Museums and designers sometimes refer to video as ‘moving image’. Which makes sense if you think about it - the difference between a video and a photo is that the video shows movement. Basically, if you’re posting a video, something in it has to be in motion. Otherwise a photo is going to be a better fit. This may sound hella obvious, but it’s particularly important to consider when you’re showcasing products. You want the benefits of social video (extra attention) but you have to somehow manage the fact that all your ‘stars’ are completely inanimate.

If this is you, don’t worry - you have several solid options.

1)      Move the camera around your object to show more of it (like the back of a bouquet, for example).

2)      Use lens movement (zooming in or out, or pulling focus if you have the tech). This can draw your viewers’ attention to a specific detail or be used to reveal the whole object to them.

3)      Create movement in front of the camera. This is my personal fave. Some examples: wind (or a fan!) can move foliage or other soft objects, while people or animals can create movement and interest when they interact with the object you’re shooting.

Regardless of which option you choose, there needs to be a REASON for any movement. What do I mean by that? Glad you asked!

If your entire object is visible in shot, then moving the camera around it is not going to add new information or interest for your viewers. A better idea would be to zoom out or pull focus to reveal more about the object to the viewer.

If a person is interacting with your object, then their movement should be motivated by what’s in the shot. In the video on this post, the feather draws our attention because it’s moving in the breeze, and then the hand moves into shot to help us to see it better. A mini story!

This video is the result of a fab shoot we did last week with the skilled and imaginative @vegebouquet. When making video it really helps when what you’re shooting is already gorgeous - this is a visual medium! Look for more beauty from this shoot in coming posts.