The Videographer.

Don Miller · December 21st, 2008, 10:41 AM

My formula for adding still photography:

1) Get yourself trained in wedding photography.
2) Don't spend a lot on additional equipment. Most of the very best, and I mean very best, wedding photogs dont use what you think of as "pro" cameras.
3) Find out who the wedding photography assistants are in your area. Some of the young ones are as good as the guy they work for. Given a choice, for wedding, I would rather hire a woman than a guy.
4) Use this person to shoot weddings with you and under your direction as an employee. Pay them more than an assistant and less than a photog. Do this with an ideal (looking) client that is having their wedding at a beautiful location. This is the basis for your new show reel.

P.S. Average looking people don't want to see a show reel or stills of people who look like them.

Dave Blackhurst · December 21st, 2008, 03:23 PM

Good points Don!

Part of the problem for video is that we can't just "flash" as needed to get light to commercially acceptable levels... low light gripes aside, a video camera can't do what a good photog with a proper flash rig can - "glamour" light the subject for best effect.

After CC, learning lighting should be a high priority item, if it isn't at the top of the list.

A properly lit subject (even a "below average" one) can look "mah-velous", and bad lighting can make a supermodel look like something the cat dragged in.

The true "art" of the craft is taking footage/stills of "average" (meaning just about everyone sometimes) people, and making them look like Pitt and Jolie, not Nick Nolte post DUI...

Some people's "good side" is a bit more challenging to find than others, but if you learn posing, lighting, camera angle, framing, soft focus when needed <I'm the REALLY fuzzy spot meself...>, and the other tricks o' the trade, that's what makes for the "money shot".

It's not "the camera", or even the subject... it's the artist behind it that makes or breaks the shot. Yeah, there are people the camera "loves", that makes things easier, but that's the exception...

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December 21st, 2008, 10:41 AM	#61
Don Miller Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 706	My formula for adding still photography: 1) Get yourself trained in wedding photography. 2) Don't spend a lot on additional equipment. Most of the very best, and I mean very best, wedding photogs dont use what you think of as "pro" cameras. 3) Find out who the wedding photography assistants are in your area. Some of the young ones are as good as the guy they work for. Given a choice, for wedding, I would rather hire a woman than a guy. 4) Use this person to shoot weddings with you and under your direction as an employee. Pay them more than an assistant and less than a photog. Do this with an ideal (looking) client that is having their wedding at a beautiful location. This is the basis for your new show reel. P.S. Average looking people don't want to see a show reel or stills of people who look like them.

December 21st, 2008, 03:23 PM	#62
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Good points Don! Part of the problem for video is that we can't just "flash" as needed to get light to commercially acceptable levels... low light gripes aside, a video camera can't do what a good photog with a proper flash rig can - "glamour" light the subject for best effect. After CC, learning lighting should be a high priority item, if it isn't at the top of the list. A properly lit subject (even a "below average" one) can look "mah-velous", and bad lighting can make a supermodel look like something the cat dragged in. The true "art" of the craft is taking footage/stills of "average" (meaning just about everyone sometimes) people, and making them look like Pitt and Jolie, not Nick Nolte post DUI... Some people's "good side" is a bit more challenging to find than others, but if you learn posing, lighting, camera angle, framing, soft focus when needed <I'm the REALLY fuzzy spot meself...>, and the other tricks o' the trade, that's what makes for the "money shot". It's not "the camera", or even the subject... it's the artist behind it that makes or breaks the shot. Yeah, there are people the camera "loves", that makes things easier, but that's the exception...