Monday, September 11, 2017

SO YOU JUST GOT AN EXPENSIVE NEW DIGITAL CAMERA AND YOU FIGURE YOU COULD MAKE SOME MONEY WITH THIS PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT. YOU START SPREADING THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA OFFERING TO SHOOT WEDDINGS, BUT SINCE YOU FIGURE YOU ARE A “PROFESSIONAL” YOU CAN CHARGE MONEY FOR YOUR SERVICES. WELL, YOU BETTER SLOW DOWN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS LEARN YOUR CAMERA. HIGH END DIGITAL CAMERAS HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT FEATURES AND CAPABILITIES FOR DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. IT TAKES SOME TIME TO BECOME REALLY FAMILIAR WITH EVERYTHING. YOU ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND LIGHTING SITUATIONS FOR BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SHOOTING. YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO SHOOT FOR BACKLIGHTING AND HOW TO SET YOUR WHITE BALANCE. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO FRAME A PHOTO? THIS IS A BASIC SKILL THAT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS. YOU NEED TO LEARN ABOUT THE RULE OF THIRTY THIRDS. IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW TO SET UP YOUR SHOTS AND HOW TO POSE PEOPLE SO EVERYTHING LOOKS BALANCED. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT NOT TO SHOOT, FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY DRUNK OR SOMEONE FALLS DOWN ON THE DANCE FLOOR, OR A COUPLE TAKING PDA TOO FAR. THIS KIND OF PICTURE WILL REALLY NOT BE APPRECIATED. SAY YOU TAKE 600 PICTURES. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO EDIT YOUR PHOTOS TO MAKE EACH ONE AS PERFECT AS IT CAN BE? YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO EDIT EVERY PICTURE AND GET THEM OUT TO THE COUPLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS, IF YOU DON’T HAVE EXPERIENCE, YOU’RE GOING TO END UP WITH SOME VERY UPSET BRIDES AND IT WON’T TAKE LONG FOR WORD TO GET AROUND THAT YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING. YOUR NAME AND REPUTATION WILL BE RUINED FOREVER BEFORE YOU KNOW IT. ALL THIS INFORMATION APPLIES TO VIDEO AS WELL. IF YOU HAVE A VIDEO CAMERA, EACH OF THE THINGS I WROTE ABOUT APPLIES TO YOU! 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio,

Thursday, September 7, 2017

CAN PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS SHOOT A WEDDING TOGETHER IN PEACE?

I shoot both wedding photography and video and have been doing so for over 30 years. This gives me a unique perspective on the challenges some wedding "professionals" seem to have getting their shot or their angle of the ceremony. To me this is common sense and I have never had a problem, but it seems like many photographers can't handle a videographer sharing their space. Nothing pisses me off like a photographer who comes to me as I'm setting up and telling me I can't have my camera there. Well, guess what? I can and I will. They seem to think I should shoot the wedding from off to side somewhere. That is a useless angle and I know the bride and groom aren't paying me for a side view of the ceremony. Depending on the logistics of the church or venue, I can always manage to shoot the bride and groom straight on starting with the processional. Once the bride is at the front with the groom, I turn around or switch cameras so no part of the vows, exchange of rings, unity candle, roses to the mothers or anything that happens is missed. Many photographers get all flustered when they realize I'm front and center. I suggest that maybe they should have showed up for the rehearsal. I rarely miss a rehearsal..it assures me that I will be prepared for whatever issues might come up with logistics. Once the photographer or photographers realize I'm not moving, I point out to them that if they stay right beside me, no matter where I am, they will get the same shot I'm getting. Seems simple doesn't it? They can run all around the church if they want to but I will always be right where I started so I can't possibly get in their way. Sometimes I get wedding coordinators trying to tell me how to do my job....but that's a post for another day! 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio