Want to level up a skill fast?
Accelerate your experience in a short, intense burst. That’s what happened when I was assigned to shoot 51 portraits in a single day for Project Galaxy—a one-year leadership training program in Exabytes.
Each participant, dressed in the Exabytes blue shirt, needed a professional, corporate-style portrait.
As someone passionate about photography, I was excited, but this challenge taught me far more than just lighting and angles—it reminded me how the same principles apply to digital marketing.
1. Preparation Makes All the Difference
This may sound basic, but when you’re not a full-time photographer, even setting up takes time. From lighting to angles, composition to props, the setup was more demanding than expected—especially at the start.
Luckily, I had practiced with a smaller group before, so I had some tricks up my sleeve. Being familiar with your camera settings (I shoot in full manual) is key. Without that, you’ll waste time just figuring things out.
Marketing Takeaway:
In digital marketing, tasks and workflows often take more time than expected. You can reduce that by preparing SOPs, checklists, templates, or even rehearsals.
Think your team doesn’t need it? Think again.
Without documentation, the same mistakes will keep repeating. Do you have a proper wiki for your marketing workflows—or are you just winging it?
2. Embrace Tech That Speeds You Up
I used my Sony A7 IV, a modern full-frame camera that supports tethering to a laptop.
This let me preview every shot instantly on a larger screen, boosting quality and confidence—both for me and my subjects.
Professionals have done this for years, and now it’s available to everyone.
Marketing Takeaway:
In marketing, we often chase the newest AI tools, but ignore the tools we already have. Stop overlooking the basics.
Relearn the full features of the software you already use—you might find everything you need is already there.
3. It’s All About the Experience—for You and Them
To set the mood, I played Bossa Nova in our makeshift studio (a meeting room).
Next time, I’ll also bring air freshener, reduce the number of people in the room, and set up a mirror or external monitor so subjects can see their photos.
Marketing Takeaway:
It’s not just about value or features. It’s about how your customers feel when they interact with your brand.
What’s their emotional journey—starting from your website, through onboarding, support, and beyond?
A small gesture can create a memorable experience that keeps them coming back.
4. Details Matter—But Don’t Get Lost in Them
Everyone expects skin retouching these days. The trick is to maintain a natural look without over-editing. I’m also considering new tools like Meitu’s desktop version to speed things up.
Marketing Takeaway:
Skin retouching involves zooming in and out repeatedly. It’s like our marketing mindset—we obsess over minor design details but miss the big picture.
Most users only notice the headline, visual hierarchy, or first few seconds of a video. Focus on the overall impact, not just the tiny tweaks.
5. Never Stop Learning or Testing
I’m planning to test shooting with my older Canon 6D DSLR and dual-flash setup for more creative lighting. I won’t buy new gear just yet—I’ll make the most of what I have.
Marketing Takeaway:
I’ve been in digital marketing for 10 years and witnessed massive shifts—but I still keep learning and trying new things.
Many marketers plateau after a few years, staying comfortable with familiar workflows. Don’t be one of them. Lifelong learning is non-negotiable.
Final Thoughts
I truly enjoyed the experience—it combined my passion for photography with the chance to give back by capturing my colleagues’ best angles. While not all the photos were studio-quality, I practiced, improved, and delivered.
Bonus: I once experienced a cloud-based portrait service in Hangzhou. They take a photo, upload it, and within seconds get a shareable viewable/download link—possibly even AI-edited. It’s a glimpse of what’s possible when tech meets workflow.
Whether it’s behind the camera or behind a campaign, the mindset is the same: stay curious, keep testing, and always strive to improve.