There has been a steady
growth in the number of clients booking commissions that are a combination of
still and video photography, for instance to record events such as royal
visits, award presentations, sports and community activities, and even for website video blogs and ‘how to’ videos. As the price of technology
has come down, lots of people are comfortable with doing videos, even if it’s
only on their phones. But just because you have the technology, it doesn’t
follow that it will make you a professional.
Adding video to my
commercial and PR photography portfolio is the next logical step and will open
up new markets for my work, and widen the range of services I provide to local
authorities and private clients.
Moving images add another dimension – they are so powerful, and can
often tell a more detailed story than stills. Instead of a still shot of a
company’s Managing Director on its About Us web page, imagine how much more
impact a video of him or her talking about the company’s ethos and values would
have.
I’m not a looking to break
into news video journalism, although my years as a press photographer working on papers including the Middlesbrough Gazette and the Lancaster Evening Post gave me an
insight into the world of newsrooms and picture desks that all comes in handy when
I’m working on North East press and PR photoshoots.
I’m doing some intensive training
with an experienced ex-BBC video journalist, as part of a small group that
includes a Harrogate-based photographer and an ex-picture editor of the
Yorkshire Post. One of the most important topics we are covering is planning
the storyboard – it’s a vital piece of the jigsaw and one of the many elements
to be considered before I even pick up my video camera, which is the same model
that the BBC news teams use.
Editing is another specialist skill, and a
fascinating part of the process. I’m learning so much, and I’ve even found
myself analysing TV and film footage with a much more critical eye, which will
help me when I am creating professionally-produced short, focused video reports
for use on online news, corporate and community websites.
Just like stills
photography, video is certainly not just a case of shoot and go. I spend hours
in my Stockton studio, editing hundreds of images from each shoot to make sure
they are pin-sharp, and colour references are all perfect. Add to that some
time-consuming editing plus adding and synchronising sound, and it’s easy to
understand why video editing is such a long and detailed process.
It’s a big commitment and
will mean juggling the training with my work as a North East press, PR and commercial photographer but I see it as yet another string to my bow. Styles
and trends evolve, new camera equipment is released and new markets open up,
and I never want to stop learning. I’m dedicated to delivering a quality
service and maintaining the same attention to detail on both stills and video,
and using my skills and experience to create the images that keep my clients
returning again and again.
Youtube Link: http://youtu.be/3bMqGw1jYEM
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