Photography Video Marketing Challenge: Behind the Scenes

Many times clients don’t know what to expect when they hire a photographer. Of course they want to know how the pictures will turn out, but they often want to know what goes into the creative process of composing beautiful photographs.

That’s where the behind-the-scenes video comes in. A behind-the-scenes video shows your audience the basics of a shoot with you. Will there be hair and makeup? Will you provide wardrobe? What is your studio like? Most importantly, what is your “working” personality? Your video gives a glimpse into your professional, no-nonsense demeanor or shows that a shoot with you is a fun, indulgent experience.

For example, editorial and commercial portrait photographer, Felix Kunze’s behind-the-scenes video shows all the work that goes into a commercial shoot, and conveys the energy and excitement the photographer brought out in his subjects.

A behind-the-scenes video tells a story that takes your clients from the start of a shoot to its end result – your beautiful photos. It sets you and your brand apart. All photographers take photographs, but you are marketing the experience of working with you. While your photographs are by far the most important part of that experience, they are not the only part of it.

Tips for making a great Behind-the-Scenes video:

1. As always, keep it short and sweet.
2. Focus on you. Show what it’s like to work with you.
3. Put yourself in front of the camera. Try to get a second person to film you working or include video of yourself speaking.
4. Include video or behind-the-scenes photos of your client or model, showing how they respond to you.
5. Don’t forget to include your finished photos in your video slideshow. Choose photos that relate to your behind-the-scenes footage. Help the audience connect what you are doing behind the scenes to the amazing photos that result.
6. Tell a story with your images and video. What makes your shoot special? It’s great to have video of you working, but let your audience see your creative process.
7. Link directly to your website using the Call To Action feature or add your URL in your YouTube/Vimeo description so people can go back to your site.

Don’t forget social media! Have your behind-the-scenes video show up in others’ news feeds by posting to Facebook. Share your video with customers, wedding coordinators, co-marketing connections, and on YouTube.

A few quick examples to help you get started:

Portrait photographer Sue Bryce juxtaposes her behind-the-scenes content with finished photos and a great song choice to create an almost music-video-like presentation.

Portrait photographer, Leigh Righton mixes regular and time-lapse video with her still photographs to give a quick and comprehensive look behind the scenes at one of her photo shoots.

In her behind-the-scenes video, Victoria Pavlatos of Tori Ava Photography shows how confident and beautiful her clients feel during the shoot, and the amazing pictures that feeling produces.

Have a behind-the-scenes video of your own or just want some inspiration? Join us in the Animoto Social Video Marketing Community on Facebook!

Portrait Photographer, Sue Bryce and Animoto launched a series of challenges designed to encourage, inspire and motivate photographers to start marketing with video. Participants create a video a month and post it on social. This is an in-depth description of one of the 12 challenges.

Are you new to Animoto? Find out how it works and sign up here.