The Basics of Shooting Video
Teresa Keller · 2019
Video defines television and the Internet. Anyone can shoot video, but those who consistently shoot great video are rare. The photographer has the opportunity to become an artist and to find great fulfillment in a creative profession. News photographers can develop their own unique style, and the work can be quite artistic, but the video will always be acceptable if you follow a few basic rules. Good videographers begin with understanding the basics: steady, well-lit video and a screen filled with meaningful pictures, composed according to the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds provides two important focus areas and ensures that the viewer sees what the photographer intended. Photographers must remember to allow lead room and the appropriate amount of head room for moving or talking subjects. Pans and zooms should be used sparingly and only when there is motivation. When they are used, they should begin and end with a long, count-to-ten steady shot. Photographers can go beyond the basics to improve their shot composition by following some fundamental artistic principles. This kind of creative work shows the audience a view of things that they might never have imagined. Capturing good video requires skill both in using natural and artificial lights and in capturing quality sound to accompany the video. The photographer must know how to assess and use the natural light at the scene of the story. Next, he or she decides whether to use artificial lights and, if so, how to set up the key light and possibly a fill light and back light. Capturing clear pictures with appropriate lighting also requires knowing the capabilities of the camera and how to use white balance, gain control, and iris settings. Video should always be accompanied by sound, and, again, photographers must understand the equipment they are using. They should learn to pay attention to the natural sounds and capture them clearly and effectively to enhance the audience’s understanding of what it was like at the scene. They must choose the appropriate microphone, whether it’s wireless, handheld, omnidirectional, or shotgun. News photographers face an enormous challenge. They work as professional photojournalists with responsibility for gathering information and deciding which pictures to include in news coverage. In addition, they use artistic skill and creativity in composing and lighting shots, and they act as sound technicians as well. They also have the physical work of carrying and helping maintain highly technical equipment. With the luxury of a reporter/photographer team, the partnership is equal and each person needs the ability to work well with many types of individuals. News photography is not for the faint of heart.