A Great Little Exercise for Photographers!

by Skip Cohen

I wrote about this a few years ago and at the time thought it would be a great learning tool for a newbie. The truth is, it's a good exercise to do no matter what your experience level.
 
It requires a nice relationship with one of your clients or the videographer at a recent wedding. For many of you, you're getting involved in both aspects of coverage, still images and video, so it might be even easier to do. You want to get your hands on a copy of the video coverage from a wedding you shot. Watch at a quiet time when you feel relaxed and won't be interrupted.

As you watch the DVD, slow it down and see if you can isolate the moments you missed.  Look for expressions, things that might have been happening out of view from where you were standing.  Look for shadows and shapes, elements that might have an image a little more interesting.

This is NOT about punishing yourself for what you missed, but about training yourself to look more and more for different details.   What could you have done to make your images more unique and the album a stronger story?   You don't have to watch every second of the DVD.   Skip ahead to moments when you were struggling with getting the shots you wanted or maybe just having a hard time with the lighting.

Also, pay attention to the way the video tells the story. Roberto Valenzuela recently told me about how he's learning video. Why?  Because by learning another way to tell the story, he's making himself a stronger artist.

Watching a video of an event you photographed is a great exercise, but only if you enjoy the opportunity for more self-discovery.  Again, this isn't about beating yourself up on a past event.  It's about making you stronger for the one you've got coming up!

Photo Credit: © StudioAraminta - Fotolia.com