Getting Started With Video - And Why You Should
For professional photographers, learning video is a matter of “when,” not “if.” The latest video marketing survey from WyzeOwl reports that 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. What’s more, people watch an average of 18 hours of video online each week and are twice as likely to share video content with their friends and networks than any other kind of digital media. Cisco predicts that by the end of 2022, video will make up 82% of internet traffic.
Many photographers shy away from producing video. It’s easy to understand why — there’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to editing software, interviewing people, using manual focus, finding music, and learning all of the technical basics. As a photographer myself, I, too, felt overwhelmed by adding video to the mix. Then a full-time video producer said to me, “I don’t know why this is so intimidating to you. As a photographer, you already know so much about what goes into making a video — it’s like you’re halfway there.” He was right.
Adding video skills to my list of skills almost instantly boosted my profile with editors at publications and marketing teams within agencies and bigger in-house corporate teams. It’s significantly easier to hire one person (or team) to do all of the work on one project than trying to manage several creative businesses across one project.
Instagram recently announced it was moving to be a video-first platform (trying to compete with TikTok no doubt), and Facebook is quickly becoming the same way. Publications, organizations, and other clients are all keenly watching these platforms and the algorithm that drives them. They all know that video is no longer a “nice to have,” it is a “need to have.”
Video also commands premium prices. Just like there are more photographers failing to charge their worth, video producers (side note: please don’t say “videographer,” a term most industry pros instead use to denote an amateur and consider it an insult) are often charging to little. Somehow, though, clients can wrap their minds around the cost of video much more easily than they can still images. It looks and feels more complicated than making a photograph to them. After all, everyone carries a camera with a phone attached to it these days, what’s so special about that?
I’ve done video work for large organizations and publications and have charged as much as $55,000 for a final deliverable of two 3-minute videos and a couple of social media edits of the same video. I’ve done smaller projects for just $5000, too. Stock video is an area that is still relatively unsaturated, so it’s also a good place to start earning an income from video. Stock agencies are clamoring to get their hands on as much stock video as possible.
Going from photography to video work isn’t necessarily difficult, but it does require a mind shift to slip out of working with still images and into working with moving ones. Thus, I’ve compiled below a list of the most commonly made mistakes by photographers when they pivot to video and how to avoid them as you explore this wildly popular and creative storytelling medium.
Sound is the most Important Part of Video
Ask a group of video producers what they think is the single most important thing to get right with video, and 99/100 times the response will be “Sound!” Your audience can and will forgive an imperfect shot (if they even notice it to begin with), but they won’t forgive poor sound. When sound is done well, no one really notices it.
But sound done poorly? It’s distracting and forces people to think about how they can’t hear everything or they didn’t understand what was being said instead of focusing on what you’re actually trying to communicate in the video itself. Bad video experiences guarantee that audiences never return to your work, let alone subscribe to or follow your accounts. And, it all but guarantees a much larger client will never hire you. It’s the very first thing editors and clients will look for to determine whether or not you’re actually a professional or if you’re just sort of working through it.
Sound is something most still photographers don’t think about — and to be frank, there are plenty of beginning-to-intermediate video creators who don’t think about it either. It’s another dimension that requires attention to detail, but once you’ve learned the basics, it becomes second nature.
It isn’t all that difficult to meet the standard for good sound. There are microphones for every budget and situation, and even an entry-level setup will dramatically improve sound quality and immediately enhance the production value.
As someone who works primarily in the field and not in a studio environment, I use two mic setups for my sound: a video shotgun mic and a lavalier (lav) mic. The shotgun mic gets its name from the way it records the sound. You point the mic in the direction of the sound you’d like to record and that’s it. In addition to picking up the sound you’ve pointed at, it will also pick up some of the ambient sounds, too, but unlike other mics, it’s designed to try to drown out anything coming from the sides of the mic, and focus just on the sound in front of it. As such, if you simply even turn your head away from this mic as you’re speaking, it won’t pick it up well, if at all.
Note that when you’re looking at shotgun mics, you’ll see a couple of different versions. The “video shotgun” mic is what you’re looking for to get started. It slides into the hot shoe of the camera and plugs right into the mic jack. Simple! You have a lot of options, but I am partial to the RØDE brand for on camera. They’re easy to use, lightweight for travel or a camera bag, widely available, and have a wallet-friendly price point.
A lav mic setup (sometimes called a lapel mic) is the gold standard for recording dialogue. Unlike the shotgun mic, a lav mic is used to get crisp, clean audio of voices. Use them for interviews or any time someone is speaking directly to the camera. Once you see the difference, you won’t go back to thinking you can just use a video shotgun mic for everything. I’ve mostly used the Sennheiser lav mics, as do most of the producers with whom I’ve worked. They provide fantastic sound quality and they are easy to hide under a shirt so they don’t appear on camera. They are a bit pricier than some of the other options, but they’re an industry standard for a reason. That said, the RØDE Go Wireless lavalier mic options provide great, budget-friendly quality sound in a clip-on setup that’s really easy to use for beginners.
Regardless of which mic setup you use, it’s important to monitor the sound as best that you can. You want to make sure that the sound is being recorded in a balanced way. One of the easiest ways to tell an amateur video person from a professional is whether or not they’re wearing headphones. Headphones help isolate sound and are a much more reliable source for monitoring sound than just looking at the sound levels on camera. Actual wired headphones are much better than wired earbuds, but even earbuds are better than no headphones at all. Ear bud-style headphones aren’t an option for monitoring sound for video.
We Need to Talk About Frame Rate
There are some technical aspects to video that feel a little different for photographers. Shutter speed with video, for example, should be double your frame rate. It feels counterintuitive for photographers to set a shutter speed and leave it alone. Most of us who photograph in manual mode will make adjustments to our shutter speeds all of the time as part of properly exposing an image. If you need to adjust your exposure for video, however, you do it with the ISO or the aperture and leave the shutter speed set to double the frame rate of the video.
Another way to get better exposure, especially for work outside, is by adding an ND (neutral density) filter. This is why many professional video cameras have built-in variable ND filters. If you’re working with a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a quality ND filter is a wise and important investment, especially if you want to film with a fast aperture and still have a shallow depth of field. Many of the higher quality ND filters on the market come with step-down rings, which increases their compatibility across a variety of lenses. Frame rate, or frames per second, is how many individual frames your camera is recording per second. This dates back to the early days of film; the camera operator would turn the reel of film by hand when making the film and the projectionist in the movie house would use that same speed to playback the film for the audience.
Asking a video producer, “What frame rate is best for video?” is like asking a photographer, “What ISO is the best for photos?” The answer is dependent upon the situation, but speaking generally, there are two primary frame rates used for most video: 24 frames-per-second (fps) and 60 frames-per-second (for slow motion). Newer cameras with higher-end video specs can often do higher frame rates than 60 fps, but for most situations, the 60 fps setting will give you all you need if you want to do some slow-mo work. I pretty much keep my video set to 60 fps at all times. That way, I get the video I want, but have the option to slow down a section of it at any point in editing.
24 frames-per-second: 24 fps is the slowest frame rate you’ll use. For most videos on the web, social media, TV, and even films, this is the standard speed at which videos are made. It looks the most natural to our eyes and has a more cinematic quality than a video shot at a faster speed.
30 frames-per-second: This slightly higher speed will allow you to record with a little more motion detail in the footage. However, it looks a little less natural in the final footage. Live television events, soap operas, and live sports are often recorded at this speed. If you think about the esthetic difference between your favorite television show and, say, a live broadcast, you can visualize how they look a little bit different to the human eye. A lot of video recording apps, including Instagram, use this frame rate, as well. This really isn’t a frame rate most people use, but I’ve included it because you’ll see it sometimes mentioned in other how-to articles.
60 frames-per-second: This frame rate is used whenever you are recording slow motion. If you try to slow down the motion of the footage recorded at 24 fps, it would be jerky and look bad because there aren’t enough frames made each second to slow down the footage smoothly. When you’re recording at this higher speed, you can slow down the video footage with a much smoother, natural appearance that retains the details in the footage.
Once the frame rate has been set, the shutter speed should stay at double that frame rate or as close to it as possible, rounding up. For example, I don’t know of a DSLR or mirrorless camera that has an exact 1/48 shutter speed that directly correlates to a 24 fps frame rate, so rounding the shutter speed up to 1/50 makes the most sense for this speed. For 60 fps you want a 1/120 shutter speed.
Pre-production is Everything. EVERYTHING.
There is no substitute for planning when it comes to video. Pre-production is going to help you “shoot for the edit,” get the shots you need for the story you need to tell, and save you hours and hours of time — both in the field and when you edit the final video. If you’re working with other people, pre-production helps you clarify their roles and responsibilities. Or, if you’re interviewing people for the final video, the pre-production process includes that initial outreach/phone call and helps you break the ice and feel out how they fit into the story.
With still photography, digital cameras have made it easier than ever to “just grab this extra shot” here and there. It doesn’t take much extra thought. With video, however, it’s not that easy. That’s why I like to use the pre-production phase to “shoot for the edit.” Simply put, don’t bog yourself down with extra minutes (or hours) of footage to sort through with your video files. Thinking ahead in this way prevents you from filming everything you see, hoping that you’ll be able to put it together into a cohesive story once you get everything into your editing program.
This is a problem I see many photographers struggle with as they make the switch to video. They get back to their computers with hours of video and because it’s overwhelming they just never do anything with it. If you think culling 10,000 images after a trip is daunting, just wait until you sit down with 6-10 hours of footage.
This would be a good place to point out that the general gauge in the video industry is that it takes about 5-8 hours of editing (depending on skill and speed) to create 1 minute of final video. Obviously it varies by the complexity of the project, but there are many moving parts of a video that have to be pulled together to make the final video sing.
In the pre-production phase, storyboard or outline out what you’d like your video to communicate. It doesn’t need to be an entirely complete picture, but you should think through:
• Who is the audience for this video?
• What is the desired outcome from people watching this video?
• How should someone feel after they watch this video?
• What are the key points this video should address?
• Is this story best told one way over another?
• Where will this video live? If on social media, are there time limits it should adhere to (For example 60 seconds — 3 minutes for TikTok, or 2:20 for twitter)?
Start with the image of the final video in your head — what does that look like? Then work your way backward and write down all of the shots you need to accomplish that final product. Thinking through that final video and that shot list, ask yourself what other tools you need to accomplish that look and feel and story? For example:
• What time of day do I need to shoot to get the best light?
• Background — what does that look like? Do you need to book a location?
• Microphones — will it be noisy or quiet? Do you need some natural sound, like a bubbling river or trees rustling?
• Second camera set up (depending on complexity)
• Seating for interviews (if applicable)
• Extra set of hands, like an assistant or another camera operator or interviewer
Thinking through to the finished product and working backward not only helps you when it comes time to edit your work, but it helps when something on a video shoot inevitably changes. Nothing will ever go exactly as planned, especially in wildlife photography. There will be hiccups and things will change. However, when you have executed your pre-production plan well, it’s easier to pivot and adapt. Rather than thinking through the entire project in the moment of change, you can focus on solving the issue rather than reacting to the problem.
B-roll is Your Friend
A-roll is your primary video footage and B-roll is the supplemental footage used to add depth and details to your story. Pre-production is a great place to start thinking about what B-roll is needed to make the video more complete. Not only does B-roll help you create a more visually appealing story, but it also gives you (or the video editor) some flexibility when editing.
B-roll has a variety of uses in video storytelling, such as:
• Establishing the setting where the video takes place
• Covering transitions in the video
• Hiding errors that were made in the primary footage
• Illustrating a point that is difficult to explain
• Showing the tone, or energy of a scene
Look at your storyboard or video outline and make a list of the B-roll options you think might present themselves during the natural course of filming. On location, maximize the amount of footage you have to work with by looking at the scene from an editor’s point of view. In video journalism, we rely on the “five-shot sequence,” and it’s a standard pretty much across the board:
• Closeup of the handspawsfeet — Demonstrates action in close-up detail
• Closeup of the face — Who is doing it? What emotions are they feeling?
• Wide shot — Where is this being done? This is the setting of your video. This is where your context, mood, ambiance, and general establishing shots come into play.
• Over the shoulder — How is it being done? This gives the audience the subject’s point of view or a more candid vibe to the scene, like if you’re behind a shrub and you have a handful of leaves framing your subject.
• Other angles — Come back with a variety of options for the edit. Don’t stand in one spot, move around and get creative. Don’t limit yourself to standing up, another common mistake.
If your video involves an interview, listen closely for sound bites that can help you determine what potential B-roll specific to that interview might be. For example, if you’re interviewing a park ranger about the plants in the park and how they support butterfly conservation, you would want to gather video of the plants they mention, as well as footage of butterflies on the plants.
This sort of b-roll makes editing SO much easier down the road. Never limit yourself to just one shot and think you’ve got what you need. Always give yourself options.
One final tip about B-roll is that you should always “hold” the shot before and after you film it. This helps significantly when it comes to editing, a place where an extra half a second of video can make a huge difference. Though I’m now experienced enough to instinctively know how long to hold a clip, I still count to five in my head before and after each shot, just to make sure I’m not clipping my footage too short. If you’re not editing the footage yourself, you will be thanked a million times over by the editor who is if you hold your shot.
Keep It Short and Kill Your Darlings
Your video should only be as long as your story or your content can support — it should tell the story and accomplish the goal. Nothing more, nothing less.
Before becoming a photographer, I spent nearly two decades as a digital content strategist and marketer working on accounts for many of the Fortune 50 brands. I’d be Bezos-level rich if I had a nickel for every person who insisted that there was a magic time that each video should be.
The reality is that there is no blanket number that applies to all videos. Some stories will take longer to tell than others. A data deep dive over time will help you learn how your audience is interacting with your videos and guide you to understanding what length and topics resonate most with your audiences.
That said, the overwhelming feeling of the industry is that shorter is often better. It’s like the famous story about Ernest Hemingway who won a bet by writing a six-word story:
“For Sale: baby shoes. Never worn."
BOOM, that hits.
Nothing kills the power and impact of a video more quickly than unnecessary length. Be a ruthless editor. Kill your darlings. Don’t stay married to a piece of video that doesn’t work just because it’s “pretty” or because it took you a lot of time to film it.
Avoid lengthy introductions, get to the point quickly, and keep the pace moving — your audience and your metrics will thank you. I’m notorious for complaining about YouTube openings that are a full 90 seconds or 2 minutes long before they even get to the purpose of the video. As a viewer, I want your promise to me (the content) to pay off. And that doesn’t happen if you make a long-winded intro about yourself that has me rolling my eyes and bored before you’ve even started. You don’t want to be the modern-day equivalent of forcing someone to sit through a slideshow of your vacation, much like my grandparents did to me.
As well, a video doesn’t need to address ALL THE THINGS. Think strategically during your pre-production process and make sure your video content is hyper-focused on the goal of the video or the story you’re trying to tell.
For example, if you’re making a video that answers a frequently asked question, stick only to that question. Don’t also sprinkle in answers to three more questions. If you’re making a video to announce a product or service launch, stick only to that specific product or service. Don’t also promote the 10 other things that you have to offer. Be mindful of your viewer and their experience with your video.
Final Thoughts
Video is here to stay. Whether or not you decide to embrace it and add video to your toolbox is up to you. It’s a high-demand skill that will absolutely help you get ahead of the competition. Every single photographer I know who also shoots video is constantly doing both. It’s also a great time to start adding video to your stock agency profiles, too.
You can’t break the rules until you know the rules, and getting on board earlier with the biggest frontier in visual storytelling now will pay dividends for years to come.