Video for Photographers Class (Austin)
with Stephen Ohl
DESCRIPTION:
You already know how to create a great image. Now learn how to bring your vision to life through video.
As a photographer, you already have many of the skills needed to create compelling video: an eye for composition, an understanding of lighting and lenses, and the ability to create powerful images. The challenge is learning how to translate those skills into a moving story.
This workshop bridges the gap between still photography and cinematography, helping you understand what makes video visually compelling. Explore the key elements that set motion apart from stills, including depth, movement, camera motion, blocking, and shot selection—and learn how each choice shapes the viewer’s experience.
Through demonstrations and video breakdowns, you'll discover why certain shots work, when to use them, and how individual clips come together to tell a cohesive story.
Hands-On Exercise: Put Visual Storytelling into Practice
Take what you've learned behind the camera and put it to work. You'll plan and capture a short sequence of video shots, experimenting with composition, camera movement, shot variety, and subject positioning to communicate an idea or tell a simple story. Learn how to move beyond capturing attractive individual shots and start thinking about how each shot connects to the next. With practical guidance and feedback, you'll begin developing the skills to shoot with intention and create footage that feels purposeful, dynamic, and engaging.
Camera settings and operation will be covered along the way, but the emphasis is on understanding why and when to use specific techniques—not simply which buttons to press.
Whether you want to expand your creative services, capture weddings and events, produce commercial content, or bring your own film ideas to life, you'll leave with a stronger foundation in visual storytelling and the confidence to start creating better video.
BIO:
Stephen Ohl is an award-winning writer and director with over 15 years of professional filmmaking experience. He received his MFA in Directing from the AFI Conservatory. His feature debut, Useless Humans, was released on Showtime in 2020. His latest project, the comedy series Sales Are Dope, premiered on YouTube in 2023 before being adapted into a feature film and released on streaming platforms in 2025. Stephen has also worked as a videographer, camera operator, and an editor for several different companies.