since you are most likely a professional photographer. But I believe educating our audience and showing them how bad photography is detrimental to their brand is one way to advance the role and value of professional photography.

 

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