Ive lost track of how many times folks have assumed that videography and photography are the same thing.
The concept of taking pictures is more prevalent. This is due to the fact that it is a more popular method of documentation today.
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Is Videography Photography?
While there are numerous similarities between photography and videography, there are also significant differences between the two art forms.
While they both involve elements of capturing life and pictures for a film, videography yields a sequence of watchable moving images while photography produces a still image.
Videography and photography are significantly distinct from one another, though.
Workflow, preparation, planning, and other aspects are all distinct.
Here are just a few of the key distinctions between photography and videography.
Communication
Photographers and videographers alike must have a strong sense of transparency when dealing with customers and their families.
Your comfort in conversation should also influence your choice between photo and video, regardless of whether you enjoy being with others or want to remain to yourself.
A photographer can undoubtedly benefit from being more outgoing given how many pictures they need to shoot of married couples and other family members.
They command when it comes to taking the perfect photo since they are constantly in the action, at ease orchestrating group shots, and always in the middle of the action.
It takes a lot of work to persuade people to feel comfortable posing and rearranging themselves, often several times, considering how frequently the photographer interacts with participants and arranges them into group shots.
The more reserved personality would do well as a cameraman.
Even though wedding movies can have a variety of forms, documentary style is one that is frequently used.
Instead of asking participants to demonstrate that they are having fun, simply see them doing so.
Additionally, filming might be more immobile, making movement by the videographers less obvious.
Audio
Audio is perhaps the main factor that makes it easier for photographers than for videographers.
Do you even know how to record decent audio at a wedding or other event, for your photography pals reading this article?
less desirable audio for usage in movies, documentaries, or short films?
A videographer is often thinking about 20% of the shots composition, 30% of the lighting, and 50% of the audio theyre obtaining.
If the audio isnt crisp and clear enough to work with on the edit, huge chunks of their work may be rendered almost worthless.
Comfort and Knowledge
While its crucial to consider your clients while making this choice, its ideal to start by considering yourself and what makes you feel the most comfortable.
If youre a natural-born photographer, why choose video when you couldnt expect a good painter to prepare a five-star meal?
Naturally, both photographers and videographers have an excellent aesthetic vision, but the two greatly differ in how they employ motion.
With wedding photography, you can frequently rely on couples and their loved ones to strike a pose as you move about more.
In order to capture the necessary shots for wedding videography, you might need to be a bit creative with your perspectives and shooting techniques.
You know you cant just sit in the seats next to the couples loved ones as you film the vows at the altar.
Instead, you must make due with awkward angles and postures while making sure you have everything you require.
Team Size
The amount of labor required for filming is greater. Videos require more advanced talents.
Sound recording, editing, scoring, directing, script writing, producing, and at least two videographers are required to capture footage from two separate viewpoints.
Tools, Editing, and Postproduction
While many of the fundamental concepts of photography may easily be applied to videography, its important to keep in mind that the equipment requirements and post-production workflow might be very different between the two.
As a photographer, you could always have your go-to cameras, cleaners, flashes, and a few lenses with you in your convenient camera bag.
Youll carry less gear than a cameraman, which will make moving around easier for you.
The editing procedure retains the informality of being a photographer.
Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are two programs that are frequently used by professional photographers to modify their photographs.
These apps are substantially less expensive than top-notch video editing services and frequently offer less expensive alternatives.
Given that it usually just takes a few minutes to polish a shot, photographers may also turn around work considerably more quickly than their videographer counterparts.
Videographers may frequently perform more physically demanding work.
While using a single camera for every picture is OK, there is a lot more gear, such as tripods, additional lighting, and microphones, that may be used to enhance your cameras capabilities.
However, if you want to add some flare to your video style, prepare to carry even more as you may include expensive gear like drones on your list.
Affordable, high-quality video editing services are difficult to find for videographers.
Although expensive, services like Final Cut and Premiere will undoubtedly provide a superior end result.
Videographers also have to put in more effort since they need to locate their favorite footage, edit them down, and put music to them while also making sure the movie itself is well-lit, gorgeously colored, and consistent in style.
Nevertheless, the turnaround time might range from days to weeks.
Constant Lighting vs Flash Lighting
Even these variables are frequently tougher on videographers in terms of cost and power requirements, similar to the comparison between photographers and videographers operating in controlled circumstances.
In contrast to videographers, who frequently see light as a bare minimum requirement in order to record film at or near native ISO and ideal settings, photographers generally have the luxury of considering light as a tool for their compositions.
This is especially true when shooting in uncontrollable environments, where videographers frequently find themselves using LEDs and bounce boards to improvise lighting whereas photographers may more frequently employ Speedlite flashes and other tools.
Style
Whether you work for a company or as a freelancer, style is essential to telling a clients wedding narrative in a distinctive way.
Its what gives a piece of art its individuality and what gives the project as a whole a sense of unity.
However, each photographer and videographer will value style differently in their wedding pictures.
With wedding photography, there is greater stylistic freedom because the photographer will shoot a variety of shots, from candid ones during the ceremony to staged ones at the reception.
Its simpler to experiment with your photography and to have a less fixed aesthetic.
On the other hand, videographers must stick with a consistent look throughout the procedure.
You dont witness sun flares in one frame and rich hues in the next when you watch a well-made movie.
Try to approach your profession as a wedding videographer with this type of mentality.
Your clients will value your work tenfold if it is seamless and consistent.
Number of Equipment to Transport
Lets be clear about something before every photographer in the world chimes in and methodically lists out their wardrobes full of c-stands and studio flash lighting equipment.
When discussing shooting in controlled environments, equipment for photography and videography might be rather comparable.
But in unpredictable situations, photographers frequently get to take shortcuts and cakewalk.
Videographers dont run and gun handheld all the time.
We require steadicam rigs, sliders, tripods, and sometimes even the ability to laboriously strap ourselves into them.
Additionally, we need to start bringing in every other piece of equipment under the sun, including monitors, external power supplies, and sound demands.
There arent many photographers using setups like this.
Burden of Work
The workload is typically higher for video since larger teams are required.
As a result, producing content for video takes more time, planning, and work.
Although the workload for videographers has been greatly lowered due to technological innovation.
FAQs
Should I Pursue Photography or Videography More?
Both photography and videography are forms of creative activity that call for an aesthetic mind and sincere devotion.
Ask your heart what it finds more appealing and comfortable. Choose that path.
Ill wager you wont live much longer if your heart is calling for videography and you choose photography.
Final Thoughts
These clarifications of the distinctions between photography and videography are my sincere goal.
In spite of this, its always advisable to start with your preferred option.
From there, expand your network, win over customers with your work, and promote yourself.
Yes, it will be difficult. But keep in mind that before earning an additional job, youll need to develop specific talents.
And always keep in mind that the finished result only represents a small portion of the effort put into creating it.
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