the video.

a while back i posted a detailed explanation about the creation of jshipleyphotography.com in order that i may shed some light on the subject of the importance of having a customized, cohesive and relevant web-presence. i hope that it proved to be helpful to many of you who are on the brink of starting your businesses.

now, i wanted to take a few minutes and discuss my intro video...

as i sat in the beloved green chair at my parent's house up in crowley, i schemed. i thought of ways to build a strong brand. i pondered the power of good design. i read. i researched. i sketched and dreamed. and i schemed what would be one of the most pivotal and invaluable components of my brand: my intro video.

since it's premier in april, i've received e-mail after e-mail and remark after remark about how amazing my video was and how it captured the my personality and how it spoke to the essence of j. shipley photography. people often said it left them feeling as though they had gotten a chance to get to know me and to experience what it's like to work with me. they got a sense of my vision, dreams, style, energy, passion, creativity, drive and playful lifestyle all in the short four minute video. wow.

now, the real genius behind all that was nathaneal matanick of heschle video productions. he got it. he got me. he spent lots of time and energy getting to know the ins and outs of me and j. shipley photography. he understood my vision and then translated it into video form. pure genius. such work requires that you find someone who shares a similar artistic vision and who is truly gifted at their craft. nathaneal is just that. and naturally we worked really well together. and the result was a video that truly speaks to my brand and clearly communicates why i do what i do.

some said it was risky to endeavor on such a project so early on in my career. they asked, do you really have a clear vision for you brand? do you have enough material? will it really make that big of a difference? is this necessary? and from the outset, i was confident in my decision and knew that it would be worth the investment. and indeed it was. it gave my business and brand the direction and boost it needed. coupled with the new site and the launch party and art show, it gave me a jump-start so to speak. it gave people a window into j. shipley photography that has truly been invaluable. and if anything, it garnered some much needed buzz around my brand. mission accomplished.

i think so much of branding is realising the importance of the whole package. people expect and appreciate consistency and unity. it's essential to make sure every aspect of your brand is dialled-in, from you web presence, to your packaging, to your correspondence. and for me this has been the fun part. i am fascinated by this process and by its outcomes. and i love learning more and more about it as i truck along.

what are some of the key decisions or investments you have made to strengthen your own brand? what is it about your favorite brands that keeps you coming back again and again?

and for those of you who have yet to actually see the video...click here.

oh and here's the awesome trailer, nathaneal created to promote the release of the full version...click here.

finally, here are a few production photos i dug up out of the archives.

than and christi at the epic jessica iverson bridal shoot in a parking garage.

interviews after the santa barbara lifestyle shoot.

and this is just too funny not to share. haha. oh the woes of convertibles.