Post Processing a Daniel Defense Upper

WESTERN SPORT

Western Sport reached out to us in need of new product and lifestyle imagery for their website. We photographed in-studio for the stylized product shots and on location to show the products in use. 

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SPRING CREEK BBQ

We recently had the opportunity to work with Spring Creek BBQ, capturing food and lifestyle imagery for their new website. Here are some of the highlights. 

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Saddleback Leather

We have been photographing Saddleback Leather's products for nearly five years now. We handle both their lifestyle and catalog imagery. Below are some examples from recent photoshoot projects in-studio and on location. 

360 Product Photos How to be Successful on the Web

360 Product Photos How to be Successful on the Web

We’ve talked about how important 360 product photos are to your company’s performance. They can increase your sales, improve your conversions and draw in more customer leads than ever before. But what we haven’t yet discussed is how to make those 360 photos successful – how to make them as impactful, powerful and effective as possible.

In our experience, there are three major things 360 product photos must achieve in order to be effective. These are:

1. It needs to load quickly. Users don’t want to wait more than few seconds for an image to load. They’re shopping online because it’s easier, more convenient and, most importantly, faster than shopping in a brick-and-mortar store, and by having slow-to-load photos on your site, you’re negating the whole purpose. If you really want to impress your customers and keep them interested in your products, make sure your 360 product photos pop up quickly, easily and seamlessly.
2. It needs to have a smooth appearance.  There’s nothing worse than a blurry, jumpy or glitchy image. It confuses the user and makes it harder for them to learn about the product and all its details. It can also make your brand look low-quality and unprofessional. This is especially true when using 360 product photos, which inherently offer more information and detail than static shots. If you want your visitors to see a product, be interested in it, and feel confident buying it, you absolutely have to give them a clear, seamless and smooth 360 shot that they can utilize.
3. It needs to be easy to interact with. The whole point of 360 product photos is to give an “in-store” experience on the web, allowing users to virtually interact with products on their screens. If zooming in, spinning or rotating your images causes problems (like jumps, blurriness, slow loading times or anything else), then your photos aren’t doing their job.

Typically, to achieve all three of these, you’ll want no more than 36 images per product. Any more than that, and your images will take a lot of bandwidth to load, making them sluggish, slow-to-respond, and a drag on your visitor’s internet speed. Ultimately, these can aggravate a user and turn them off from your site – and their purchase – entirely.

Want to ensure your 360 product photos are the best they can be? Then let Image Alive help. Contact us today for a free spin and see your products in action!

Product Photos & Videos Can Improve Your SEO

Product Photos & Videos Can Improve Your SEO

Did you know that having product photos, videos and other media on your website can improve your brand’s overall SEO performance? It may sound crazy, but it’s true: imagery provides you yet another way to appear in search engine results and grab the attention of potential customers around the world.

Here’s how it works:

• Product photos are indexed by search engines, and when a user searches related terms and phrases, relevant photos are then displayed in the search engine’s “images” section. While this area is separate from the main search results page (where your web and blog pages appear), it still gives you yet another way to gain exposure with potential clients.
• Typically, search engines will look at a number of areas when determining relevancy to the user’s query: the alt tag, the title and the file name of the photo. For best results, always include a keyword or phrase in each of these areas when uploading a photo or video to your website. It will increase your SEO power exponentially.
• Search engines give great weight to videos – especially those posted on sites like YouTube and Vimeo. In fact, they’re often the first or second result displayed! To really ensure your videos deliver as much impact as possible, instead of uploading them on your site directly, use YouTube, Vimeo or another free video platform and post them there. Then, you can imbed them on your site, and still take advantage of the extra SEO bump! Just be sure to use your best keywords and phrases in your video title, URL and description, and you’ll be golden.

So there you have it. Product photos and videos aren’t just for impressing your customers and increasing your sales anymore, they can actually help market your company and allow you to reach an even wider audience! Do you want to reap all the SEO benefits product photos and videos have to offer? Then contact The Image Alive team today and schedule a free consultation.

New Survey Reveals Power in Product Videos

New Survey Reveals Power in Product Videos

We all know that great images, 360 photos and product videos can influence sales in your online store – but exactly how much?  What sort of impact does it really make in the grand scheme of things? Well, thanks to a new survey from Animoto, a DIY-slideshow technology, now we know.

Animoto’s survey talked to more than 1,100 adults in the U.S. Each one had watched an online product video on their computers, tablets or cell phones at least one time during the previous 6 months.  The result? Nearly 75 percent of those surveyed said they were more likely to make a purchase after viewing the video.

The survey also found that product videos impact how a customer views a brand. Specifically:

• 77 percent of those surveyed said brands that use product videos on their sites are seen as more engaged and in touch with their customers.
• 71percent said that product videos leave an overall positive impression of the brand.
• 58 percent said that product videos show a brand as more trustworthy.
• 42 percent said they want to see more product videos online – especially when it comes to electronics.

But Animoto’s survey isn’t the only one proving the efficacy of product videos on web sales. In fact, a study by Walker Sands recently showed that a whopping 50 percent of consumers has been influenced by a YouTube video in making a purchase. Additionally, Invodo found that 57 percent of web shoppers feel more confident in making an online purchase after viewing a video and are thus less likely to return the product later on.

Well there you have it: solid proof that product videos really do have a positive effect on your online sales. Are you ready to hop on the bandwagon yet and create some awe-inspiring videos for your products and services? Then contact The Image Alive team today for a free consultation!

Integrating Video Production into Photography Shoots

Integrating Video Production into Photography Shoots

Many business owners are hesitant to hop on board with product videos, simply because they think video production and all the costs that come with it are just too expensive. The truth is, as long as you choose the right photographer, product videos shouldn’t cost you all that much more than static product shots. The key is simply finding the right photographer.

THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER CAN DO BOTH

A truly great photographer can integrate video production seamlessly into an existing product photo shoot. They’ll have the proper video equipment on hand, and they’ll be able to alternate static shots with video clips, all at the same, singular shoot.

This not only saves you an immense amount of money (you’re paying for one shoot instead of two), it also ensures your product photos and videos get shot and produced quickly, so you can start utilizing them to increase sales. Additionally, it also make the video production and photoshoot process easier on everyone; instead of scheduling and coordinating two separate shoots, you only need to manage one, all-encompassing shoot that meets all your needs at once.

As a bonus, you also get an additional marketing tool for your products. While static images can go a long way in selling your products, videos can go the extra mile. They can give more detail, they can help with mobile sales, and they can simply make your products more tempting to the customer.

INTEGRATE VIDEO PRODUCTION INTO YOUR NEXT SHOOT

Do you need to schedule a product photoshoot in the near future? If so, you may want to consider integrating video production into it, and killing two birds with one stone. Then, you’ll have powerful, professional product images, as well as interactive, impressive video clips to complement them.

Contact The Image Alive team today to learn more about our product photography and video production skills, or two book your all-in-one shoot now.

How to Choose a Filmmaker for Your Product Videos

How to Choose a Filmmaker for Your Product Videos

Product videos are a great way to amp up your online store and increase sales of your products across the board. They give customers a more intimate look at your offerings, and they allow them to take in details and learn information they just couldn’t from a static photo or image. Additionally, product videos are great for mobile users. They show up crisp and clean on that tiny smartphone screen, ensuring each and every customer gets the details they need to evaluate the product and make a purchase.

To reap the benefits of product videos, however, you have to first ensure your videos are high quality. DIYing your videos or hiring an amateur to do them won’t do the trick; it will just make you look unprofessional, and it will turn off customers in an instant. If you want to integrate product videos into your website, hiring a professional filmmaker is a definite must.

Not sure how to choose the right filmmaker for your videos? Follow these tips:

• Look for experience. First and foremost, you want to look for experience. Experience in video production and, more importantly, experience in product promotion. They should have extensive knowledge about how to present products in the best light, how to position and stage them, what angles to use and more, and they should have ample experience in shooting product photos as well as videos.
• Check out their samples. Always take a minute to look at a pro’s samples before hiring them. Check out any videos they have on their website, look through their product image portfolio, or email them and ask them for examples, if you can’t find any online. Chances are, if they’re worth their weight, they’ll be happy to show off the great-looking videos and images they’ve shot.
• Get a free consultation. Be sure to schedule a consultation with the filmmaker before moving forward. (Most will offer these for free.) This will allow you to get a feel for their style, their work ethic, and their ideas for your brand. You want to make sure the two of you will jive and be able to work together seamlessly to produce a great product.

Do you want to improve your online store and increase your product sales? Then consider implementing product videos on your site. Contact The Image Alive team today for a free consultation, and to learn more about how product videos can improve your brand.

Product Videos, Images and 360 Spins: The Benefits of Using a One-stop Shop

Product Videos, Images and 360 Spins: The Benefits of Using a One-stop Shop

Often, when you’re looking to promote your products, it’s not just one or two things you need; you want the whole kit and caboodle. You don’t just want images for your website or your catalog, a video for your homepage banner or a 360-degree shot of your most popular item. You want it all, and you want it done in the most professional, sales-inspiring way possible.

Fortunately, there are some studios (like Image Alive), that serve as a one-stop shop for all these services and more, so you can meet all your product promotional needs in one easy, seamless and affordable way.

While you might be tempted to go to different vendors for each individual need, the truth is, using a one-stop shop will benefit your company much better in the long run. Here’s how:

• It will deliver a consistent look across all materials – By using the same studio for your product videos, images and 360-degree shots, you’ll ensure that each one looks consistent, professional and a part of the same whole. This will contribute to your overall brand image, and it will help give you reliable look and feel throughout all your collateral.
• It will allow you to bundle pricing and achieve a more affordable cost – If you go to three separate vendors, you’re going to have three different price tags to contend with. When you use one studio for all your needs, you can create a customized package that includes all the services and images you need, at a price you can afford.
• It will make for an easier, faster process – Going to three separate studios for your product videos, 360 spins and product images can make for a pretty lengthy process. When you include travel time, set up, shooting and editing for each, you’re looking at a couple months – at least. When you use a one-stop shop instead, you can do it all at once, shaving weeks off the whole process and ensuring you get your materials as fast as possible.
• It will start a long-term relationship with the studio – Chances are this isn’t the last time you’re going to need a product image or video. By choosing a studio to handle all your needs now, you’re setting yourself up for success in the future, too. When you have new products come in, you have a new promotion, or you simply want to update your images, all you have to do is call up your studio, and they can  pick up right where they left off.

Are you in need of product videos, images or 360 spins at your company? Then contact a one-stop shop like Image Alive today. We can help with all your needs and more. Plus, we’ll even offer you a free spin to start!

The Problems with Using an Amateur Fort Worth Photographer

The Problems with Using an Amateur Fort Worth Photographer

Instead of hiring a professional Fort Worth photographer to handle their headshots, product images, website photos and other visuals, many business owners opt to cut corners, and choose an amateur photographer instead. They might have someone on their staff do it, they might seek out a friend who enjoys photography, or they’ll find anyone else that has an iota of experience and will do the job for cheap.

Unfortunately, while the up-front price tag may be lower, using an amateur rather than a professional Fort Worth photographer can cost you significantly more in the end. It can hurt your sales, it can affect your brand image and reputation, and it can even cut down on your customer satisfaction if you’re not careful.

Are you considering using an amateur photographer for your company’s photo needs? Here are just a few of the problems you may experience if you do:

• It will make you look unprofessional – Sure, using an amateur will save money, but do you really want your business to have an “amateur” look? Do you really want less-than-perfect product photos? Do you want banner images that aren’t as powerful and crisp as they should be? Few consumers want to do business with an amateur company. They want to buy from someone who knows what they’re doing, someone who delivers high-quality products , and someone who is an absolute expert in their field. Amateur photos just won’t do the trick.
• It will hurt your sales – Images play a large part in online product sales. It’s how customers evaluate whether a product meets their needs and if it’s worth the price tag you’re asking. Without good photos, they simply don’t have enough information to evaluate it, and they’ll start looking elsewhere to find the product they want.
• It will take longer – With a professional Fort Worth photographer, you get to work with someone who has a set system and process for each and every step of the way. This allows them to be extremely efficient, staging, shooting and editing your photos in just a few days’ time. An amateur, one who’s not as well-versed in the industry, will take much longer. That means it’s longer ‘til you can get your site up, it’s longer ‘til you can start taking online sales, and it’s longer ‘til you can make money.
• It will hurt customer satisfaction and increase return rates – Poor photos just don’t allow customers to evaluate a product the way they need to. Because of this, many times, when the product arrives at the door, it doesn’t meet their needs or just isn’t what they were expecting. That means a higher return rate and an unhappy customer – neither of which are good for business.

Unfortunately, these are just a few of the adverse effects you’ll see if you choose an amateur photographer for your company’s photos. Want to avoid them? Then call Image Alive, and hire a professional Fort Worth photographer with experience. We’ll even give you a free consultation to start! imagealivestudios.com/contact

3 Tips for Better Food Product Photography

3 Tips for Better Food Product Photography

In the past, we’ve talked a lot about product photography: why clothing retailers need it, how it can improve sales of electronics and tools, and even some tips for working more seamlessly with your photographer. What we haven’t yet grazed is one of the biggest areas of product photography around: food photography.

Food photography is on a completely different plane than other types of product photography. Instead of merely trying to get the viewer interested in buying the product you’re shooting, with food photography, you have to take that one step further, and actually try to capture a taste, a smell and a feel that will make them crave it. It’s a pretty hard feat to achieve.

Fortunately, over the years, we’ve discovered a few little tricks that can help improve food product photography in an instant. Here they are:

1. Be aware of your surroundings. You want all the attention to be on the food, so clear away any clutter and make sure you’re in a clean, open space. White or solid black backgrounds are often the best choice, as they allow the food to really pop and be the focal point of the image. Mainly, you want to avoid having people in the background, busy photos or patterns, and anything else that could distract from your food.
2. Pick a great plate. The plate you choose is extremely important in how your food is perceived. Whereas a plain white, paper plate would denote a low-quality, cheap food, a brightly colored, fiesta-ware plate would convey a more vibrant, exciting food that viewers would be itching to try. You want to choose something that’s high-quality, eye-catching, and that allows your food to truly shine.
3. Stage the food first. Put some serious effort into staging the food items before you shoot it. Don’t just pile it on a plate, and start snapping photos. You want to arrange the food in a beautiful and inviting way, and add any accessories that could amp up the image or enhance its quality in anyway. If you’re shooting cookies, for example, instead of just shooting a stack of cookies on a plate, consider putting them in a decorative box or tying them together with a pretty ribbon. This will not only make the photo more interesting, but it will show that care and quality went into the entire venture.

Are you looking to improve the product photography for your food establishment, restaurant, store or blog? Then contact Image Alive Studios today. Our professional photographers can help.

6 Signs You Should Invest in a Fort Worth Photographer

6 Signs You Should Invest in a Fort Worth Photographer

Many small businesses and ecommerce companies try to take on too much. They try to design their own website, they attempt to handle their own PR, and they even resort to taking their own product photos, headshots and other imagery. In the end, the quality of all these ventures ends of suffering, simply because those handling them just aren’t experienced or knowledgeable enough. The truth is, it’s almost always more beneficial to defer to a professional in these arenas, as they’ll be able to deliver a higher quality, more polished product that will impress customers and improve sales.

This is especially true when it comes to photography. Hiring a professional Fort Worth photographer is absolutely preferable to handling it on your own or letting an amateur staff member take the reins. Why? Because that photography is the face of your company. A professional can ensure it looks great, it instills confidence in your customers and it inspires sales.

Not sure if you need to invest in a Fort Worth photographer at your business just yet? Here are 6 signs you definitely do:

1. You’re taking your own product photos. This is number 1. If you’re taking your own product photos or having an amateur staff member handle them, then it’s definitely time to hire a pro. The quality of your images is suffering, and it’s likely impacting your customer leads, sales and revenues.
2. Your online store isn’t performing as well as it should. Online shopping is hugely successful nowadays. If your site isn’t following suit, you can bet there’s something wrong with your product photos. They’re either not portraying your products in the right light, they’re not high-quality enough, or customers can’t gather enough info from them. Either way, you need to make a change – and a Fort Worth photographer can help.
3. Your products are highly detailed. If your products have a lot of detail, buttons, accessories or other add-ons, then you need photography that’s going to ensure customers can see all that – otherwise they won’t feel comfortable buying it. While there’s not much you can do on your own, a professional photographer, on the other hand, can offer you 360 photography for your products. This can allow customers to interact with your products and get up-close-and-personal with each and every detail. Ultimately, it can increase your sales and leads, and reduce your return rates.
4. You’re creating a product catalog or brochure. Catalogs and brochures need to look as professional and polished as possible. They’ll be handed out to potential customers and business partners, and they’ll be the comprehensive guide to you brand and products. If you want it to look its absolute best, then it’s imperative you enlist a professional Fort Worth photographer to handle the imagery. Amateur  photos in your catalog will only make your brand look low-quality, and they’ll turn off customers and potential sales in an instant.
5. You have a number of photography needs. Taking one or two photos on your own, or having a staff member do a few headshots is one thing, but putting them in charge of multiple photography projects is a huge mistake. If you know your company has ample photography needs – like product shots, headshots for your website, lifestyle shots for advertising, etc. – then you definitely need to invest in a pro. They’ll be able to ensure consistency throughout all images, and they’ll be able to make your brand look its absolute best every time.
6. You’re on a tight deadline. If you need quick turnaround on your photos, then using an amateur is never a smart move. They won’t have an efficient system down, they won’t be able to shoot, edit and produce your photos in a timely manner, and you’ll end up behind deadline in the end. By hiring a pro, on the other hand, you can rest assured your photos will get done on time and in a professional, high-quality way. They’ll have an organized system down for setting up, shooting and editing your photos, and they’ll be able to meet your deadlines easily and seamlessly.

Are you ready to invest in a Fort Worth photographer at your company? Then contact the team at Image Alive today. We’d be glad to help with your product photos, lifestyle shots, headshots or any other photography needs you may have.

Product Imagery: 4 Reasons to Always Hire a Professional Photographer

Product Imagery: 4 Reasons to Always Hire a Professional Photographer

When it comes to product imagery, DIYing it should never be an option. Sure it’ll save you a few dollars, but what will it cost you in the end? Think about how much rides on that photography: your sales, your customer leads, your website performance. Are you sure you have the skills, equipment and know-how necessary to make those all those a success? In truth, unless you’ve got tons of product photography experience under your belt, it’s likely you don’t. If you don’t want to jeopardize your sales – and your business as a whole – there’s only one option for your product images, and that’s to hire a professional photographer.

Not sure about hiring a professional photographer for your product imagery needs? Here are four reasons you should:

1. They’ll know how to best capture your products and portray them in the best light. Thanks to years of experience, a professional photographer will know just how to shoot your products. They’ll know what angles work best, what lighting to use and how to show off your products in a way that makes them look great and, most importantly, makes them sellable.
2. They’ll have all the necessary equipment. Product photography isn’t as simple as clicking a button on a camera. There’s also lighting equipment, tripods, flashes, lenses, editing software and tons of other accessories involved in making a product look great on film. Chances are, you don’t have all this equipment on hand, and to buy it, you’d have to cough up a pretty penny first – much more than it’d cost to hire a pro.  Plus, when you hire a professional photographer, you can rest assured they have all the equipment necessary to make your products look great.
3. They’ll be able to streamline the process and get you your images faster. A pro will have an organized, efficient system in place that will ensure your product images get shot, edited and delivered to you in no time at all. If you’re handling it on your own – especially for the first time – it could take weeks or even months to troubleshoot and get a system down. That will hold up your sales and affect your revenues in a major way.
4. They’ll be able to ensure consistency in new and future product lines. Make sure you think about the future. If you DIY your product images now, what will happen down the line when you get more? Will you be able to recreate the same look and feel with each new product you shoot? Or will you be left with disparate images that look like they don’t belong? One of the biggest benefits of using a pro is that they can ensure consistency each and every time they shoot. They’ll keep your background and props on hand, and they’ll be able to configure the lights, angles and lenses the same, so that your images look cohesive today, tomorrow and in the future.

Are you in need of great product imagery? Then leave it to a professional photographer. Contact the Image Alive team today to get started.