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6 Comments

  1. Has happened? As in “has just” or “this year, last year, Finally? I think this observation is a bit late to the party. If some feel “video has finally happened”, those who discovered years ago are feeling very fortunate about now.

    • @Steve Smith,
      No, not “has just” as in every single job, not just those who are forward thinking.

      • @A Photo Editor, Seems this convergence isn’t “breaking news to you either. When I discovered A Photo Folio years ago…..FINALLY a web site that not only is a great still portfolio tool but handles video just as elegantly.

  2. Steve I’m not sure if it’s just your wording or you are just missing something. I am a stills fashion/beauty photographer who has directed on commercials for L’Oreal, Pantene etc so I know a little, not a lot, about the world of film making. As a stills guy I have made massive investment in terms of kit (Redrock, Zacuto etc) over the last year or so but it has only been in the last four months that my clients (both editorially and advertising) have wanted me to shoot both on the same job. Maybe I have been blinkered to all of this but from my point of view I totally agree with the post that it is in this format (Canon 5D and iPad digital editions/advertising) that has made this happen.
    There may have been the odd job that merited video in addition to stills but to say it happened years ago it is just not true. NOW it is exploding and any photographer who can’t shoot video is going to be in a pretty poor place three years from now.

  3. Maybe I was not clear enough but the point I was trying to make was…for some, and including myself, the convergence of “video and stills” or doing simultaneous video and still on the same job is a regular occurrence. I have been doing this regularly for the past ten years. I have been in business for 19 years leaving my job at a television station to pursue my still work. I realized I missed video and and added it b back to my toolkit. As a photographer, I kept seeing the motion need and was there to answer. I have since enjoyed seeing clients realize the benefit of having one person who can do both still and motion, where one is not a sideline to the other, and do it well.

    I agree as the “new media” has has exploded with the evolution of iPads 5D’s, RED’s etc. But keep in mind, among others, web clients have been a great video consumer long before this explosion. I am very fortunate to have both skill sets and therefore even more ready for the new wave, but to say it happened years ago IS VERY TRUE, or more pointedly, it has been happening for a long time. I believe it has more recently shown itself as a bigger blip on photographers’ radar for the reasons you point out.

    I understand how the headline “The convergence of stills and video has happened” was intended, but I don’t think it paints a completely accurate picture, it sounded a bit to “breaking news”

    It sounds like you are perfectly primed for the new adventure!

  4. To a plumber, every job requires a wrench. To a carpenter every job requires a ruler. If an image maker produces video, there is a good chance job opportunities will include video.

    The top image makers may still just create stills only, and be sought for their unique qualities. Clients will also seek imaging services as commodity. In a commodity market price or value will usually trump the competition. Return on Investment is an important consideration for the image maker in a competitive market.

    Many of the top tier image makers today are still producing commercial stills without any video production.


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