Making friends with photographers at DVinfo.net

Ken Diewert · January 29th, 2010, 01:42 PM

I worked with a photog last summer and while we got along anyways I told her I'd put together a clip of her working for her own promo. It took me awhile to get to it but I just thought I'd share. She hasn't seen it yet. I bumped into her at a Bridal show and she said she'd already been recommending me to some brides. So it kind of motivated me a little to finish it.

The idea is to use this as a tool for referrals, as well as to establish a good relationship with the photog. I will likely re-cut the piece and include some of her stills included. I think it would also work with other vendors as well.

Stephen J. Williams · January 29th, 2010, 02:24 PM

Ken...

I'm sure she'll be very thankful... I've had the same idea and hopefully will be following through with it this April. It looks great but I would possibly make just a little bit shorter.

Steve

Kyle Root · January 29th, 2010, 02:30 PM

Making friends with photographers, caterers, and wedding directors/planners in your area is one of the easiest ways to get more clients.

Of course, you have to do good work and all that :)

Ken Diewert · January 29th, 2010, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen J. Williams

Ken...

I'm sure she'll be very thankful... I've had the same idea and hopefully will be following through with it this April. It looks great but I would possibly make just a little bit shorter.

Steve

Good point Steve,

I think I'll shorten it up. It does tend to drag out a little.

William Smyth · January 29th, 2010, 03:31 PM

Ken, nice idea and nicely executed. I'm sure she'll be thrilled. It might be nice to get some of the stills from the setups you shot and cut them in.

Lukas Siewior · January 29th, 2010, 03:53 PM

Great idea but I agree with other - cut it down a little leaving mostly photog's scenes. It should be more about her then the B&G.

Ken Diewert · January 29th, 2010, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Smyth

Ken, nice idea and nicely executed. I'm sure she'll be thrilled. It might be nice to get some of the stills from the setups you shot and cut them in.

William,

Agreed, I just sent her a note asking for some stills to add. It was kind of an impromptu idea I had that day, so I'm kind of evolving it. The idea is to kind of get vendors on-side a little and it's not really a big deal to throw some clips together that I had sitting around anyways. I was thinking of using the idea for wedding venues as well. Rather than dropping off a DVD and hoping they'll push it. They're more likely to promote me if I've put together something that they're using to promote themselves.

Martin Mayer · January 29th, 2010, 06:05 PM

We did one of these - the photographer gave us the stills he took (when we were filming him taking the stills...) and we made it short and snappy. It's on the front page of our website.

He paid us for it, as he wanted to put it on his website too.

Vito DeFilippo · January 29th, 2010, 10:08 PM

Hey Ken,

Nice shooting. I agree with the others to shorten it. Especially to get rid of awkward moments like :19 when the groom's not sure where to put his hand, or at :34 the overweight assistant backing up, at 1:22 the bride trying to clean her teeth or whatever.

I found it looked strange that your opening title extended over the dissolve and covered our first look at the trio.

1:44 the dissolve into the same shot is unnecessary.

I think your idea of including her stills is spot on. You need that.

Too bad your photog is such a good gum chewer...

Michael Dontigney · January 29th, 2010, 10:38 PM

Was I the only one that thought it odd that the photog was wearing shorts? I mean.. unless this was not on the wedding day, but even then... Not very professional IMHO.

(note: the 'ole lady is telling me "They look classy... nice... She looks nice." ..... So maybe it's just me?)

Ken Diewert · January 29th, 2010, 11:31 PM

Thanks Vitto, I kind of rushed the piece late last night. I'm going to spend a little more time with it.

Mike, it's the West Coast... there is no dress code. I think she goes barefoot for awhile too. It was a smoking hot day (for us) around 100f (35c), though even I thought they were a little casual when I first met them.

John Knight · February 8th, 2010, 03:40 AM

I cobbled together this piece for a local photographer and he loved it!

Kelly Langerak · February 8th, 2010, 02:25 PM

I like Johns idea of using the voice from the photographer. Much more powerful and telling. I would hire him!

Oliver Neubert · February 8th, 2010, 04:10 PM

If it is about the photographer, we to see her and her work rather than the people she shoots. Her subjects are almost irrelevant. What we really need to see is the shots she takes. Show her working and then the result of that. Let us know what she thinks and feels about her work. I want to know about her approach to photography - what it means to her. She doesn't need to speak, let the pictures of her do the talking, show her in her post production work, selecting the best shots with care. Photography is an intimate job. The photographers subjects show vulnerability and need to be treated carefully, the photographer needs to be respectful and sensitive. If you can get that message across, then potential clients will feel that they can trust her. Trust is important. They spend a significant amount of money for something that only happens once.

And yes - make it much shorter. No need to repeat the same thing. Nobody is interested in multiple shots of her arranging a group of people... better show different parts of her job. If you must have someone talking - get one of the clients to say what they think, but keep that short also.

Tom Sessions · February 9th, 2010, 03:02 AM

Oliver, That is an excellent suggestion on a promo piece for a photog. You are right, the subjects in the shoot are irrelevant. It's not about them...showcase the photog in every aspect of their job.

January 29th, 2010, 01:42 PM	#1
Ken Diewert Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 1,200	Making friends with photographers I worked with a photog last summer and while we got along anyways I told her I'd put together a clip of her working for her own promo. It took me awhile to get to it but I just thought I'd share. She hasn't seen it yet. I bumped into her at a Bridal show and she said she'd already been recommending me to some brides. So it kind of motivated me a little to finish it. The idea is to use this as a tool for referrals, as well as to establish a good relationship with the photog. I will likely re-cut the piece and include some of her stills included. I think it would also work with other vendors as well. Katie Muller Photography - Behind the Scenes on Vimeo __________________ C100, 5DMk2, FCPX

January 29th, 2010, 02:30 PM	#3
Kyle Root Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Decatur, AL Posts: 881	Making friends with photographers, caterers, and wedding directors/planners in your area is one of the easiest ways to get more clients. Of course, you have to do good work and all that :) __________________ Kyle KR Productions; www.kyleroot.com

January 29th, 2010, 03:31 PM	#5
William Smyth Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 153	Ken, nice idea and nicely executed. I'm sure she'll be thrilled. It might be nice to get some of the stills from the setups you shot and cut them in. __________________ www.williamsmythvisuals.com

January 29th, 2010, 06:05 PM	#8
Martin Mayer Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 416	We did one of these - the photographer gave us the stills he took (when we were filming him taking the stills...) and we made it short and snappy. It's on the front page of our website. He paid us for it, as he wanted to put it on his website too. __________________ Martin at HeadSpin HD on Blu-ray

January 29th, 2010, 10:08 PM	#9
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	Hey Ken, Nice shooting. I agree with the others to shorten it. Especially to get rid of awkward moments like :19 when the groom's not sure where to put his hand, or at :34 the overweight assistant backing up, at 1:22 the bride trying to clean her teeth or whatever. I found it looked strange that your opening title extended over the dissolve and covered our first look at the trio. 1:44 the dissolve into the same shot is unnecessary. I think your idea of including her stills is spot on. You need that. Too bad your photog is such a good gum chewer... __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

January 29th, 2010, 02:24 PM	#2
Stephen J. Williams Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 768	Ken... I'm sure she'll be very thankful... I've had the same idea and hopefully will be following through with it this April. It looks great but I would possibly make just a little bit shorter. Steve

January 29th, 2010, 03:53 PM	#6
Lukas Siewior Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lyndhurst, NJ, USA Posts: 408	Great idea but I agree with other - cut it down a little leaving mostly photog's scenes. It should be more about her then the B&G.

January 29th, 2010, 10:38 PM	#10
Michael Dontigney Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Atlanta, Ga. Posts: 103	Was I the only one that thought it odd that the photog was wearing shorts? I mean.. unless this was not on the wedding day, but even then... Not very professional IMHO. (note: the 'ole lady is telling me "They look classy... nice... She looks nice." ..... So maybe it's just me?)

January 29th, 2010, 11:31 PM	#11
Ken Diewert Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 1,200	Thanks Vitto, I kind of rushed the piece late last night. I'm going to spend a little more time with it. Mike, it's the West Coast... there is no dress code. I think she goes barefoot for awhile too. It was a smoking hot day (for us) around 100f (35c), though even I thought they were a little casual when I first met them. __________________ C100, 5DMk2, FCPX

February 8th, 2010, 03:40 AM	#12
John Knight Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 588	I cobbled together this piece for a local photographer and he loved it! Photoshots - On location on Vimeo

February 8th, 2010, 02:25 PM	#13
Kelly Langerak Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bay Area Posts: 522	I like Johns idea of using the voice from the photographer. Much more powerful and telling. I would hire him!

February 8th, 2010, 04:10 PM	#14
Oliver Neubert Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zurich, Switzerland Posts: 101	If it is about the photographer, we to see her and her work rather than the people she shoots. Her subjects are almost irrelevant. What we really need to see is the shots she takes. Show her working and then the result of that. Let us know what she thinks and feels about her work. I want to know about her approach to photography - what it means to her. She doesn't need to speak, let the pictures of her do the talking, show her in her post production work, selecting the best shots with care. Photography is an intimate job. The photographers subjects show vulnerability and need to be treated carefully, the photographer needs to be respectful and sensitive. If you can get that message across, then potential clients will feel that they can trust her. Trust is important. They spend a significant amount of money for something that only happens once. And yes - make it much shorter. No need to repeat the same thing. Nobody is interested in multiple shots of her arranging a group of people... better show different parts of her job. If you must have someone talking - get one of the clients to say what they think, but keep that short also.

February 9th, 2010, 03:02 AM	#15
Tom Sessions Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 154	Oliver, That is an excellent suggestion on a promo piece for a photog. You are right, the subjects in the shoot are irrelevant. It's not about them...showcase the photog in every aspect of their job.