Intro to Video: A Photographer's Guide to Filmmaking

Today, I'm excited to announce that our latest tutorial, "Intro to Video: A Photographer's Guide to Filmmaking," is now available.   

Almost every still camera sold today is also capable of shooting Hollywood-quality video. Cinematographers a decade ago would have killed for a handheld camera that could shoot HD footage in low light with shallow depth of field and had extra features like stabilization, autofocus, and internal audio recording. Why then are photographers today content with ignoring the most valuable features of their cameras? 

You Already Own the Gear You Need to Shoot Video

If the barrier to entry was tens of thousands of dollars (like it was just a few years ago), you might have a good excuse, but the camera and lenses you already own are capable of shooting unbelievable-looking footage. If you're a photographer, you probably also own lighting as well. We used the modeling lights on our strobes to film every Fstoppers video for the first four years. 

You Have a Better Understanding of Lighting Than Most Cinematographers

Because subjects in a video are moving, the lighting is much more forgiving than in a still image, where every detail can be examined. If you've spent years mastering the lighting in your photos, you'll find that all of this knowledge translates into video production as well. 

You Already Understand How to Work Your Camera

Most people don't learn new things, because they become frustrated and quit when things get hard. If you're a photographer, you've already crossed that hurdle. You already know how to compose a shot. You already know about shutter speed, ISO, and f-stops. You're already 95 percent of the way there. Shooting video can be done with the same camera, same lens, and same settings. You simply have to press record.

What About Editing?

The biggest hurdle of learning video is learning to edit, but in this tutorial, we teach you everything you need to know about editing in just two hours. Learning to edit video is actually much easier than learning how to edit a still image, and if you can color grade an image, you'll find that color grading video footage is almost identical. 

Photo and Video Are Merging

If you're a photographer and you're not shooting video, you are missing out on one of the most valuable features of your camera, but more importantly, if you're a professional photographer, I guarantee you are losing money. 

Every successful photographer I know is implementing video into their business in some way. Many of them are being hired to shoot videos directly, but all of them are at least using video to promote their still photography businesses. The industry is changing. Photo and video are becoming one and the same. Film shooters resisted digital for as long as they could, but eventually, everyone purchased a digital camera. Eventually, all professional photographers will also shoot and edit video; it's only a matter of time. 

Ten years ago when I started to teach myself how to shoot video, I did it out of necessity. I never thought that I would enjoy it as much as I do today. Luckily, I don't have to choose between shooting stills or video. My cameras can do both, and I find myself shooting photos and video clips at almost every job. If you're already a photographer, give video a try. The jump from photo to video has never been easier than it is today. 

"Intro to Video: A Photographer's Guide to Filmmaking" is a seven-hour video tutorial available as a digital download. Our goal was to make the transition for still photographers to video as quick and painless as possible. Over the past 10 years, we've built a business around shooting videos with the same DSLRs and mirrorless cameras you use, and in this tutorial, we teach you everything we've learned about making professional videos with extremely affordable gear. You can learn more about the full tutorial in the Fstoppers Store.