Are your PR images helping or hurting your media coverage?

Your press release is perfect. Your quote is punchy. Your news angle is solid. So why did the journalist ghost you?

PR images – from product shots to founder portraits – shape perception faster than any press release. The right visual content for PR can make people care in ways paragraphs of copy can’t.

As an award-winning B2B PR agency, we know that the right visual content for PR doesn’t just decorate your story. It defines it. That can be the difference between whether an editor runs your story or not.

Understanding how imagery supports media coverage turns your photos from decoration into real PR tools.

So, what are your visuals saying, and are they saying what you want?

Why PR images matter

When you think PR, you probably think words: the press release, the headline, the killer quote. But before anyone reads a line of text, they’ve already judged your look. People form first impressions in as little as 50 milliseconds, and the brain can process images in as little as 13 milliseconds, much faster than text.

A journalist clocks your logo, scans your headshot, and gets an instant sense of polish, or the lack of it. Good imagery signals care, attention, and credibility. Just like in real life, first impressions stick.

And good photos also make a story more memorable. If we hear a piece of information, we stand only a 10% chance of recalling it three days later. But recall increases to 65% if the information in question is presented as an image. In other words, leading with a photo can dramatically increase the memorability of your article.

Common PR imagery mistakes that undercut credibility

Poor visual content for PR can undermine even the strongest press release. Here are the most common mistakes:

Low-quality or blurry images: Underexposed, pixelated, or poorly composed photos signal carelessness. If you’d never send a typo-filled release, don’t send a badly lit image.
Generic stock photography: Stock images of handshakes or skylines don’t tell your story – they tell everyone’s story. Irrelevant imagery suggests you haven’t thought through your message.
Over-reliance on AI-generated visuals: AI tools can save time, but they often lack authenticity. Audiences and journalists can sense when an image isn’t real, which can erode trust.

Each one quietly tells a story you don’t want told: we rushed this, we don’t have the budget, or we’re not confident enough to show the real us.

How to create visual content for PR that stands out

The best PR images don’t need to be flashy – they just need to feel human.

Focus on people.Faces build connection faster than any tagline ever will. Show your founder, your team, your customers – anyone who tells your story. Articles with images received 94% more views than those without.
Keep quality high. A well‑lit, crisp photo signals competence. If you can, invest in a professional photography session at least once per year to build a library of 50–100 high-quality images.
Capture in multiple orientations. This is important in case your photo lands on the front cover of the magazine (where portrait is necessary). Whereas web content tends to favour landscape orientation.
Take a variety of exciting shots. Having a library of engaging images means that you can offer each media publication an exclusive photo, even if the story is the same.
Stay on brand. Keep the look unmistakably yours: consistent colours, tone, and style. Consistency says you know who you are.
Let pictures tell the story. Show products in action, reactions in real time, collaborations in motion. Images that move the story forward feel alive.

Done right, your PR visuals quietly reinforce all the good things about you: confidence, care, and relevance.

Some journalists will take their own photos and larger outlets often send a staff photographer or a freelancer to capture an event. It’s worth allowing outlets to take pictures even if you’re supplying images, especially if you’re unveiling something at an event.

Whether or not you’re behind the lens, it’s important to create a visually appealing scene. That means good lighting, a clear and well-considered background, and letting the photographers get close enough to get the perfect shot.

How PR images support media coverage and placement

Your audience shouldn’t have to decode your photo choices like a riddle. At a glance, your point should land.

If you’re announcing a new product – show it. Launching a partnership – show the people. The more natural and intuitive the image feels, the easier it is for your viewer to understand your message.

Clear visuals respect your reader’s time, and that respect builds trust.

Our client the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society is a brilliant example of how PR images can support – and even drive – media coverage. Each year they hold an amateur photography competition, and the winning images are regularly published across national and trade media. The strength of the imagery itself becomes the story, demonstrating how compelling visuals can secure coverage that words alone wouldn’t achieve.

How to choose PR images that resonate with your audience

Trends change. A shot that felt sharp five years ago might look tired now. What impresses younger audiences may not be another handshake over a boardroom table.

Keep an eye on what resonates. Check what imagery your target journalists use, what your clients share, what gets engagement online. The more you study how your audience sees, the better you’ll speak their visual language.

Modern doesn’t mean forced, it means relevant.

How to create professional headshots for PR

If you or your leadership team are the face of the business, get your portraits right. Editors love a shot that feels approachable but professional.

That doesn’t mean folded arms on a white wall. It means natural light, relaxed posture, quiet confidence. A good portrait builds trust faster than a paragraph of credentials – and might just decide whether your interview gets picked up.

Consistency builds credibility

Your photos don’t live in isolation. Reporters and readers will check your website, LinkedIn, and social media feeds. If each one looks like it belongs to a different company, something doesn’t add up. Strong brand visuals for PR create instant recognition and tell journalists you’re professional and reliable.

Consistency tells the world: we know who we are. Once you establish a visual identity, each new image becomes another tile in that bigger picture.

Own the rights to photos

Photographs are subject to copyright laws, and understanding them is crucial. In the UK, the person who pushes the shutter button on the camera is the author of the photograph. But, if a company employs them, and they’re working at the time they take the image, their employer gets the copyright. If you bring in a third party to take your photographs, they’ll own the rights to the photos, so remember to have them reassign those rights to you.

Key takeaways: Getting PR images right

PR imagery isn’t vanity – it’s clarity. Every photo and banner you release tells the world how you run your business.

Bad visuals say: we rushed this.
Good visuals say: we care.

Photographs should never be an afterthought – they should be an integral part of your overall strategy. So next time you’re prepping a press release, give your images the same attention as your copy. Make them sharp. Relevant. Unmistakably you. Because if pictures are worth a thousand words, you’d better make sure yours are saying the right thing.

Here are our final takeaways to help you get your PR images spot on:

Use high-quality, well-lit images that reflect your brand’s professionalism.
Show real people – founders, teams, customers – to build connection and trust.
Avoid generic stock photos and over-reliance on AI-generated imagery.
Maintain visual consistency across all PR materials and channels.
Invest in professional photography at least once per year to build a reusable image library.

Want to strengthen your PR strategy and get your business noticed?

Lucy Savage