VIDEO SKILLS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

READ ON TO DISCOVER WHY, EVEN AS A STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER, LEARNING VIDEO SKILLS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR YOUR CAREER

in the ever-competitive world of professional photography, you need plenty of skills in your arsenal to stay employable. As well as taking great images, a selfemployed pro often needs to know how to retouch images, market themselves, build a website and work social media… and video is being added to the list too.

now that mirrorless cameras and DSLRs are capable of shooting video quality that was once confined to bulky specialist cameras, many photographers are also training themselves in the art of video to offer their clients an extra level of service, and create engaging material for self-promotion. if weddings are your thing, for example, couples might want a short film alongside their album-worthy stills.

But what video skills do you need to be a competent videographer? And how do you make sure your cinematography stands out from the crowd? in this feature we’ll run through the best kit for the job, the technical considerations, the best ways to plan for a shoot and how to edit footage for the final masterpiece.

Making the change to video isn’t nearly as scary or difficult as you’d think; you’re likely to be using your usual camera, albeit with a few unfamiliar functions. What works for stills doesn’t always work for moving image, so you’ll learn to retrain your creative eye in new ways. Many of the skills are transferable between the two mediums. Read on, glean some advice from the pros, expand your repertoire and improve your career.