The Three Biggest Lessons I've Learned as a Videographer

I've been doing videography in some form since the year 2000 when my mom got me a camcorder for Christmas. Since that day, I have sought to become better at recording and creating captivating videos. Although I had some talent for videography, I've gained some valuable wisdom throughout the years that has helped me become more confident and capable. Here are three of the biggest lessons I have learned.

1. Know How to Handle Different Lighting Situations

Like many people, I didn't really know how to optimize the settings for my cameras. I would set it to Automatic and start shooting. I dared not get too deep into menus I did not understand as most of them felt overwhelming and intimidating. I had decided that the defaults would be fine on a quality camera. I soon found out that they were not.

After a scathing review from a client back in 2016 on the quality of the footage I provided, I realized it was important to learn more about these settings, particularly in relation to lighting. I learned more about how programming the appropriate aperture, speed, and ISO are critical in different lighting situations. I also learned how important it is to have the right lenses, allowing me to move beyond the standard kit lenses and to have multiple setups ready to go. The results have been highly improved photos and videos, even in low light conditions.

2. Build Redundancy in Your Equipment

Imagine being in the middle of an event and having a camera malfunction. That has happened to me on occasion. I cannot explain the amount of terror that I have experienced to see some type of warning or error message flash on the screen right before a big moment. This is why I have learned to build redundancy in my setup, having a minimum of two of everything running.

Having at least two cameras is an absolute must. I usually set up one to be mobile and have one on a tripod capturing a wider shot of the action. The primary purpose is to provide multiple angles, but this setup also allows me have at least one camera operating if one happens to fail (or if someone decides to stand in front of a camera for an extended amount of time, blocking the shot). This has been a complete blessing and has rescued me a few times. I also now program my cameras for dual-recording to my SD cards. If one SD card were to fail, get damaged, or get lost, there would be a spare with the same information. Next, I make sure I upload all my data from the SD cards to a cloud server so that it is available for me in case of computer failure. Finally, I try to have multiple audio sources to reduce possible interference, failures, or unwanted noise.

3. Communicate with the Other Professionals

Coordinating with wedding planner is an obvious necessity, but I've learned that communicating with other vendors before and during the wedding makes things a lot easier. I make sure to introduce myself to the photographer and DJ in particular. The DJ can provide me with direct access to his audio, which typically provides a much cleaner sound than I could capture with my microphones alone. Speaking with the photographer allows us to work around one another, ensuring we both can capture the perfect shots and not have to awkwardly compete for positioning during the event. Sometimes, I will even capture some photos or videos of the other vendors that they can utilize for their social media. And if they decide to use it, they will often tag me in the post so that it benefits us both!

As I go forth in my videography career, I will continue to learn important lessons and improve in my skillset. This is a lifelong passion where technology rapidly advances and new tools are introduced that will help me continue to grow and deliver products that meet and exceed the expectations of my clients.