Chris LeCrone's Elevated Perspective

Today I am going to tell my story on my progression through expressing my passion and building a social media and brand presence in Peoria Illinois...  Peoria is more than just where I live, it’s almost the foundation of my work and creativity. For 18 months, I’ve dedicated myself to capturing this city in a way that can shift perspectives, highlight beauty, and give people a reason to see it differently. From the downtown skyline at sunset to the quiet streets that tell stories of the past, Peoria is filled with character that often goes unnoticed. My goal has always been to bring those details to life through videography and photography, making those in Peoria feel like they fit in with the other big cities that you see all of the time. Beyond just filming, I’ve built a social media presence around Peoria that feeds directly into my business. By showcasing the city in a positive light, I’ve been able to connect with local businesses, event organizers, and brands looking to elevat...

This past week, my team and I wrapped up another project for Ardor Breads & Provisions and Revel & Maker Bar in Peoria. As part of our ongoing retainer with them, we captured high-end photography and cinematic video of their latest event, focusing on the craft behind their food, drinks, and atmosphere. We took a mix of handheld and gimbal shots to highlight the details...bakers kneading dough, bartenders crafting cocktails, and guests enjoying the experience. The wood-fired pizza was our focus for this week. Our feel to go for were the flames both in the oven and on the grill. Speaking of that - The open-flame grill added more drama, casting a warm glow over the kitchen as chefs worked. This paired with Revel’s dark, romantic atmosphere that is filled with moody lighting. The entire space has an intimate, inviting feel that we wanted to capture authentically. In post-production, we focused on enhancing the deep, warm tones of the restaurant, adding subtle motion to give the f...

  Over the last 14 months since I started my company, I’ve worked on some incredible projects, from high energy event videos to cinematic aerial shots of Peoria. But I haven’t had a single place that truly showcases my best work in a way that immediately grabs attention. Over the next few weeks, I’m revamping my website to make it a more powerful tool for attracting clients and showing what I do best. This just means that I am creating a high impact show reel that plays the moment someone lands on my site. A well-edited show reel isn’t just a collection of clips. I believe that it’s a statement. It’s a chance to instantly communicate the quality, energy, and storytelling I bring to every project. I'm thinking 30-45 seconds of dynamic footage, I want potential clients to feel the level of production they can expect when they work with me. PROCESS I’m going through every past project, pulling out the best moments that capture my range - drone cinematography, corporate storytelling, m...

This weekend, (Capital Painting Inc) wanted to showcase their expertise with a set of high-energy social media ads for a new construction hospital project in Darlington, Wisconsin that they have been working on for a few months. To bring their vision to life, I traveled three hours north, equipped with my drone, camera, and extra necessary gear, ready to capture both the interior and exterior of their finished work. The goal was to produce three distinct videos... One focusing on the interior, another on the exterior, and a third that blended both elements. Since they wanted a trendy, fast-paced style, I used a mix of smooth gimbal shots, aerial drone footage, and high-energy transitions to emphasize the precision and professionalism of their work. The interior shots highlighted the clean lines, vibrant finishes, and attention to detail showcasing not only their paint work but the setting of the hospital itself. The exterior footage showcased the scale and quality of their commercial p...

  (Warning, this may be boring.)  This past week, I wrapped up another commercial project. The project was a 15 and 30 second TV commercial for Strong Law Office that aired during the Grammys on CBS and will also play locally during the Super Bowl locally on channels and streaming services. Seeing something I created on television is super cool, but getting there took a ton of planning, execution, and attention to detail. It all started with a phone call from Todd's secretary, as they really liked my style when searching for a video production company. Todd and Becky his secretary were a pleasure to work with, giving me ideas but ultimately giving me full reign over my creative abilities.  Story boarding and scripting took the most time for this project, making sure we captured Todd's presence as a "superhero" attorney. I brought in one of my contractors for lighting and a second hand for filming... From there, we planned a mix of handheld shots for a cinematic, perso...

Welcome to my blog! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Chris LeCrone. I’m a marketing student at Bradley University, and this blog is the result of a little nudge (okay, requirement ) from my Social Media Marketing class.  At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this assignment, but as I’ve thought about it more, the idea of sharing my thoughts and experiences as a creative has grown on me. Let’s face it - sometimes journaling can be therapeutic, and putting my process into words might even help me grow... Before we dive in, let me give you a quick intro to who I am. Just kidding... This blog isn’t about my life story... It’s about my journey as a photographer and videographer within my business, exploring the messy, unpredictable, and exciting process of creating something "meaningful". If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my career so far, it’s this: there’s no single "right" way to do creative work. Whether you're behind the camera, working in...