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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
The Value of a Quality job?

 
 


StillMotion
User

May 2, 2007, 1:35 AM

Post #1 of 9 (799 views)
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The Value of a Quality job? Can't Post
It seems that quit a few videographers are either adding photo services or switching over to photo only. Assuming that you've been doing video for a while and have a good and hopefully unique product, why switch completely to photo?

We do both, so I understand how photo is more respected and valued and therefore often easier to do well at (financially speaking) and the editing can be shorter than what is involved with video. On the other hand, there is far more competition in photo and it is much tougher to produce something that really stands out as compared to video.

In deciding to add photo or switch to photo only, is it hard to take a step backwards in terms of the overall quality and originality of your work? I think it would be very tough to abandon something that can take a while to build and start from close to scratch. I'm more talking about quality here, as it can an easy financial decision to switch, but what about those who are trying to get more than that out of this? I can't imagine giving up the respect and reputation and the power in your product to start new somewhere else.

Patrick
www.still-motion.ca


RustyB
Veteran


May 2, 2007, 2:26 AM

Post #2 of 9 (788 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] The Value of a Quality job? [In reply to] Can't Post
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...I'm more talking about quality here, as it can an easy financial decision to switch, but what about those who are trying to get more than that out of this? I can't imagine giving up the respect and reputation and the power in your product to start new somewhere else.
....


I think it depends on whether you're doing it part time or full time. If it is an easy financial decision for a full-timer, then no doubt the respect and reputation and power of your product should take a backseat. All that matters is the $$$. And if you want to relate this to weddings, I think photogs and videogs can have their reputations and industry respect made or lost overnight because of the internet, and the fact the client only shops for your product once in her life. And from what I've seen in wedding video, even the most inexperienced part-timer can generate buzz with a poor piece of work with enough gimmicks and shameless self promotion.


I don't do wedding photo, but have came close, and really looked into it in the past. There are infinitely more photographers in my area than videographers. "Everyone" is a photographer, and I'm sure the competition is tough. BUT, the demand is also apparently infinitely higher. Testing the waters, I took out a second WEDJ listing with my video site in the photog listings. Inquiries exploded. I'm sure the competition is tough for the high end market, but for your average priced, run-of-the-mill quality wedding photos, I would have had people beating down my door. I pulled the ad.

Not wanting to spend a few months improving your photo skills and finding a respectable style that is uniquely your own, would seem like a very bad reason to stay in a business that is generally horrible in comparison. Then agan for me personally, I could care less if I'm respected in wedding video or wedding photo, as neither one does anything for me. I'd rather be respected in some other area of video or photo that I actually enjoy doing.

I'm sure at one point when I was a shopping cart boy at WalMart I wanted the other, newer, shopping cart boys to respect me for my cart-gathering abilities. But, eventually I had to get a job driving a forklift in the hopes of being able to feed myself one day. Tongue


Let's say I'm at the top of my game in the video business and getting $3000 per wedding, and all the other videographers thought I was cool, and came to hear me give workshops about how if they worked hard enough everyone would think they're cool too. I could probably make 10 times more money as a nobody, mediocre photographer charging $1000 per wedding. My ego isn't too big to know what's right.




Are you having a personal dilemna right now? Trying to convince yourself to stay in your safety zone in video? Tongue



Faith Poison Wedding Films Blog
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Brackish
Veteran


May 2, 2007, 4:04 AM

Post #3 of 9 (777 views)
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Re: [RustyB] The Value of a Quality job? [In reply to] Can't Post
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In Reply To

Let's say I'm at the top of my game in the video business and getting $3000 per wedding, and all the other videographers thought I was cool, and came to hear me give workshops about how if they worked hard enough everyone would think they're cool too. I could probably make 10 times more money as a nobody, mediocre photographer charging $1000 per wedding. My ego isn't too big to know what's right.
"Ten times more money" for half the number of hours
of work ... and 1/4th the physical stress on your body.






Jeko
Enthusiast


May 2, 2007, 9:55 AM

Post #4 of 9 (759 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] The Value of a Quality job? [In reply to] Can't Post
I had been a photographer in the 80's. So I started again by adding it as an independent service or as a combo with video.

Public demand (people hiring) quickly swayed me towards photo for weddings. Now, I only do videos for the higher end weddings (earning enough to be fairly compensated) with photography being the bulk of our weekend work. Video still gets its time for commercial shoots or events, but primarily on weekdays. Admittedly, I've released a few of my stringers in the transition which I hated doing-- good people who do their tasks well are hard to let go.

I guess the point is, I let the market dictate what we do. I chose to diversify to also reduce the travel aspect (would have needed to travel more to stay in video exclusively and opted not to do so).

Jeko

Sony VX2100's, iRivers, M-audio 24/96, Canon 5Ds/20Ds (and too much glass), Vegas6, PhotoShop CS3, Lightroom, etc.


rodovideo
Enthusiast


May 2, 2007, 9:58 AM

Post #5 of 9 (756 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] The Value of a Quality job? [In reply to] Can't Post
Mine is to supplement my income....
The area that I am in, is an economically depressed area... and it is easier to get photo jobs then video work... yes I could travel outside of this market, but I want to stay in this little "hometown" area. The photo quality will come in time. The competition for photography is greater in numbers of photographers, but their quality is average at best.

Mike R.


Look toward the Son, and you will not see the shadows

sample images from RODO PHOTO

Rodo Media BLOG


StillMotion
User

May 2, 2007, 10:19 AM

Post #6 of 9 (750 views)
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Re: [rodovideo] The Value of a Quality job? [In reply to] Can't Post
Wow, quite a few responses.

I personaly am not thinking about switching, we do both photo and video and have form the beginning, so we sort of develioped both at the same time.

Through reading on this forum, I've noticed quite a few people doing less video or getting out of it, so I was concerned about the fulfillment aspect of the job when they did that. I do do this full-time, so the income matters to me, but I would also prefer doing something I love and that I am good at for less money.

I was just curious how others thought about that aspect of switching as I don't realy see it mentioned often. Thanks for the responses.


Postal Boy
Veteran


May 2, 2007, 4:24 PM

Post #7 of 9 (726 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] The Value of a Quality job? [In reply to] Can't Post
I am in the process of advertising both services (just started...business cards arrive next week). I have a video shoot in 3 weeks, and they booked me at the last minute because someone they knew told them they HAD to get a video (they weren't planning on it). They have had the photographer and venue booked for quite some time.

My reason for the shift is simple. More people want photography, and I can't afford to just do video in my area and still supplement my income in the amounts that I want. I need to grow my equipment list and video just doesn't provide enough constant income - not to mention the extra amount of time video requires in post. I will let you all know how the photo thing goes, though. I haven't really done much "official" but have been practicing for several months now. I will take the still camera to the video event in a few weeks and see what happens.

-Postal


Brackish
Veteran


May 2, 2007, 4:51 PM

Post #8 of 9 (715 views)
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Re: [Postal Boy] The Value of a Quality job? [In reply to] Can't Post
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I am in the process of advertising both services (just started...business cards arrive next week).
 Do let us know how it goes, Postal.






Brackish
Veteran


May 2, 2007, 4:55 PM

Post #9 of 9 (714 views)
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Re: [StillMotion] The Value of a Quality job? [In reply to] Can't Post
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Assuming that you've been doing video for a while and have a good and hopefully unique product, why switch completely to photo?

... On the other hand, there is far more competition in photo and it is much tougher to produce something that really stands out as compared to video.
 Someone here (?Toogy) had been doing video for a while and found out they were even better at photography than they were at video. I believe he's transitioning out of video completely. [He can correct if I'm in error.]