Within a two-year period (2010–2012), however, professionals began to change their minds for three reasons. First, many young, aspiring professionals, some recent graduates of photo schools and some members of a more tech-savvy generation, envisioned a multi-media approach to their creativity. Still images, video, sound and graphics could be combined to create more powerful imagery and messages.
The second development that has motivated many professional photographers to reconsider video is the number of major and independent motion pictures that are being shot with the same cameras the pros use to photograph weddings, fashion, portraits, etc. If Hollywood is embracing this technology for such important productions, then the average professional photographer deserves to give video another look.
Post-production was the technological hurdle video had to leap to make it viable for professional photographers. Either they had to learn video editing software and techniques or pay someone to edit their raw video. That all changed, however, with the introduction of the Animoto online production service. Now, professional photographers are able to create very elegant and attractive video presentations. It’s as simple as uploading photos and video, choosing a music theme from Animoto’s library of more than 1,000 licensed tracks, and then letting Animoto’s automated system produce a unique video presentation for every client and/or many marketing uses.
If you’ve been considering adding video to your professional photography services, then this is the time to do it. If you haven’t, then you should give it some of your attention because your competitors are thinking about it…and some are already shooting videos and selling them to their clients.
Video presentations benefit professional photographers in two basic ways; and you’ll quickly and easily produce either type as an Animoto subscriber. The first way pros can use video is to add to their product mix. Wedding photographers, for example, could include one or two video segments as part of a higher priced package. Online with Animoto, they could then create a more memorable and desired product with a combination of stills from a couples’ album and the video segments. Don’t you think a couple and the families would love to have a video of the bridal party formally entering the church and the father placing her daughter’s hand in the hand of her husband-to-be? Not only would an Animoto video presentation be a reminder of this important day in their lives, but also branded with your studio’s name. It’s like word-of-mouth advertising without anyone saying a word!
Professionals who market their services to high school seniors could have a big advantage over the competition by giving every senior the starring role in their own “music video,” with the custom features of an Animoto video presentation.
Professional photographers who want to one-up the competition can also create Animoto video presentations that are like a video blog. Once a week, shoot a quick video of yourself presenting a tip that would be helpful to your target audience. For example, explain how clothing type, colors and patterns affect the quality of portrait and wedding photography and provide suggestions for the best apparel to wear for a shoot.
Show potential clients your working style, the workflow of a project and behind-the-scene views of shoots with an Animoto video presentation. Prospective clients are more likely to do business with someone they know more thoroughly than what a portfolio reveals. Create a monthly video newsletter reporting on the two or three major projects during the last month, new equipment you’ve acquired that allows you to serve clients better and especially client testimonials about their experience with you.
The video presentations you can create and their uses are virtually unlimited with the highly advanced, automated and online Animoto system. Try the Lite subscription of Animoto for free just to learn what a powerful and valuable tool video can be. Choose the Plus subscription for even more features; and when you want video to be an integral part of your product mix and marketing program, become an Animoto Pro subscriber.
The Animoto Pro yearly plan is just $249, a 50% saving compared to the $39 monthly rate. Visit http://animoto.com/pro/photography for all the details.
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