How to WOW with Custom Photos & Videos

So, you’re planning a splashy new website, a slick advertising campaign, or new brochures for your business. Maybe you’ve looked around to see what others in your industry are doing. What’s the one thing highly impactful websites and collateral have in common? Stand-out images and videos.

Perhaps the single most effective thing you can do to elevate your brand image is to include high-quality visuals in all your materials. But fabulous photos and videos don’t just happen. The cameras on our smartphones may be great, but we’ve all looked down at our screen and wondered why the image we just captured is so… blah. 

The truth is striking visuals require planning time, a ton of equipment, and proven expertise. And, while it may be tempting to opt for quick and easy stock imagery, those resources aren’t always the best for representing your brand visually and showcasing what makes it unique.

Most of the time, partnering with a professional production house or marketing agency is the best option for capturing exciting, dynamic visual content. But getting professional help doesn’t let you off the hook entirely… There’s still plenty you can do to ensure you get great images and videos that will be of value to your brand long-term.

Ready to WOW? Here are a few “pro tips” to help you capture the content your brand needs to thrive.

Plan ahead for content that pops!

Some of the most important work on your photo or video shoot happens long before the crew arrives. Working with an agency like Asen can take a lot off your plate during the planning process, which is when you’ll figure out exactly what visual content your brand needs. During this planning stage, you may want to…

• Have a conversation with your account manager. Think through the big picture with them. What is the goal for these visual assets? How many photos and videos will you need? Where and how will you be using them? The answers to these questions will help ensure you have everything you need at the end of your photoshoot or film day.

• Be prepared to be on camera (or help on-screen talent prepare for it).  Are you going to ask employees to pose for portraits, provide testimonials, or speak to your product/service? Are you only interested in still candid shots? Give everyone who will be on camera the materials and advice they need to prepare ahead of time. No one enjoys feeling like they’re put on the spot (and yes, being uncomfortable does translate into the content).

• Know what locations you will be using. For example, if you plan to film in the workshop or the kitchen, a heads-up to the crew is probably a good idea. Any place you are planning to capture in a photo or video needs to be camera-ready, and you don’t want to wait until the last minute to prepare.

• Know when you will be shooting. If you’re planning on filming in a retail space, for example, you need to consider when the store might be extra busy. You may want to capture that excitement on camera, or you might prefer to shoot at a less hectic time if you have a different goal in mind for the video.

Make the most of your shoot day

It can be a bit surprising and sometimes overwhelming when the crew shows up on a set. Being well-prepared for the day can help eliminate unnecessary stress or mistakes. Key things to remember here:

• Make some room. Often people are unprepared for the enormous amount of equipment that comes along with the crew. Lights, reflectors, cameras and tripods, microphones… These things take up a lot of space, so be prepared to make room for them. Create a staging area so that equipment that’s not in use can be safely stored out of the way, but is still easy to get to when needed.

• Stick to your plan. Having a shot/scene list and a schedule for the day is essential. With an agency partner that can handle this for you (and communicate with the photo or video crew), you’ll have more time to prepare, round up your staff, and ensure no one is left waiting in the shadows on the day-of.

Editing is everything

Spoiler alert: Once the shoot is complete, there’s still work to do. After the shoot, your new photos and videos will go into the post-production stage for final editing. It can be tempting to take on this task yourself. However, even though consumer-grade editing tools can do a lot these days, there’s still no substitute for the trained eye of a skilled editor. Plus, with a professional, you’ll often be able to see your content used in various applications, so you can get the full picture.

That said, there is one form of editing only YOU can do. When you get your finished videos and photos, review them closely. Make sure your shots came out the way you planned them and double-check that there isn’t anything amiss in the background. If you prepared well, this step may seem like overkill, but it’s much better to find a mistake now than once your project goes live.

We hope you enjoyed these tips! Make sure to follow us on social media for more like this.