Event experience -which approach is better? at DVinfo.net

Kell Smith · July 16th, 2008, 11:24 PM

Any suggestion as to how to approach getting experience doing a wedding? I dont' plan to specialize in weddings but would like to have the skill.
I only have one camera and am getting more confident in my skills, but am not quite there yet. I"ve done one wedding, two years ago, for a friend which was mostly a learning thing, and also she probably would not want me showing it for a number of personal confidentiality reasons.
Should I approach a wedding photographer, do one on my own, and hope for the best? I don't know any videographers at this time who I would feel comfortable asking to shadow (actually, I don't know very many at all).
THanks for your thoughts

Chris Davis · July 17th, 2008, 08:38 AM

You got to get out there and do it, we all did. I offered my services to a few friends for free with the expressed purpose of gaining experience and showing the videos to prospective clients. After doing two freebies, I never had to do that again. Most of my clients didn't ask or care how many weddings I shot, as long as my previous work looked good.

I didn't work with any other local videographers, because their style was more "camera locked down on a tripod in the back of the church" where mine was more cinematic.

Denis Danatzko · July 17th, 2008, 10:09 PM

if you changed your location from "USA" to at least the state you live in, if not the nearest city. Folks here can be very helpful. I've made a few contacts and got a few jobs through this forum; opportunities for you may come sooner if people know a) where you are, or b) where you're willing to travel to. Keep an eye on "Helping Hands". You never know when opportunity might knock.

July 16th, 2008, 11:24 PM	#1
Kell Smith Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: USA Posts: 436	Event experience -which approach is better? Any suggestion as to how to approach getting experience doing a wedding? I dont' plan to specialize in weddings but would like to have the skill. I only have one camera and am getting more confident in my skills, but am not quite there yet. I"ve done one wedding, two years ago, for a friend which was mostly a learning thing, and also she probably would not want me showing it for a number of personal confidentiality reasons. Should I approach a wedding photographer, do one on my own, and hope for the best? I don't know any videographers at this time who I would feel comfortable asking to shadow (actually, I don't know very many at all). THanks for your thoughts

July 17th, 2008, 10:09 PM	#3
Denis Danatzko Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: NYC Metro area Posts: 579	Chris is right, but it might help... if you changed your location from "USA" to at least the state you live in, if not the nearest city. Folks here can be very helpful. I've made a few contacts and got a few jobs through this forum; opportunities for you may come sooner if people know a) where you are, or b) where you're willing to travel to. Keep an eye on "Helping Hands". You never know when opportunity might knock. __________________ Denis ------------ Our actions are based on our own experience and knowledge. Thus, no one is ever totally right, nor totally wrong. We simply act from what we "know" to be true, based on that experience and knowledge. Beyond that, we pose questions to others.

July 17th, 2008, 08:38 AM	#2
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	You got to get out there and do it, we all did. I offered my services to a few friends for free with the expressed purpose of gaining experience and showing the videos to prospective clients. After doing two freebies, I never had to do that again. Most of my clients didn't ask or care how many weddings I shot, as long as my previous work looked good. I didn't work with any other local videographers, because their style was more "camera locked down on a tripod in the back of the church" where mine was more cinematic.