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John DeMato Blog

Welcome to the Deliver Magic blog, where experts who speak, coach, train, consult, and write books will find actionable insights to elevate their personal brands through visual storytelling. From strategy tips and branding photography to live event coverage and storytelling techniques, discover step-by-step guides designed to help you align what you say with how you show up in photos. Get ready to unlock the magic behind creating a cohesive visual identity that drives engagement, builds credibility, and inspires your audience. #DeliverMagic

The work before your foot hits the stage

 

Recently, I had the chance to photograph a speaker while running through his keynote hours before he hit the stage.

While he performed to an audience of equipment travel cases in the backstage hallway, I candidly captured his moments of preparation because I didn’t want to disturb his process.

The benefit to the incognito mode approach to this was that I’d capture the realness of those moments, when he was locked into going through his story chunks, fine-tuning the transitions before delivering to the crowd.

These candid photos offered a glimpse of the work before the work - those moments when the magic is being crafted when no one is looking.

These photos tell a compelling and genuine story of dedication and professionalism that add a new dimension to your visual portfolio.

They can be leveraged for future, pre-event marketing campaigns, helping to build excitement for your upcoming appearance.

They’re also ideal for behind-the-scenes content, giving your audience a peek into your process, and showcasing how the sausage is made.

And let’s not forget their use in more polished materials, like event booklets or your website’s about section, where they reinforce your credibility as someone who takes their work seriously.

By sharing moments that showcase how you prepare to solve your client’s problems, you're giving your audience more than just the polished performance.

You're giving them insight into your journey, dedication and passion for what you do.

These candid shots are valuable visual assets that strengthen your visual storytelling efforts and show your audience a side of you that they wouldn’t normally see.

If you want to truly show who you are as an expert, make sure your photographer captures these moments—it’s a worthwhile investment.

Ready to capture not just your keynote, but the moments that build up to it? Let’s talk about how we can include these powerful behind-the-scenes shots in your next shoot.