If you're a professional photographer you need to be seriously looking at the medium of video as a skill that should be in your repertoire. Making the change isn't as hard or scary as you may think.
Chris Brogan over on his blog makes a fascinating case for why we all should be learning how to shoot and edit video. Did you know over one billion hours of YouTube clips are watched every single day? With sales of print publications in constant decline brands are turning to the online mediums where they can reach the most people and as photographers, we need to be in those places too.
If you freelance for clients you will have noticed that most are already using video, in addition to still photography. Still and moving image are becoming so intertwined as a profession that it won't be long before most are expecting you can do both. In such a competitive industry who do you think will be hired more? You guessed it, the ones who can take pictures and record video.
It's not all doom and gloom though as I really do think that video is a great medium to express yourself in. I actually find when I experiment with the format that I come back to photography with fresh eyes. Yes, you're going to need to learn some new skills and try a few new pieces of software but a lot of the experience you have as a photographer is transferable. As I mentioned in my last post, being able to see trends in the industry ahead of time will allow you to prepare and adjust for them. Video is one huge elephant in the room and the sooner you uncover your eyes and feed it a peanut the better.
Totally agree Dale! Those who fail to embrace this will find themselves in trouble at some point...
I've been reading about the "photographers should know video" argument since the 1980s when I first got into photography (back then it was in an old fashion thing called "magazines"). So this isn't a radical new idea for me to hear. I'm a photographer, but I'm also a filmmaker who has written, edited, and directed shorts, as well as a Youtube show starring a horror host. I can see both sides of the debate.
While I think it's good to learn video and editing, I've seen time and time again photographers add video to their menu of services and get spread too thin on a job (mainly talking about the lone gunmen, not someone lucky enough to have a team behind them). Yes, it's good to see where the future is going and prepare. But I truly believe in the old saying "Pick one thing, and do it well". I'd rather be the best photographer I can be, rather than an okay photographer and a so-so videotographer.
It sort of reminds me of the amateur hobbyist magician who went to see the amazing card magician Albert Goshman perform. After an incredible evening of prestidigitation, the hobbyist went up to Goshman and said, "I know 500 ways to force a card."
Goshman smiled and said, "I know one."
Beautifully put John! I think if photographers had their way they'd stay photographers and the thing about spreading yourself too thin is sound advice. (including magic).
I think the difference this time is that the technology and clients will dictate how this plays out.
Time will only tell how this will play out. Thanks for your comments!
This is the worst piece of advice I‘ve heard in a long time. It depends what you do!