Tag Archives: Promotional video production St Louis

How to Prep for Event Photos: Pro Tips for Success

In the fast-paced world of business, events play a critical role in networking, branding, and engagement. Whether it’s a corporate gala, product launch, conference, or team-building retreat, capturing high-quality images ensures you get the most value out of your event. Professional event photography not only documents the occasion but also serves as powerful marketing material for future promotions. To get the best results, proper preparation is essential. Here’s how to set your event up for photographic success.

A pre-event visit allows the photographer to assess lighting conditions, best vantage points, and potential challenges.

1. Define Your Photography Goals

Before the event, take the time to identify what you want to achieve with the photos. Are you looking for formal posed shots, candid interactions, or detailed images of the event setup? Knowing your objectives will help guide your photographer and ensure they capture the most important moments.

Consider:

  • Branding and sponsor visibility
  • Keynote speakers and VIPs
  • Audience engagement and networking
  • Event ambiance and decor
  • Team moments and behind-the-scenes interactions

2. Choose the Right Photographer

Not all photographers are created equal. Event photography requires experience, the ability to anticipate moments, and adaptability to various lighting and space constraints. A professional commercial photographer, like those at St Louis Commercial Photographers, has the technical skills, equipment, and expertise to deliver outstanding results.

3. Scout the Venue in Advance

A pre-event visit allows the photographer to assess lighting conditions, best vantage points, and potential challenges. If a venue walkthrough isn’t possible, providing a detailed layout or past event images can be helpful.

Consider:

  • Natural and artificial lighting sources
  • Venue restrictions on photography or flash usage
  • Best spots for group photos and brand placements

4. Plan for Lighting

Lighting is one of the most crucial factors in event photography. While many venues provide ambient lighting, it may not always be ideal for professional-quality images. Work with your photographer to determine if additional lighting, such as softboxes or reflectors, is needed.

5. Schedule Key Shots

A shot list helps ensure no critical moment is missed. Work with your photographer to create a list of must-have photos, including:

  • Speaker introductions
  • Award presentations
  • Attendee reactions
  • Candid networking moments
  • Group team photos

6. Coordinate with Event Staff

Clear communication between the event planners, AV team, and photographers is essential for smooth operations. Make sure photographers have access to key areas and can move around freely without interrupting the event flow.

7. Inform Attendees About Photography

Let your guests know that photography will be taking place, either through event signage or an announcement. This ensures guests are prepared and can opt out if necessary.

8. Leverage Post-Event Content

Your event images should serve more than just a one-time purpose. High-quality event photography can be repurposed for social media, website content, press releases, and marketing campaigns. Having a strategy for how and where you will use these images maximizes their impact.

Why Choose St Louis Commercial Photographers for Your Event Photography?

At St Louis Commercial Photographers, we bring decades of expertise to professional event photography. As a full-service commercial photography and video production company, we provide studio and on-location photography, video services, editing, and post-production. Our team of licensed drone pilots can capture unique aerial shots, and we specialize in repurposing content for multi-platform branding. Whether it’s an intimate private gathering or a large-scale corporate event, we have the experience, equipment, and creative eye to ensure your visuals stand out.

Since 1982, we’ve worked with businesses, marketing firms, and creative agencies across St. Louis, delivering premium imagery that enhances brand storytelling. With expertise in all file types, media styles, and post-production techniques, we ensure that your event photography aligns perfectly with your marketing goals.

Looking to capture your next event with professional, high-quality visuals? Contact St Louis Commercial Photographers today.

314-913-5626

stlouiscommercialphotographers@gmail.com

How to Edit Video and Photos Together for a Cohesive Look: A Comprehensive Guide for Corporate Photography and Video Productions

In the world of corporate content, achieving a unified look across video and photography is essential to maintaining your brand’s identity. Whether you’re working on a promotional video, a testimonial series, or a corporate video presentation, combining both mediums in a way that feels seamless requires careful planning, skillful editing, and a strong understanding of your brand’s visual style.

Adding a subtle texture or gradient overlay to a photo before transitioning into a video clip can help tie the two together visually, especially in moments where one medium fades into the other.

Understanding the Need for a Cohesive Look

When editing photos and video together, it’s essential to remember that these two mediums often serve different purposes. Videos convey movement, sound, and emotion, while photographs freeze a moment in time, showcasing static visual details. However, when brought together effectively, they can amplify each other, creating a cohesive and engaging narrative that elevates the overall production.

Here’s how to ensure your video and photo edits align for a seamless and visually appealing end result:

1. Start with a Unified Color Palette

One of the easiest ways to create a cohesive look between video and photography is to start with a consistent color palette. Color grading and color correction in video editing are key to ensuring that the video’s colors match the still photos. For instance, if your photographs have a warmer tone, you should aim to adjust your video’s color grading to reflect this tone.

When using a color palette, it’s crucial to consider both the background elements and the subject matter in the shots. Color harmony between the two mediums will help them feel part of the same visual language, making transitions smoother and the narrative more impactful.

2. Consistent Lighting Is Key

Lighting is one of the most fundamental components in both photography and video production. To achieve a cohesive look between video and photos, ensure that the lighting setup used for both mediums is consistent. For example, if your photos are lit with soft, diffused lighting, it’s essential to recreate the same effect in your video.

At St Louis Commercial Photographers, we offer a private studio lighting and visual setup that’s perfect for small productions and interview scenes. Our lighting setup can be easily adjusted to match the look of your photos, ensuring consistency across all visuals.

3. Matching Framing and Composition

While photography and video offer different creative opportunities, keeping similar framing and composition is crucial for maintaining visual continuity. If you shoot a portrait photo of an executive in a tight frame, and then use a wide shot in your video, it may create a disjointed feel.

Consider framing your shots in both video and photo production with the same or similar focal lengths, camera angles, and framing styles. By doing so, you’re ensuring that both mediums appear to come from the same visual world, avoiding abrupt changes in style that could distract the audience.

4. Use of Motion and Static Elements

The way you incorporate motion into your video footage can also impact how it blends with still images. For instance, if you’re working on an interview-style video, you may want to edit your video in a way that incorporates subtle movements—like a slight zoom or slow panning—to keep the visual interest.

When combining photographs with these types of video clips, you’ll want to carefully place the images to complement the pacing and rhythm of the video. Using photographs as static cutaways during slower parts of the video can give a seamless visual experience without disrupting the overall flow.

5. Textures and Overlays to Enhance Transitions

Another effective way to integrate video and photos is by using texture overlays or custom transitions between shots. Adding a subtle texture or gradient overlay to a photo before transitioning into a video clip can help tie the two together visually, especially in moments where one medium fades into the other.

These kinds of visual tricks can also be used to enhance corporate branding. By using your brand’s logo or color scheme subtly throughout your production, you can create a polished and professional look that’s unmistakably yours.

6. Audio Consistency

Though this is not a direct visual element, audio plays a vital role in creating a unified look between video and photo content. If your video features background music or sound effects, ensure that these elements blend seamlessly with the pace and tone of your still images. For instance, if your photos are serious and corporate, the background music in your video should reflect that same tone to keep everything cohesive.

7. Post-Production Editing: Combining Both Media

Once you’ve captured both the video and photography content, the real magic happens in post-production. This is where you can fine-tune colors, lighting, and framing to achieve the perfect balance between your video clips and photos.

When working with mixed media, video editing software allows you to layer photos over video footage, adjust their opacity, apply filters, and align them with video timing. For example, you can have a photo fade in and out of the video as the camera pans, or use stills as overlays during text-driven transitions.

At St Louis Commercial Photographers, we specialize in full-service editing and post-production. Whether you need to repurpose your photography and video branding or integrate both mediums flawlessly, our team is well-equipped to handle all aspects of the editing process.


Why Choose St Louis Commercial Photographers for Your Corporate Video and Photography Needs

At St Louis Commercial Photographers, we understand the art and science of combining video and photography to create a unified, compelling narrative. Since 1982, we’ve been delivering top-tier commercial photography and video production services to businesses, marketing firms, and agencies throughout the St. Louis area.

Our team is made up of experienced professionals who are well-versed in all media types, file formats, and editing software to ensure that your visuals are perfect. Whether you need full-service studio and location video and photography, expert editing and post-production, or specialized drone services, we have everything you need to make your production a success.

We also specialize in repurposing your existing video and photo assets to gain more traction for your brand. With our private studio setup, we can create custom interview environments, offer sound and camera operators, and provide equipment that’s perfect for any production.

Let us help bring your corporate content to life with professional, cohesive visuals that tell your brand’s story.


By following these guidelines and working with a skilled team, you can ensure that your video and photography work together to create a seamless and compelling experience for your audience. Reach out to St Louis Commercial Photographers today to get started on your next project!

314-913-5626

stlouiscommercialphotographers@gmail.com

Mastering the Delivery: Achieving Confidence and Professionalism with a Teleprompter in Video Testimonials

In the world of marketing and business communications, video testimonials have become a powerful tool for establishing trust, building brand credibility, and connecting with your audience on a personal level. Whether you’re promoting a product, service, or an entire brand, a well-crafted video testimonial can leave a lasting impression on your viewers. However, delivering a flawless and confident testimonial on camera can be quite challenging, even for the most seasoned professionals. This is where a teleprompter comes into play. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of video testimonials, explore the benefits of using a teleprompter, and provide you with expert insights on mastering the art of confident delivery.

Nervousness, stumbling over words, and forgetting key points are common issues that can detract from the impact of your video testimonial.

The Power of Video Testimonials

Video testimonials have revolutionized the way businesses communicate with their audience. Unlike traditional written testimonials, video testimonials allow viewers to see and hear real people sharing their genuine experiences. This adds a human touch to your brand, making it more relatable and trustworthy. Through video testimonials, potential customers can witness the emotions, facial expressions, and authenticity of the individuals endorsing your product or service. This creates a deeper connection and increases the likelihood of converting leads into loyal customers.

However, as anyone who’s been in front of a camera knows, public speaking and maintaining a composed demeanor can be quite challenging. Nervousness, stumbling over words, and forgetting key points are common issues that can detract from the impact of your video testimonial. This is where a teleprompter can be a game-changer.

The Role of a Teleprompter in Video Testimonials

A teleprompter is a device used to display a script or text to the speaker while they are being recorded on camera. It allows the speaker to maintain eye contact with the camera while reading the script, creating the illusion of direct engagement with the audience. Teleprompters come in various forms, from dedicated hardware setups to software-based applications that can be used with a tablet or smartphone.

Benefits of Using a Teleprompter

1. Enhanced Confidence: One of the biggest challenges in video testimonials is maintaining confidence and delivering a smooth performance. A teleprompter eliminates the need to memorize lines, reducing anxiety and allowing the speaker to focus on their delivery.

2. Consistency: Consistency in messaging is crucial for effective branding. A teleprompter ensures that every video testimonial delivers the same key points, ensuring a cohesive and professional presentation.

3. Time Efficiency: Using a teleprompter can significantly reduce the time spent on recording and re-recording takes. This is especially important when you have multiple testimonials to capture.

4. Professionalism: A teleprompter gives the impression that the speaker is confidently addressing the audience, enhancing the overall professionalism of the video.

Mastering Teleprompter Usage

While a teleprompter can be an invaluable tool, its effectiveness relies on proper usage and practice. Here are some expert tips for mastering the art of teleprompter-assisted video testimonials:

1. Practice Reading Naturally: To ensure a genuine delivery, practice reading the script in a natural and conversational tone. Avoid sounding monotonous or robotic.

2. Adjust Reading Speed: Set the teleprompter’s scrolling speed to match your natural speaking pace. This prevents you from rushing through the script or appearing disengaged.

3. Maintain Eye Contact: Although you’re reading from a teleprompter, make a conscious effort to maintain occasional eye contact with the camera. This creates a sense of connection with the audience.

4. Familiarize Yourself: Spend time familiarizing yourself with the script before recording. This will help you anticipate the flow of the content and reduce the chances of stumbling.

5. Use Gestures and Expressions: While reading from the teleprompter, don’t forget to incorporate natural gestures and facial expressions. This adds authenticity to your delivery.

How St Louis Commercial Photographers Can Elevate Your Testimonials

At St Louis Commercial Photographers, we understand the significance of video testimonials in your branding and business communication strategies. As a full-service photography and video production company based in St. Louis, we have a proven track record of delivering high-quality multimedia creations for a diverse range of businesses and organizations. Our expertise extends to all aspects of photo and video production, ensuring that your video testimonials exude professionalism and authenticity.

With our experience, we can handle every step of the production process, from conceptualization to filming and editing. Our team of skilled professionals is well-versed in using teleprompters to enhance the confidence and impact of your video testimonials. We know how to bring out the best in your spokespeople, allowing them to deliver their messages with authenticity and professionalism.

Over the years, St Louis Commercial Photographers has successfully produced hundreds of video projects for businesses of all sizes in the St. Louis region. Our commitment to excellence and our dedication to helping you achieve your branding goals set us apart as a reliable partner in your journey to success.

In conclusion, video testimonials are a dynamic tool for building trust and credibility in your brand. When combined with the power of a teleprompter, you can elevate your testimonials to new heights of confidence and professionalism. At St Louis Commercial Photographers, we are equipped with the skills, experience, and resources to create compelling video testimonials that resonate with your audience. Contact us today to learn how we can help you make a lasting impact in your industry.

To transform your testimonials into compelling narratives of trust and authenticity, contact St Louis Commercial Photographers today. Our expertise in photography and video production can help you create impactful content that sets you apart in the St. Louis market.

314-913-5626

stlouiscommercialphotographers@gmail.com