Video vs Photography
It's not either/or, but if you're choosing one for ROI right now, the data has shifted hard towards video in the last 3 years.
Lead with video for engagement, retention and social. Use photography for product detail, print and where you need flexible asset libraries. Most brands need both, but if budget forces a choice, video wins on ROI in 2024+.
| Attribute | Video | Photography |
|---|---|---|
| Average engagement on social | 1200% more shares than text + image (Wyzowl) | Higher than text alone, lower than video |
| Conversion lift on landing pages | +86% (Eyeview Digital) | +30% over text only |
| Cost (single shoot day) | £2,000–£5,000 | £800–£2,500 |
| Cost per finished asset | Higher (editing time) | Lower (lighter post) |
| Reusability across formats | Cuts to social, ads, web, presentations | Web, print, decks, but not motion |
| Time to consume | Viewer commits 30s–3min | Viewer commits <2 seconds |
| Information density | Story, emotion, voice, motion | Composition, detail, mood |
Choose Video when…
- Recruitment (showing culture beats describing it)
- Explaining a product or service nobody understands in 5 seconds
- Customer testimonials (face + voice = trust)
- Social-first marketing (every platform is video-first now)
Choose Photography when…
- Product catalogue / e-commerce listings
- Print collateral and brochures
- Headshots, team photos, executive comms
- Architecture, food, fashion, anything where the still IS the product
Common questions.
Can we shoot video and stills on the same day?
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Yes, and we do this often. We bring a stills photographer alongside the video crew so you walk away with both libraries from one shoot day. Cuts the per-asset cost significantly.
Is one easier to repurpose than the other?
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Video, by a mile. One 90-second master film cuts to 4 social verticals, 6 quote cards (frame grabs), a podcast version (audio strip) and a transcript (SEO text). Stills are stills.
What about AI-generated images? Has that changed the equation?
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For generic stock-style imagery, yes, AI has crushed the budget end of stock photography. For real brand work (your people, your product, your space), AI can't fake authenticity yet. Video benefits from this because it's harder to fake.
Let's work on your project together.
Tell us about the project. We'll come back within one working day with honest thoughts on whether we're the right fit, and what it would cost.
- Based in
- Northampton, UK · Working globally