Many times in our still photography profession we encounter instances where during an event, such as a wedding, we are competing for time and attention with guests, amateur photographers and the videographer. I have been fortunate enough to have worked alongside some great videographers both professional and amateur who work with me so that we can make both of our jobs easier.
Video and still photography are worlds apart in the sense of setup, lighting, and position. I had a comment on a previous post about a still photographer who had a very hard time with a videographer especially during the cake cutting ceremony. The videographers light created unwanted effects on the still photographer’s photos and videographer basically ran away with the positioning.
Here are some suggestions I have to try and make your joint work effort easier.
- Talk to the videographer before the event starts. Get a game plan. Make sure you both are on the same page and see how you can work around each other. The last thing you want is him getting in the way of your photos and the last thing he wants is you right in the middle of his video.
- Take turns. When I am doing the formals I always make sure that they are getting what they need to and they reciprocate. Usually if you extend the olive branch they are more than willing to work with you. Get your positioning, take your shot and then make sure they have time to get what they need before moving on.
- Ask for what you need. If they are doing something that is impeding your performance then simply talk to them about it. If their light is too bright, explain the situation and perhaps take turns or dare I say, recreate the moment again with the couple so that you get a beautiful shot. It’s going to take some fancy footwork on your part but being a wedding photographer means being versatile. We cant control very much in our environment and we have very little time to control what we can. Work with what you can and create what you cant. Read More→
My name is Robert Hillis and I operate Memories of Your Lifetime Photography. I specialize in wedding and portrait photography in San Antonio, TX. I am an artist at heart and I love to “Paint with my Lens”! I’ve been shooting professionally for about 5 years but I’ve been doing it for fun forever! I truly love what I do and I think that shows through in my photos.
I like to tell my clients that because a wedding is truly a once in a lifetime event, what I offer them will stand the tests of time. Of all of the things that you buy for your wedding, what I offer will outlast them all. The food gets eaten, the cake goes away, the tuxedo is returned and the limo is a distant memory. The dress may stay in the closet out of view for years to come but my images, my photos, will outlast you, your kids, their kids and even their kids kids. I’m not just taking photos, I’m preserving your family history. I am capturing the Memories Of Your Lifetime!
Jan 17, 2011 – PRESS SUMMARY – Sekonic announced the availability of the new L-308DC DigiCineMate – a simple and easy-to-use compact light meter that is ideal for today’s DSLR videographers and digital cinematographers as well as still photographers. It features a full range of shutter speeds plus a special grouping of cine speeds and shutter angles and indicates exposure in f-stops to one-tenth step. The unit’s LCD readout can be customized to display only specific functions needed for the task at hand for fast, easy operation.
