I recently had someone ask me a photography question. When I responded with an answer about still photography, I was met with something very much like “Wait… I though your background was in television. Don’t you do video?” The answer: yes, and yes, and also I can and do take photos.
For reasons unknown, it seems to me that lots of people that shoot video are adept at capturing still images. It has been my experience that the same cannot be stated in reverse. Perhaps those of us with a television or video background are more versed in the technical side of things. Perhaps it’s because still photographers identify more like artists than those of us making news stories or reels. Whatever the case, there seems to be a knowledge gap between what still photographers and those involved in video production understand.
While there are some remarkable similarities between video and stills, there are marked differences as well. How is it alike? I use the exact same camera to do both. Some of the settings are similar as well- unless they’re not (you set one shutter speed and don’t change it.) And aybody with even a minimal amount of photography training knows the rule of thirds. That composition technique translates one to one from photos to video… unless it doesn’t (vertical video uses different composition.) Beyond a handful things the differences are not like apples and oranges- to quote an old idiom. It’s more like the difference between apple tarts and Orange County, CA.
Still photographers strive to freeze a single moment in time. Videographers have the advantage of shooting at least 24 frames per second, which is cool, and different, and in no way any kind of actual advantage. In truth, it’s more work, but in my opinion totally worth the effort. It’s different. Different is not better, nor is it worse it’s just different. There is an extreme amount of creativity that exists in both imaging formats. Both, done well, can be moving, memorable and beautiful.
I have had a handful of photographers ask me if I had ever considered teaching wedding or senior photographers to shoot and edit video. I think that is one of the best ideas I have ever heard! I am working on a course. I have all of the “beginners” curriculum that I teach in college. It’s ok if I use said curriculum, I developed it.
What I have not figured out yet is how exactly I would like to present a course. If this is something you’re interested in, please drop a comment and share some information with me. Would you rather have a live Zoom (or similar platform) training? How about a video (or series) that explains each different aspect? How important are infographic or “cheat” sheets to you? Please share your opinions and interest level in this kind of training.
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