Photography & Videography: Should I Do Both?

by Sean Setters

In September of 2008, Canon announced a DSLR that would have a major impact on the photography and videography industry. The first full-frame camera to record video at 1080p – the EOS 5D Mark II – was a huge success, and it was a catalyst for the industry's focus on including the advanced video features in our cameras that we enjoy today.

Fast forwad almost a decade later, and now we have features such as great autofocus in video mode (via Dual Pixel CMOS sensors), 4K recording with individual frame grabs, high framerate recording, lenses with smooth and quiet AF, touchscreen focus and in-camera timelapse video creation. And while not every recently released camera has all of the features just mentioned, creating high quality 1080p videos – even with consumer grade DSLRs – is well within reach of most digital photographers.

The deluge of video features readily available in our DSLRs and mirrorless cameras undoubtly spurs a few questions for us photographers, such as:

• Is it possible to do photography and videography and be good at both?
• Can videography support my photography efforts, or vice versa?
• Should I be shooting video as well as stills in order to stay competitive in my desired markets, or is photography enough?
• What additional equipment and/or software will I need to create documentary video, short films or commercials?

Can I do both?

If your camera can capture high quality video, can you rationalize neglecting to fully utilize the capability? I can see arguments going both ways on this dilemma.

For instance, if a family member gifted you a piano in their will, you might be inclined to invest some (or, more likely, a substantial amount of) time and energy learning to play the piano so that the instrument's capabilities would not be wasted. On the other hand, you may want to devote that same time and energy to a previously explored, thoroughly enjoyed endeavor in order to become a master at that specific skill. For the sake of the hypothetical situation, let's say it is playing the guitar.

Could you do both? Sure. But doing so would mean splitting your time – a limited, non-renewable resource – between the two skills. Focusing on both skills simultaneously lengthens the time it takes to master each skill, and the time-investment-to-reward trade-off that may not prove to be worthwhile (that's assuming you're not already a master at playing the guitar). Then again, simultaneous practice of both skills may engender perpetual creativity and prevent burnout.

When it comes to photography and videography, the fields are related in that they both involve storytelling with imagery, and the same camera can be used to capture both. But aside from that, the two disciplines are vastly different. In photography, you need everything to fall in place for only a fraction of a second (or possibly several seconds in the case of long exposures) in order to capture a compelling story-telling image. But in videography, you have the flexibility to tell a story over time, but the entire sequence needs to be fluid, well composed and compelling. Lighting, composition and audio needs have to be considered on a second-by-second basis as the camera continues to record. For those of us who think who are used to thinking in "moments," videography can be exhausting as it requires constant attention to significantly more variables. And while the same camera can be used for both disciplines, the rest of the equipment required to perform each to a professional level varies greatly, although there is some overlap (more on this later).

Can video support my photography, or vice versa?

With many photographers owning multiple DSLRs, it's important to note that videos can help bolster one's photography business (of course, owning at least two cameras is ideal as you'd likely want to be using a camera in the frame while promoting your own photography). Great examples of this would be short promotional films (possibly added to the front page of one's photography website) and behind the scenes videos. Both are easily shared by happy clients and followers on social media platforms and can help generate more business.

Photography can also help support one's filmmaking goals, as printed media is often more easily disseminated to potential film audiences and can serve as an easily recognizable symbol for the film (movie posters would be a good example). In smaller productions, a good photograph used as the title card for a YouTube video can aid in giving that video a polished and professional look.

Will offering video services be required to stay competitive in my regional market?

The fact that most cameras can shoot video is not lost on modern-day consumers. If a bride and groom inquire about your wedding photography, they'll often ask "Do you shoot video too?" Of course, it's very difficult to shoot video and still imagery of the same event simultaneously and provide sufficient coverage, but most consumers don't realize that. So you're more likely going to provide one service or the other for a specific event (although you may also have someone else on your team providing the additional service).

So, assuming you've already invested the time, energy and equipment into becoming proficient at videography, offering videography services makes a lot of sense as it increases your potential client base. You could even give try to partner with other photographers/videographers in your area with the agreement that they recommend you as a videographer when potential clients inquire about wedding photography services, or otherwise recommend you as a photographer if they are approached for wedding videography services (with you recommending them for the other service when you are alternately approached by clients).

Of course, becoming proficient in a separate skill and offering an additional service is only necessary if you need to expand your business. If you're already having trouble finding free hours in the day while offering only photography services, it doesn't make sense to expand into a new market. But if you have the time and could use additional income, branching out into videography could certainly make sense from an economic perspective, especially if you already have sufficient video production tools at your disposal.

What extra equipment will I need to create high quality videos?

If you didn't read the last part of the previous sentence carefully, please read it again. Just because your camera shoots 1080p video does not mean you have everything you need to create high quality videos. Although anyone can push the shutter button on a camera and take a picture, it takes education, persistence and oftentimes special equipment to produce a captivating photograph. As far as photography is concerned, "special equipment" might include neutral density or polarizing filters, tripods, special triggering devices, shoe-mount flashes and/or studio lights, radio triggers, etc. You also likely use special software, such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom for post processing needs. Videography is no different, and thankfully, some of the previously mentioned photography products can help in videography as well (filters, tripods, lights).

If pursuing videography, you may need to invest in such things as LED lighting, audio recording devices/microphones/headphones/booms, gimbal stabilizers, shoulder mount rigs, sliders/jib cranes, etc. Of course, not every project is going to require all of those items, but... some of those items will be essential on just about any film project. And on top of that, you'll need some type of professional video software – such as Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve or MAGIX Vegas Pro – to turn your raw clips into a polished video.

Summary

While photography and videography share many similarities, including a subset of shared equipment, they are very different creative disciplines and each requires a vast amount of resources – in time, education, equipment and experience – to master. Whether or not it is wise to pursue both disciplines will depend heavily on one's personal drive and available resources. For those who do choose to pursue photography and videography, it can be a long, but likely fruitful adventure.