I've been recently fielding a lot of calls from my fellow Bay Area videographer friends about helping them shoot second camera. I've been able to help out with some but not with others due to scheduling conflicts and other factors.
It's always an interesting situation when you offer other people your assistance in this way. Some people feel too proud to shoot second camera because it seems below them or somehow demeaning. Even the term "second camera" or "second shooter" conotes a level of unworthiness, doesn't it?
Well, my policy is kind of different. I have no problem shooting second camera for my friends whatsoever. And, to be honest, I don't even charge them very much at all! In fact, I'm downright cheap. :-) My philosophy regarding helping others is to always do my best to share. Share my time; share my experience; share my equipment; share any small level of success I might have enjoyed.
Tony and I met briefly for the first time when we both attended a mutual friend's wedding in Southern California back in.. what? like 1999? We'd bumped into each other off and on at various functions since then. But in 2005 I actually got a chance to sit and talk with him at another wedding (that I was both working and invited to as a guest) and he shared with me his aspirations to start doing video work. I wanted to have him shoot for me, but it never worked out.
Fast forward to a year-or-so ago; he partnered with Ron Dawson at Cinematic Studios for a while and then recently started his own company doing wedding vendor promos, wedding photography, children's portraits, and wedding videography.
It was a blast to shoot with Tony ("Anton" to the rest of you :-) and I look forward to collaborating together again in the future.
Love, love, love this message Andrew! Your generous nature is exactly what this world needs more of. Not just as second camera at a wedding but everywhere... All of the time!
*Hugs*
Posted by: The Flirty Girl | August 10, 2008 at 10:56 PM