miceli-productions Archives | Miceli Productions

Sometimes a project comes along that is so important, so special, so different that it changes you forever. It gives you a new perspective on life. It resonates in a way that our everyday projects might not. It grabs you by the throat, shakes you and says, “See, you can make a difference in this world; you are making a difference.” For Miceli Productions, a current work, the documentary video titled “Having Their Say: Generations in Conversation,” was one of those moments.

“Having Their Say” is an oral history project initiated by Hartford Stage and inspired by the 1993 book “Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years.” For “Having Their Say,” young Hartford area students interviewed 10 African American women over age 70 to share their stories from the civil rights movement to the present. These intergenerational interviews inspired exchanges about personal journeys, experiences and how living in Hartford influenced their lives.

A Fresh View on Oral History

The tradition of oral history goes back to the beginning of humans, but the act of recording these oral traditions – first in audio formats and now video – dates back to the 1940s. The recording of oral history gained an especially significant importance in the African American community as many former slaves were illiterate so little written history about their experiences existed.

Oral history also brought democratization to the recording of history where not just the elite are included. With oral recordings, the ordinary person can have their say in history. And historians are learning how world and national events affect every person, not just the top politicians and business leaders. Oral history also extends that democratization to the consumers of history. Recorded histories, particularly videos in this internet age, provide ready access to these histories to all people, not just the historians who hunker down in dusty libraries.

Portrait of Kamre Williams.

Portrait of Sistah Nandi.

Portrait of Tyra Harris.

Portrait of Patricia Wrice (center) with Natalie Best and Elyece Patterson.

Spanning Generations

“Having Their Say” will stand as an important example of this trend, as this documentary video and separate videos of the 10 women are being shared through social media, where they will reach a younger audience that didn’t first-handedly experience the struggles that their ancestors lived through to bring basic human rights to African Americans. Younger viewers will be drawn into the videos because the interviews are conducted by their peers and they will relate to the reaction of the young interviewers.

One of the beauties of recorded oral history is how the interviewer and subject develop a rapport during the course of the interview and the narrative becomes more than just a factual account. The viewer begins to relate to the interviewer and learns along with them about important events through personal stories. The young ladies conducting the interviews for “Having Their Say” obviously are drawn into the lives of their subjects. This experience gives them a new appreciation for the history of their area and respect for the women who served as community leaders during a tumultuous time in American history. With this inspiration, they likely will become leaders in the Hartford community and even the nation for a new generation of African Americans.

Portrait of Geraldine Jones.

Portrait of Alyce Rawlins.

Portrait of Elaine Mobley.

Portrait of Patricia Johnson (right) with Miracle Hyde, participant of the documentary video, HAVING THEIR SAY from Hartford, CT. Video by Miceli Productions.

Portraits of Patricia Johnson (right) with Miracle Hyde.

Miceli Productions is proud of the role we played in this production and pleased with our partnership with Hartford Stage. Having a professional production company involved in this type of history project gives it an added poignancy and production quality that will attract additional viewers. Involvement in the Hartford community is an important aspect of our work as media artists and storytellers, and we look forward to cooperating with other local agencies to produce videos that will not only tell the history of Hartford, but also shape its future and its future leaders. We truly love doing this work.

Contact us if you have an idea for a documentary video production
and need professional guidance to get it off the ground.

View the 20 minute version of the documentary video HAVING THEIR SAY: Generations in Conversation.

AND View the interviews of all the participants.

Visual Nature of Humans

Visuals are important to humans, so if you’re not literally showing your product in the best light, you’re hurting your bottom line. A product photo is often the first thing a visitor sees, and if it’s not eye-catching, well-lit, and well-crafted, many won’t bother reading the product description. No matter how great your product is, if the image is unintentionally back-lit, not in critical focus, or worse — blurry, dark, or on a distracting background, people will naturally perceive the item as low quality. Portraying your products in a good visual light serves your business by attracting people to your products.

Consumers Rely on Product Images When Shopping Online

Clothing photography for Runkz by Miceli Productions

Another reason high quality product images are important when selling online? Potential customers rely on those pictures to make purchase decisions. They can’t pick up the item and examine it like they can in a brick and mortar store. The next best thing you should provide to help them make their purchasing decisions are the best images of your product! A good image depicts the product accurately while bringing out its strongest features. In the case of clothing, shoes, and items that move to open or close, you can provide images of the front and back of an item, or views of the item open, then closed and any different state in-between. (Note: You may also want to consider some product videos.) If your product has details, you should make sure those details are captured well and adequately shown. It’s also a great idea to show products in use, so that customers can fully envision the time and place where they will be when the products are in use. A good product photographer will use their creative eye to capture what is unique about your product or capture the feeling of using the product.

Take Pictures of Your Products Against a White Backdrop

One of the elements of a high quality product image is a white backdrop. You might not think a background has anything to do with the product, but it influences the viewer’s perception of the item. Your backdrop can make or break your sales.

Why do photographers use a white backdrop for product photos instead of any other color? White reflects light onto your product, providing you with a well-lit image and bright, realistic colors. You’ve probably seen reviews in which the customer was unhappy that the actual color of the item wasn’t the same as in the product image. Using a white backdrop helps prevent those complaints.

Bella Bride Jewelry product photography by Miceli Productions

Also make sure you’re open to suggestions from your product photographer. Their expertise can help you in selecting the right image background for your products, especially if they are lifestyle photos that show the product in use. An example of this would be our work for Apogee and Sennheiser. We crafted an image of a motivational speaker using a phone app connected to a new microphone poised to deliver his talk in a large auditorium. The images captured the spirit of use, as well as the actual product.

High quality product photos are designed to capture buyers attention. Lifestyle product photography by Miceli Productions.

A lifestyle product photography image for Sennheiser by Miceli Productions

High Quality Product Photos Build Trust and Confidence

High quality product photos taken by a professional help build trust with prospective customers and give them more confidence to make a purchase. On some level, people can be naturally anxious about spending their money, even more so when it comes to shopping online. You can ease their minds by using images of your products that convey a well-designed, well-crafted item. They will know they’re buying from a reliable and reputable business.

Enhance the Perception of Your Brand with High Quality Images and Consistency

Consistency in your product images will help enhance the perception of your brand. Having just images of your products isn’t enough — you must take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Your product catalogue or online shop needs to be consistent in its design, style, and presentation. When you glance at your selection of products, nothing should look out of place. Potential customers will view your brand as professional if there’s consistency in your product photos and presentation.

Conclusion

Great product photos are a necessity for e-commerce sites and anyone selling a physical good online. If you’re struggling to increase sales with your e-commerce site, the first thing you need to analyze is your product images. Leave SEO and social media marketing until after you have professional product images uploaded to share and drive sales.

Bella Bride Jewelry product images by Miceli Productions

The quality of your product images influence visitor trust, perception, and confidence in your brand. You may hurt your brand’s image and sales when you share product images that don’t represent your company well. To put your best foot forward, it’s best to hire someone who is an expert, rather than to attempt it yourself or with staff that might not be trained in this art. There are many product photography rules needed to craft a successful image, as well as the professional grade equipment needed for taking the images. A professional product photographer can be a great asset to your brand photography.

Contact us for help shooting high quality product photos that will increase sales. We have 14+ years of experience with creating commercial images and videos for branding, marketing, and advertising.