Pro Talk: Eyes See, Therefore I am

It's in the eyes, man. That's the basic quality that distinguishes a videographer from the rest of God's children. The good news is he's not born with it. A videographer sees better, faster and is able to capture more detail in a scene than the average Joe because he has trained for it.

A good videographer takes good care of his eyes because that's his single most important equipment. It essentially makes him what he is. Whether scientifically or nutritionally proven or not, as far as diets go, I take all my carrots and find excuses to have eggs as often as humanly possible.

I must see in equal clarity at a distance what I can perceive at close range. Your eye muscles function the same as the rest of your voluntary muscles (eg. biceps, triceps, abdominals): no pain, no gain. The more you work them, the better they become. Read at a distance outside your comfort zone, strain your eyes to focus on near objects then switch focus to objects further away. Work them often.

Composition and colour. The videographer's ability to preceive and complement colour stem from his elementary skill as a graphic designer. Evidently all graphic designers make good photographers/videographers. It's all in the practice. The most effective way to pick up this skill is through constant appreciation of well composed colour photographs.

Perception of light. A good videographer has the ability to:
1) Gauge where light sources are.
2) Determine if existing light is sufficient for his video camera.
3) Feel if the subject is under the proper lighting conditions.
4) Add additional light sources if existing lighting conditions aren't appropriate.
5) Set the lights for a desired mood.

It's not that the videographer's eyes are better than others, it's all in the constant honing of his abilities but bear in mind that it's indeed his most important asset. A videographer's eyes needs constant tender loving care.