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.

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

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 :)

Good point Steve,

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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?)

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.

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

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

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.

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.