Do You Take Risks in Your Photo and Video Work?

Photo and video production can be an expensive and intricate venture with many moving parts, and as such, we often like to go into it with a carefully developed plan from which we are hesitant to deviate. But there are also rewards to be found in taking risks, and this great video discusses the importance of finding a balance between the two philosophies.

Coming to you from DSLR guide, this thought-provoking video discusses taking risks in creative endeavors and how it can be beneficial to work in an unscripted manner sometimes. While we certainly like to make sure all aspects of a shoot are under control, particularly when there is a lot of money on the line, there can be benefits to operating in a slightly freer manner. In particular, the drawback of having things highly regimented is that it can potentially lead to stilted results, whereas working in a freer manner can often lend a certain organicism to things. In fact, if you watch some of the best photographers or filmmakers (Peter Hurley always comes to mind for me), they are often working in highly controlled manners, but projecting a very free and relaxed manner, which often gets fantastic results. Check out the video above for more. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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2 Comments

With the type of photography I do there is hardly every time to make a plan. Sure I can look at the weather and plan to bring a sweater if needed. Thats pretty much where it ends. Every spot is new. Every rider is different, and the situation that youll be shooting is almost always presented to you minutes before you make the photo. Till that point you have no idea what you're getting into. It's fun, challenging, and probably one of the most difficult types of photography because of the ability to plan is just not there.

When out in nature taking photos of wildlife, I take risks with my safety ... but I don't think that's what this article is really about.

As far as artistic and creative risks, well ..... I'm not really sure what that would mean. I often do things differently than I have normally done, and try to create images that have a different style and look than those I have created before, but that isn't really "taking a risk" because there is no danger, and nothing of value to be lost if these attempts don't work out well.

Perhaps the article would be better entitled, "Do you try different methods and shoot for different outcomes than what you are used to?" That would be a little more accurate than asking if we take risks, because technically, a risk is something by which we stand to suffer loss or tragedy.

"Trying something new" is not taking a risk unless there is a chance for significant and tragic loss.