Working with small businesses doesn’t always come with the biggest budgets, the flashiest offices, or a logo you instantly recognise. But honestly? It’s often far more rewarding than working with huge multinationals — in ways you don’t really appreciate until you’ve done both. On paper, the big brands look like the dream. Big names, big reach, big case studies. In reality, building an online media presence for a multinational can feel a bit like shouting creative ideas into a very polite, very slow-moving void. You actually get to talk to the decision-maker One of the biggest joys of working with small businesses is that you’re usually dealing directly with the owner or founder. The person you’re speaking to is the person who cares the most. They’re emotionally invested, deeply knowledgeable, and genuinely excited about what they’re building. There’s no six-layer approval process. No waiting three weeks for feedback that’s been watered down by committee. When you suggest something, you

Creating video content in 9:16 mode – that tall, vertical format we all know from Instagram Reels, TikTok and Stories – has completely changed the way we shoot and think about video. For anyone who’s spent years framing beautiful widescreen shots, turning the camera on its side can feel… a bit wrong at first. But like it or not, vertical video is where a huge chunk of attention now lives. One of the biggest challenges is composition. You’ve suddenly got far less room to play with, which means you have to be much more intentional about what goes in the frame. Wide establishing shots don’t always translate well, and anything happening off to the sides is instantly lost. You’re forced to think closer, simpler, and more human – faces, hands, movement, and emotion suddenly matter even more than they did before. There’s also the practical side. Shooting in 9:16 often means planning ahead: leaving extra headroom, keeping subjects centred, and sometimes even filming specifically for vertical r

In the media industry, talent and ambition matter — but being a genuinely nice, friendly person goes a lot further than people sometimes realise. Sets, shoots, and events can be fast-paced, stressful environments, and the people who stand out in the long run are often the ones who bring calm, respect, and good manners with them. You absolutely need to be driven and confident to succeed, but that doesn’t mean being difficult or pushing others aside. Saying please and thank you, listening to different viewpoints, and treating everyone equally — from runners to clients — creates a better working atmosphere for everyone. When people feel respected, collaboration becomes easier and the work improves as a result. Reputations travel fast in the media world. People remember how you made them feel just as much as the quality of your work. Being professional, kind, and approachable doesn’t weaken your position — it strengthens it. You can be successful, assertive, and ambitious while still being

When people think about what makes a video look “professional,” they usually jump straight to cameras and lenses. But in reality, the biggest difference between amateur and professional video isn’t the kit — it’s the lighting. Good lighting shapes a scene. It adds depth, mood and clarity, and it helps the viewer focus on what actually matters. You can shoot on the most expensive camera in the world, but if the lighting is flat, harsh or poorly placed, the footage will still feel amateur. On the flip side, even a modest camera can produce beautiful, cinematic results when the lighting is handled well. Professional videographers spend far more time thinking about where light comes from, how it falls on faces, and how it changes the feel of a moment. It’s about softening shadows, using natural light creatively, and knowing when to add or remove light to enhance a scene. That attention to light is what quietly elevates a video — and it’s the difference you can feel, even if you can’t quite

Discover how to enhance your photography skills through the art of storytelling. Learn techniques, gain inspiration, and find tips to effectively convey narratives with your images.