Small Businesses: Why You Need A DIY Photo/Video Toolkit (and what to buy for it)
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Businesses that lack excellent photography and videography get left behind by the competition.
In today’s digital age there is more content than ever. Cutting through the noise is key to getting noticed. Photos and videos are consistently one of the keys to getting your business - and products - noticed by consumers.
This doesn’t mean you need to be an expert in photography and videography! In fact, with a few tools that are relatively inexpensive, you can create pro results for your business. Read on about why a toolkit is essential, and what products we recommend. All these products have been personally tested and we can vouch for their effectiveness in helping beginners and small business owners elevate their photography and videography within a lower price point.
WHY YOU NEED A BASIC PHOTO/VIDEO TOOLKIT
Recent studies highlight just how crucial expert photography is for influencing consumer behavior. HubSpot Blog states that 57% of consumers are deterred from making a purchase if the product images or descriptions are lacking. In addition, Think With Google states that about 65% of consumers research products online prior to going in-person to a store to purchase. This underlines the importance of having quality images that are compelling enough to sway a purchase.
A basic toolkit allows your images and videos to be well-lit, well-shot, and properly styled.
Mobile phone cameras have come a long way and anyone that owns a smart phone has the biggest tool for taking professional-looking photos and videos. A basic toolkit allows you to leverage phone to create content for your business. Whether you are photographing products or creating social media videos for your business, having these products on-hand will make the process easier and more enjoyable.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR OWN PHOTO/VIDEO TOOLKIT
Setting up a toolkit doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. By investing in a few low-cost, key pieces, you can significantly improve the quality of your photography and videos with minimal effort. Here are our recommendations. All equipment names are clickable!
For Capturing Shots
This is a great tripod! Made out of sturdy aluminum, it extends to 72” tall, which is ideal for taking videos with people talking. It’s small enough to fold up like an umbrella, but super stable in how it’s built. It also allows the user to tilt their phone 180 degrees for landscape or portrait photos/videos. Fold it up to use it for selfies or use the telescopic rods to elongate it for stable shots. Two of the best features are the included remote shutter control and the spring phone mount that allows for almost any smart phone to be used.
Wireless Camera Remote Shutter For Smartphones
If you are using a tripod or other type of stand for your smartphone to capture a video and a remote shutter isn’t included, purchasing one is a necessity. This allows you to save time and energy using just a click instead of running back-and-forth to your phone. This particular hands-free shutter control allows for a short click feature for photos and a long click feature for videos. It’s also compatible with almost all smartphones, tablets, and iPads. With a 4.5 rating on Amazon and an extremely low price point, it’s a great little tool for getting your images and videos.
ATKTTOP Overhead Phone Mount With Ring Light
*FAVORITE*
A great mount with endless ways to configure your camera’s angle for tabletop shots. Built extremely well, this phone mount is stable! It allows for the tricky overhead shots while also allowing for flexible adjustments at the same time. One of our favorite products for it’s versatility in angles. It can also moonlight as a phone holder for meetings or live streaming sessions.
TELESIN Magnetic Neck Mount For Phones
Do you ever wonder how content creators get the first-person content while having their hands free? This is the device that allows them to do it. Just slip this phone mount over your head and attach your phone using a magnet holder. The mount is stable and sturdy being built our of stainless steel with a silicon exterior.
VEEKTOMX Portable Charger With Built-In Cables
Veektomx allows you to keep your phone shooting all day long without having to worry about your battery draining. It’s a great portable charger and the best part is that it allows you to plug it directly into a wall socket to charge it! No more having to find the right USB or other type of cable to charge the portable charger before using. USB-C, Micro USB, and Lightning cables are built in and it includes a USB-C and USB output ports. This allows for multiple devices to be charged at the same time.
Lighting the Scene
Light Therapy Lamp, 10000 LUX UV-Free LED Sunlight Light
Natural light is the best for shooting photos. If you are in a situation where you are unable to use natural light for your photos, this light therapy lamp is the next best thing. We recommend purchasing two so that you can evenly light your scene on both sides. This little light is small like a desk lamp and it folds in half so it’s very portable. It gives off 3 levels of brightness for different moods. Just make sure where you are shooting has wall plugs as this light is not wireless.
12”x8” Light Reflector, 3 in 1 Photography Reflector
Inexpensive and perfect for the solo-photographer, this cardboard self-standing reflector is wonderful for helping to spread light evenly on a product or scene while photographing it. It can reflect, diffuse, block or soften light. This helps with reducing harsh shadows while photographing. It comes with black (to block light), silver (to reflect light), and white (to fill light) materials to be inserted into the board.
For Sound
MAYBESTA Professional Wireless Lavalier Lapel Microphone
These little microphones make it easier to shoot videos with high-quality sound. They easily pair to your smartphone through a receiver and allow for a clearer audio track. The best part is that they are small enough to fit on your clothing, making them hands-free.
Setting The Scene
Products can be shot with a variety of backdrops depending upon the mood and look trying to be achieved. Here are a few suggestions:
Wide Plank 7 1/2” x 1/2” European French Oak Unfinished Engineered Wood Flooring Sample
Purchase a few to lay down wherever you are shooting for a sophisticated background.
Yoocheese Photography Backdrops
A portable white backdrop for product shoots.
Remember, all these tools are helpful for capturing professional-looking photos and videos, but you must have a marketing plan in place to take advantage of them. Each business will have unique characteristics and goals. Make sure to carefully plan out your content calendar and what photos are needed for product launches, etc.
If you need some help with this, contact us at hello@rarity-marketing.com.