Help Me Build a Wine Ad!
Which Shot would you choose? That’s the question at the bottom of this post I’m hoping you will work with me on. But first, a little insight into creating an ad for wine publications that needs photography as part of the ad…
The work that goes into shooting a photo for an advertisement is not so simple. It’s one of the creative services we offer at Wark Communications. Today, following creative process to come up with the ad, following the process of writing the copy, presenting to the client, then scouting for locations with the photographer and graphic designer, we finally went on location to shoot an ad that will show up in all the major wine magazines as well as elsewhere.
The day started around 4:30am with my alarm. Get everything together. Pick up food, and get to the location by 5:45. The photographer and their assistant had already arrived at the location by the time I got there. The location is at the top of a knoll on the clients property where they farm about 150 acres of vines. The subjects of the shoot would not arrive for another hour and fifteen minutes. It’s set up time.
After doing this for a number of years I’m still taken aback at the
time and effort it takes to set up a shot. Add to this that we were
racing the sun. We knew exactly what kind of early morning light we
wanted. We needed to start shooting between 7am and 7:15am.
Once the subjects arrive, they need to be fed. And we all need a bit
more coffee. I’ve been at shoots where a far more impressive spread
than this is offered. But we are stingy at Wark Communications.
Nevertheless, bagels, muffins, strawberries, grapes, coffee and orange
juice hit the spot.
When everyone is feeling good, when the light is just right, and when
Alan the photographer and his assistant are ready, the shooting begins.
We are still racing the sun. We want those longer shadows combined with
the softness that the early morning atmosphere gives us. This turns out
to be a pretty easy shoot for a number of reasons. The photographer is
great. His assistant is on the ball. And, the subjects area very easy
to work with. They are grandfather and granddaughter, so they
comfortable. Me? I try to keep out the way, get the subjects to provide
that "look" I’m trying to get, and occasionally ask the photographer to
try something different.
The actually shooting only takes about 40 minutes and it’s all over.
We’ve got shots. We’ve got the copy written and we have an outstanding
graphic designer ready to put it all together. The question is, which
shot do we choose.
WANNA HELP??? Below are 4 shots: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th.
TELL ME WHICH ONE YOU’D CHOOSE. I can’t give you more than the headline to work with:
"The Next Generation of Russian River Valley Wine"
WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE???
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