Photography is an essential strategic asset for businesses and brands.
You heard that right – professional photography is no longer a frivolous expense, but rather a prerequisite for success in business.
Not to mention, it’s an extremely valuable tool for reputation creation / management, brand building and business development.
That said, our main goal here at CC Photo & Media is to help you create and implement a visual strategy so you can reap the rewards of establishing and maintaining deep, emotional relationships with your prospects and customers through branding photography.
Helping Clients Achieve from Any Starting Point, by Design
Because we serve a variety of different clients at different points in their business development, we have a system to deliver results no matter where you’re at when starting with us.
If you’re new to photography, by brainstorming together to clarify your concept, we literally bring your vision into reality, carrying you from a to z – or really idea to implementation.
But, if you are more established and don’t need help on strategy or identifying your brand or project goals, feel free to bring us in at a later stage to produce stellar images for your campaign or rebranding effort.
And, regardless of where you’re starting, we always begin with our clients’ unique goals in mind in order to create unique photos that really capture your core and captivate your customers.
The Process
[showhide type=”phase1″ more_text=”Phase 1. The Idea” less_text=”Hide Info” hidden=”yes”]
Phase 1. The Idea
We place an emphasis on pre-production conversations, because having a deep understanding of who you are, your vision, and what you’re trying to accomplish (generally speaking, and with the images) will make all the difference in creating images that you love, and ultimately, will truly allow your prospects to connect deeply and become honest fans, for life.
We don’t aim for satisfaction – we aim for excellence. We aim to create what will work the best for you, in your unique situation and brand identity.
Because what one client needs is not the same as what another client needs, and we get that.
Further, pre-production is one of the ways we differ from budget, amateur or bulk photographers. During this phase, we take the time necessary to dig in deep with you, to really understand your situation, your goals, your brand’s values, purpose and vision, your target audience and message, etc. And… If you don’t know any of these details, we are right there with you to help you figure it out.
So, if you’re looking for someone to just come in and click the shutter a few times, we may not be the best fit.
We focus on the art and the strategy, so you can get the most return on your investment, whether that’s more social engagement, improved reputation, increased sales, or general impact and awareness.
[/showhide][showhide type=”phase2″ more_text=”Phase 2: Creative Development / Pre-Production Logistics” less_text=”Hide Info” hidden=”yes”]
Phase 2: Creative Development / Pre-Production Logistics
Once all participants in the conversation are clear on the direction, goals and desired results, we start to visualize. We’ll discuss how you want to be perceived/received and then create a mood and story board for the shoot.
When we’re all excited about the look and images we’re going to make, we’ll determine the actual logistics of the shoot itself, such as the production team (stylists, assistants, etc.), location/scouting, permits, etc.
If you need it, we can also determine a strategic plan for your photos – such as where to use them, when to use them, or otherwise what to do once you have them.
(Sometimes a great deal of this process happens before an estimate or quote is even produced, so keep this in mind when you do see the estimate. Also, the length of this Phase 1 and 2 can vary greatly depending on where you’re at in your brand/business and if you already had a specific project in mind – for example, if you already know what you want, then we don’t have to spend as much time coaxing it out of you.)
[/showhide][showhide type=”phase3″ more_text=”Phase 3: Production” less_text=”Hide Info” hidden=”yes”]
Phase 3: Production
Now that we know each other and everything’s all set, it’s time to make the magic happen!!! Yay! 🙂
Production refers to the days of the actual photo sessions. Each shoot is different, so it’s hard to generalize about what will happen…
…But, basically… 1. everyone will arrive at the location, 2. preparation and setup will occur, 3. test-shots will be taken, 4. hero shots will be made, 5. then we pack up and go home. (And 6. sometimes we go have dinner and a drink to celebrate, because it’s been a long day and we deserve it!)
[/showhide][showhide type=”phase4″ more_text=”Phase 4: Post-Production” less_text=”Hide Info” hidden=”yes”]
Phase 4: Post-Production
Once all the photos are loaded onto the computer, we go through them to eliminate unusable images and make minor adjustments. Once this is completed, we typically will upload these proof images to a private web gallery where you and your team can view and select your final images for retouching.
Once you decide on your images for retouching – if that is part of our agreement – we will go through those photos with a fine-tooth comb to make them perfect.
Retouching can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours on a single image (or more, depending), though we always aim to “get it right in-camera.”
Once complete, we send you the images in the agreed upon method – typically via “the cloud”.
[/showhide][showhide type=”phase5″ more_text=”Phase 5: Implementation” less_text=”Hide Info” hidden=”yes”]
Phase 5: Implementation
Depending on the scope of your project, we can also be involved in the actual implementation of your visual strategy – which might mean scheduling your social media posts, updating your website, designing your print materials, etc.
[/showhide]