commercial photography – Brokaw Photography

05 Feb 2018

BRIDGET WINGERT EDITOR BUCKS COUNTY HERALD

PRINT IS NOT DEAD

Bridget Wingert had a vision to create a local paper in the early 2000’s when other newspapers were starting their slow decline. She made it happen and it’s still happening. The Bucks County Herald, based in Lahaska, PA serves up local news throughout Bucks and Montgomery Counties in PA and is even expanding its reach into neighboring Mercer and Hunterdon Counties in NJ.

I’ve done my share of photojournalism and watched as papers round the country shed their staff. The business model has changed from using ads to support journalism to just using bits and pieces of news for the purpose of selling online ads. (Don’t you just love pop-ups?) . The Herald hasn’t succumbed. There is a lot happening locally and the Herald’s reporters and photographer do an amazing job of covering everything from local government to sports to business news. I was delighted to be asked to do Bridget’s business portrait. I’m a fan.

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15 Jan 2018

PEOPLE ARE LOOKING

Or at least we hope they are. Being visible is good, being noticed is even better.

We all love to see, especially things that make us feel good. We live in a visual world full of visual media. It matters what you put out there for others to see. The intent of marketing is to create a positive emotional response. In other words, making people feel good.

Show us your best foot. Make us feel good. We’ll notice.

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Photo Stories

26 Dec 2017

ABOUT VIDEOS

“About Videos” on a your website, if done well, can be a great way for people to learn about you, your products or your services.

I visit websites because I am curious, I want to know more. That is why I am there. (And I like watching more than I like reading, so a quick video is always welcome!)

Of course it’s a balance to get it just right for your audience. If you are authentic and professional you’ll get the message out and people will enjoy learning more about you and what you are offering. If you over do it, it may seem like too much of a sales pitch or even worse, be boring.

We’ve all grown up seeing plenty of TV commercials, from screaming appliance salesmen to uber-sophisticated, high-tech productions. But a good “about video” isn’t so much a commercial as it’s a nice chance to introduce yourself.

I’ve been doing more and more of these kinds of videos like the one below. It is a lot of fun to see what emerges from the process. The rule of thumb is to keep it short and sweet and real.
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Photo Stories

27 Nov 2017

THE 65-10 RULE

Chances are you looked at Frank’s bright blue eyes before you read any text (yes, they are real!).

I know I look at pictures before I read and most of us do. That is why visual content is so important. Not only does it get our attention but we remember it better.

Dr. John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist, research consultant and affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine has been study how the brain works for decades and has determined that when we hear a piece of information we’ll only remember 10% of it three days later. Add a picture and we’ll remember 65% of it. It’s the 65 – 10 rule. Big difference. (www.brainrules.net/vision)

This isn’t such good news for radio advertisers, but great news for businesses that utilize video and photos in their marketing. Of course the world is saturated with visual stimulus so whatever you are showing must be top quality and compelling. Our brains are pretty good at tuning out, ignoring and forgetting, too.

I guess we could call that the 35 – 90 rule.

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Photo Stories

24 Nov 2017

VISION

I admire people with vision. Over just a few days last week, Patricia Walsh Collins and Susan Joy Rosetty transformed an empty storefront into a thriving store called the “Art of Sprit Local.” I had just photographed the space to help market it, so am happy to see it rented.

When I saw how quickly and creatively, Susan and Patricia decorated the store and arranged all the merchandise I was thoroughly impressed. I asked Patricia how they were able to take an empty space and turned into a beautiful store in just a few days. She said that’s just what she does. “I see the big picture and then work backwards,” she said.

I call it vision.

The Art of Spirit Local is a collective gallery located at 34 Bridge Street in Frenchtown. It displays and offers for sale a wide range of items from paintings and photos to clothing. Everything is created by local artists. It will only be a here a few weeks, for the holiday season.

Naturally, I had to get an after picture to go with the before photo.

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Photo Stories

20 Nov 2017

STUDY YOUR COMPETITION

“Steve” and I are part of a large photography exhibit that opened this weekend at the Allentown Art Museum. I had photographed Steve as part of a project on artists and am always eager to show him off.

The exhibition hall was packed with photographers who are all displaying great images. It is a little daunting to see how good they all are and also encouraging to see the bar for photography rising higher and higher. Mediocre images just don’t cut it.

When high quality becomes the norm, the only place to go is up.

It would be easy to be jealous other other people’s talent but that’s pretty much a waste of attention. It is much more fun to study what they do and how they do. Not to imitate or compare but to understand.

Business (i.e., life) is always a learning process. Gotta love it.…

Photo Stories

15 Nov 2017

NOT AMUSED?

Have you ever had one of those days when you pitch idea after idea to your boss and he just stares at you?…

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15 Nov 2017

BOYS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

Life accelerates as we grow. The Hunterdon Harmonizers, who are launching yet another production with zest and zeal, asked if I could come an do some PR shots for them as they rehearse for their upcoming show. It was fun being with them and being bowled over by their enthusiasm. These are not the kind of guys who sit around at night vegging in front of their TVs but instead get out, get together and squeeze every moment out of life.

I’d love to join them but there is a very good reason I’m a photographer and not a singer! (Just ask the clown.)

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Photo Stories

10 Nov 2017

29th Hunterdon County Business & Home Expo & Restaurant Showcase

Food, food, food, from soup to pie

Archie Fagan, here with Sue Lang Saponara from Flemington Shop Rite, along with the rest of the Shop Rite crew were a big part of this year’s Hunterdon County Business & Home Expo & Restaurant Showcase. There were plenty of vendors and businesses to explore all day and topped off with delicious dishes and desserts from participating restaurants.

More photos on Facebook at Brokaw Photography…

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06 Nov 2017

TYPEWRITER MAN

Robert DeBarth has been repairing and rebuilding typewriters for over 70 years. Now you might think that business would be slow, but Robert has plenty of work. His skills are actually in high demand. People still love typewriters.

If you’ve ever tried to fix one you know that they are like watches with hundreds of integrated parts. It takes a specialist and there are not too many typewriter factory repair centers anymore (probably none), so Robert is at a premium.

I did a Google virtual tour of Robert’s shop, in Lansdale, Pa and couldn’t resist asking if I could do a few portraits. Robert was fun to photograph and a pleasure to talk to. He has done this work his whole adult life and at 90, he has no plans to quit anytime soon.

In his words, “It’s what I do.”

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Tag : commercial photography