Still image and video production are increasingly crossing over, and photographers are offering motion services to eager clients—from Flash-driven online slideshows to editing still images into simple or complex movie “shorts.” (Kind of like the audiovisual shows of yesteryear on speed.) Providing motion services is a sure way to expand and market services while offering wonderful creative satisfaction.
The business and creative aspects of moving into motion are complex. Let’s not get sidetracked by those right now, but look at three exciting examples of photographers in motion:
• Gail Mooney is an editorial and commercial photographer who has photographed around the world for scores of magazines. “I see myself as a storyteller, and sometimes the story is best told in motion,” Mooney told me of her reasons for getting into movie making even before digital hit town. Mooney’s trailer to her “The Delta Bluesman” will give you an idea of her movie-making prowess.
However, for still photographers committed to still photography, I suggest you definitely check out Mooney’s “Las Vegas.” Mooney created this awesome, zesty piece of motion from still images only—all of which she photographed in a 24-hour period! She performed all the postproduction herself using Adobe Premiere. She what’s possible!
• Stewart Cohen is a commercial photographer who has moved into motion in a big and hilarious way: With witty, high-end commercials. Check out some of Cohen’s motion work here, and don’t miss the astronaut commercial he with the killer punch line.
“Some photographers feel they have to start at the bottom with motion and learn all the production skills,” Cohen told me. “But the important thing is to have a strong, personal vision. That’s what production companies are looking for.” Cohen adds that his experience orchestrating crews of dozens of people for big photo shoots made the transition to directing commercials smoother than one might expect. Excellent point!
• Chris and Lynn Jaksa are award-winning wedding photographers with a background in photojournalism and motion. (Chris even won an Emmy!) Their liveBooks-powered website is full of Flash-powered motion that certainly presents their still work with a sense of motion.
As the team writes in their bio section: “We bring our cinematic style to all of our work.” And it shows. And it also proves that, in some cases, image makers are moving from motion towards still—but with a cinematic aesthetic. Definitely cool!
These three examples are a very, very short list of what photographers are doing in the realm of motion. Moving into motion—in one form or another—only makes sense now that clients are hungry for motion content to post online (not to mention use in hand-held devices!).
The Moving Question
So what about you? Have you started offering light or full-blown motion services? Plans for the future?