Hello!

I just put together this video with a photographer I frequently work with: Lemon Twist Images (Promo) on Vimeo

It was a little more "Run and gun" style shooting.


I would love some feedback on the video.(I hope to do more of these for other photographers and only want to get better.)



This was all shot on the Sony a99



Regards,

Hi Travis,

The good -- it's a good advertisement for your own shooting skills. Some nice candid moments. Liked the colouring. And liked the way that, overall, it conveyed a mood rather than just displayed images. Does make me want to rewatch the video.

The bad -- to be honest, don't know if it'd do that much for the photographer. I guess it depends on what it's supposed to do. Didn't really demonstrate to me why I'd hire this photographer rather than any other.

Not sure how you'd product-differentiate the photographer. Maybe with showing process + result. Ie, include a few of his/her photos.

That's just my opinion, and I'm sure other people's opinions will differ. Thanks for posting!

Very nicely done, as far as highlighting the videographer's candid approach to a fun family outing with the photog which we never got to see any of her artistic talent save for a brief snapshot on her camera's lcd screen. I think it would have been beneficial for the photog to include the actual snapped photos, inserted, just after the video clips of her snapping away. Anyway, that's my humble opinion.

Great video Travis, but in my opinion it shows how a video is able to catch personality and detail in a way that a photograph can't. If I was thinking about photography and hadn't considered video, a photographer presenting me with your video may well make me think that I need a video instead :-)

Roger

I think it's well shot, with nice golden-hour lighting and good energy...but it doesn't work for me as a photo promo. If I was the photographer, I'd expect to hear some sound bytes about my approach, style, skill, philosophy...etc. Otherwise, it's more of a promo for your shooting.
Secondly, the editing doesn't really match the mood of the music. The song kicks into gear around :36 seconds and we get a rack focus to a pumpkin instead of some of the best high-energy moments that you had earlier on. Get the pacing right and it will really shine. Consider getting a v/o from the photographer to make it into a true promo reel. If you can get some of the stills from those shoots and incorporate them, even better.

I replied on Linkedin, but will here as well.

I like the video, but what I think you should do is add an interview aspect with a few clips discussing her business and what she can do so we know more about her other than she can take photos of people. I don't think having photos in the video is necessary as it will be on her website.

No where near enough closeups, IMO. As a result the video lacks emotional punch. Nice images as far as they go, but it's lacking the depth that more faces/closeups would give it.

And absolutely agree with comment that you should include photographs throughout, but that's a whole other issue. Is the video nice? Yes, it really is. Would it cause me to hire the photographer or does it get me excited? Not really.

Nice. I like the feel and the look of it. Lots of different shots. The duration and pace were just right; I didn't lose interest.

Only two things I picked on: Too many sun flare shots for my taste - one or two here and there OK but there were so many that I was thinking a lens shade or a flag would be handy. :)

The other thing was with the editing - quite a few shots were cut a tad too soon for my liking. The duration of the shots was fine but things like tilting or panning to reveal your subject only to cut before the move stops or the subject is framed/focussed or whatever. Examples: 0:32 pull focus to girl. Cut before shot gets sharp. 0:46 Tilt up to posed couple. Cut before the tilt stops so we don't get a decent look at the couple. OK maybe the tilt keeps going - trim the shot 10 frames later so we see less at the beginning of the shot and a bit more of the couple.

These are only minor niggles and being a run & gun scenario maybe you didn't nail the focus or the tilt so good job with what you had. I know how fast you have to work in these situations so I'm impressed with the variety of shots you managed to get. It suggests the shoot was fun rather than the ordeal they can sometimes be for the couple.

Thanks for all the feedback!!!!