PHILADELPHIA, PA-128 on-site shoots. More than 5,800 edited images. A team of 27 photographers, videographers, producers, editors, and support staff. And that’s for just one client.
Those numbers only scratch the surface, but they show the scale at which our team operates. Behind every assignment is careful planning, close collaboration, creative problem-solving, and a shared commitment to capturing the moments that matter most to our clients. Summer in Philadelphia has been nothing short of incredible. In partnership with the Office of the City Representative and Special Events, our team has had the opportunity to document some of some of the city’s biggest events, including the FIFA Fan Festival™ and Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Week, while continuing to work with an extraordinary range of clients and community partners across the region.
Those clients and partners have included the Museum of the American Revolution , Citizen Media Group, Philadelphia magazine, Laurel Hill Cemetery, Comcast, Rebuild PHL , Westminster Theological Seminary , the Philadelphia Water Department, Danella Companies, Drexel University, Practising Law Institute (PLI). Project HOME, and many others.
At Veracity Studios, we pride ourselves on capturing authentic moments that tell meaningful stories and leave a lasting impression. Behind every image and highlight reel is a talented team of creatives who bring those stories to life.
To wrap up July, we’re looking behind the lens and spotlighting a few of the people who make it all happen—and some of their favorite moments from the summer so far.
Andy
Andy has been keeping busy with a variety of shoots over the past few months. He kicked off the summer filming a recent series of video campaign with Philadelphia Magazine,and Citizen Media Group, encouraging Philadelphians to fall in love with the city again and turn that love into action.
Next, it was on to the Starfinder Foundation , where young playmakers received the unforgettable opportunity to walk onto the field alongside World Cup players through the Quaker Player Escort Program, in partnership with Common Goal. Andy first worked with Starfinder years ago, filming the organization’s introductory video, so it was especially rewarding to return and see its work—and his connection to it—continue. This time, he documented the young players boarding the bus on their way to the match, capturing their excitement before the experience even began.
Andy’s summer continued with a packed schedule of assignments across Philadelphia. He filmed standout performances at The Roots Picnic, including Kehlani’s set at Belmont Plateau, as well as the Philly Pops concert featuring Idina Menzel and the One Philly United concert and fireworks celebration on the Fourth of July.
From there, Andy’s assignments took him to the FIFA Fan Festival events, where he documented thousands of supporters gathering across Philadelphia to celebrate the world’s most popular sport. Although he had not followed soccer closely before, experiencing the atmosphere firsthand gave him an entirely new appreciation for the game.
For Andy, the most memorable part was experiencing it all for the first time while documenting the joy, pride, and excitement of fans from around the world. It was a summer filled with unforgettable assignments, new perspectives, and plenty of reminders of why Philadelphia is such an exciting city to document.
Naomi
Naomi kicked off the summer working with one of our newer clients, an experiential agency responsible for bringing a major fan festival experience to life. The partnership was a natural fit for Veracity Studios, giving our team a behind-the-scenes look at the planning, coordination, and creativity that goes into producing large-scale experiences for fans and visitors alike. Watching the first crowds walk through the gates and experience everything for the first time was one of the highlights of her summer.
“It made me feel like I was part of creating the experience. By the end, I felt like a Fan Festival expert.”
Naomi also provided video event coverage for one of our longtime clients, The Philadelphia Citizen, capturing their conversation with author, journalist, and technology commentator Cory Doctorow as he celebrated the release of his latest book, The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI. Best known for his work exploring technology, digital rights, and the future of society, Doctorow led an engaging discussion with guests about the opportunities and challenges surrounding AI. Events like these are a wonderful reminder of why we love what we do—giving us a front-row seat to conversations that can help shape a more thoughtful and responsible future, both in Philadelphia and far beyond it.
Another standout experience was covering the inaugural Africatown Diaspora Festival, a new celebration presented by the African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc. (ACANA), the Africatown Economic Development Corporation, the Philadelphia Juneteenth Family, and PHL250. Held in Southwest Philadelphia’s Africatown, the festival celebrated the rich cultures and traditions of the global African diaspora through music, dance, food, art, and community programming.
Not knowing exactly what to expect, Naomi was pleasantly surprised by the welcoming atmosphere and genuine energy throughout the event. Unlike many assignments where media often stays behind the scenes, attendees eagerly interacted with the camera, making it feel like a true celebration of community, culture, and connection.
A moment that stayed with her was meeting a group of kids playing with bubbles in the street. After asking if she could capture some video, they excitedly counted down together before filling the air with bubbles. It was a simple, joyful interaction that perfectly reflected the warmth, authenticity, and sense of celebration that made the day so memorable.
Beyond filming in the field, Naomi has continued to support the team behind the scenes as the summer schedule has grown busier. She has helped prepare production gear, assisted with photography culling, and taken on additional equipment management responsibilities while Jonah S. has been out of the office.
“It’s been a lot, but I’ve really enjoyed learning new skills while getting to be part of all the exciting events happening around the city.”
Tracie
Tracie’s summer began at the FIFA Fan Festival, where she captured the energy, excitement, and community surrounding one of Philadelphia’s biggest events of the year.
From passionate fans arriving in team colors to families, friends, and visitors from around the world coming together to celebrate, Tracie documented the moments that made the Fan Festival more than just a place to watch the matches, it became a shared experience for the entire city.
“The environment was unreal, but what inspired me most was seeing the unity between rival fans.”
Rather than focusing only on the competitive nature of sports, Tracie was struck by the way opposing supporters interacted with one another. She photographed fans hugging, dancing, cheering, and celebrating together, regardless of which teams they supported.
“It’s been so much fun participating in the World Cup atmosphere, even without physically being at the games. Capturing the Fan Festival makes me feel like I’m part of the tournament in a unique way that only passionate fans can provide.”
The FIFA Fan Festival was just the beginning of a summer filled with opportunities to document Philadelphia’s biggest celebrations and cultural moments. Tracie photographed the Philadelphia Pops concert featuring Idina Menzel, Odunde Festival, the Juneteenth Block Party, the America 250th Drone Show at Independence Mall, and the Celebration of Freedom on the Fourth of July.
Justin
Justin photographed six FIFA Fan Festival events throughout the summer, documenting everything from the opening ribbon-cutting ceremony ahead of the Mexico vs. South Africa match to fan celebrations during USA vs. Australia, Curaçao vs. Côte d’Ivoire, and USA vs. Belgium. His coverage also extended to the FIFA Fan Festival Concert Series, where he photographed performances by the All-American Rejects and Leon Thomas, capturing the energy both on stage and throughout the crowd.
One of his favorite assignments was the first U.S. match shown at the festival. The turnout was significant, but the individual emotions within the crowd made the strongest impression.
One of Justin’s favorite photographs shows a U.S. supporter overcome with emotion during the national anthem. For Justin, the image represents more than a fan watching a match. It reflects the pride, anticipation, and unity shared by the people gathered around him.
Emily
Emily is one of our newer photographers, but she’s already had the opportunity to jump into several memorable assignments this summer. One of her first was covering the Curaçao Fan March, where supporters of the Blue Wave filled the streets with energy and celebration ahead of the match. It was a lively introduction to Philadelphia’s World Cup atmosphere and an opportunity to document a vibrant cultural celebration from behind the camera.
For Emily, the experience was both welcoming and eye-opening.
“I hadn’t heard much about Curaçao before this event, so I went into the day excited to learn about a new culture.”
The fan march was filled with dancing, singing, and vibrant carnival-style attire, creating a vibrant display of culture and community pride.
“It was such a welcoming experience, and being surrounded by so much joy and celebration made it a wonderful event to be part of.
Stacey
Stacey photographed a wide range of events this summer, from Laurel Hill’s Rest in Pose yoga event and the Odunde Festival to the Croatia Fan March and more. One of the biggest highlights, however, was The Roots Picnic.
Photographing the festival had been on Stacey’s summer bingo card, so when the opportunity came up, the assignment felt especially meaningful. Known for bringing together some of the biggest names in music while celebrating Philadelphia’s culture and community. The Roots Picnic gave Stacey the chance to experience the festival from a perspective she had been determined to reach: behind the camera.
My favorite event I shot this summer was Roots Picnic. It came as a complete surprise because I didn’t think I was going to be covering the festival,” Stacey said.
On the festival’s first day, she found herself less than 10 feet away from Jay-Z while he was performing—an incredible opportunity that allowed her to capture rare, once-in-a-lifetime images.
“It was an incredible experience and gave me the opportunity to capture once-in-a-lifetime photos of him with his signature fro—which makes those images even more special now that he’s since cut his hair,” she said.
Looking Ahead
Summer is far from over, and neither is our schedule. Every event presents a new opportunity to tell stories, meet incredible people, and document moments that matter.
We’re incredibly proud of the photographers, videographers, editors, producers, and support staff behind these projects. We’re also grateful to the clients and partner organizations that trust us to document their work and events.
Stay tuned for Part II of this edition of Behind the Lens, where we’ll introduce more of the creatives who bring Veracity Studios’ work to life throughout Philadelphia and beyond.
Whether you’re planning a corporate event, conference, commercial production, festival, or community celebration, Veracity Studios provides scalable photography and video production tailored to the needs of each project.
To discuss your next event or production, contact us at hello@veracitystudios.com.
