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A Videographer's Health

Writer's picture: Paul RodriguezPaul Rodriguez

Updated: Jun 1, 2023





The health of a videographer, photographer, or any creative person that works in this field can sometimes be overlooked. Like any job, a videographer puts a lot of time into their work. I myself run a small business in this field and a little more with my knowledge and experience. My work are sometimes comprised of events video/photography, portrait sessions, audio/video equipment installations, sound engineering, and hours of editing. This kind of work can sometimes wear you down physically and mentally. At my age now, I would need to start pulling back from being on the field so much and instead, just run the business part of my company. But I love the work, I love being out there meeting all kinds of people, experiencing the events, and the ability to be creative with capturing shots. This is my passion and I would say I'm living the dream. However, living the dream can come at a cost if not careful. The first area I would say that a videographer should be careful is the lack of proper sleep. Medical studies have shown that overwork and the lack of sleep can make you old fast. When I work all day say at a wedding which can be a 12 hour session easily, my body is worn out by the end of the day. A small camera may seem easy to carry but try holding that camera and be as stabile as possible all day long. Most wouldn't be able to handle that. Your arm will definitely feel it the next day, if you can even move it then. Then after an all day or late event I would need to travel home. There's been many times I would get home anywhere from 12 AM to 2 AM. This can be dangerous since fatigue sets in while driving late at night. Then there's the editing part that takes place. Editing is not easy either. You have to do the tedious task of moving objects, cutting, researching, downloading, listening carefully, color correcting, and viewing clips over and over again for hours, even days, using your mouse and keyboard non-stop. Not only do your eyes get weary but your butt sitting in a chair, your body in a position all day, and your hands and arms. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common thing for editors so it is imperative to get the right amount of rest for you mind, body, and eyes. Another area to be careful of is the stress factor. Videographers, can stress about meeting deadlines, money shortages, lack of family time, mistakes made, and sometimes being put in dangerous situations for the "great shot". I myself can sometimes stress over these situations to the point I want to throw up and even give it all up of pursuing my dream. In those times we videographers must find stress relievers and make the time for them. I know having to meet deadlines, fixing mistakes, and not knowing where your next dollar will come from are important to manage but our health is more important. Stressing can put yourself in a hospital or a collapse of the body and mind to the point of no return. I find that stress relievers are essential. Exercising, recreational activities, taking vacations, and spending time with the ones you love can help maintain a healthy lifestyle away from stress.

This brings me to my last comment of an area to watch for which is your physical health. Sometimes, creatives whether you're a videographer, photographer, editor, or musician have to endure elements of events. An event can be outdoors where you have to cope with the weather. It can be extremely hot where I'm from in Central Texas. Then sometimes outdoors can be cold in the winter and then the rain can also be a damper to your body. In indoor events, you have to deal with things like, loud music, bumping into crowds of people, smoke, DJ lights, Covid, and wet floors which can be dangerous if not careful. At the end of the day your body is exhausted and hurting. So come prepared with the right clothing, comfortable shoes, snacks, and plenty of water. Exercise is important for a videographer as well. This builds strength in the arms and legs which are impacted the most. Exercising also brings energy to your body and keeps you going. Rather than feeling sluggish because of lack of sleep, no exercise, and poor eating habits. Eating healthy is just as important. Because of this kind of work which can take my whole day, I sometimes find myself famished and willing to eat any burger, pizza, or quick meal around. The problem is, I will regret it later. So eating healthy will help you in the long run as well as exercising.

Lastly, attending to the areas of your health as a videographer helps maintain better focus, energy, and time management. As videographers we have to purposely take the time to invest in ourselves. Read, listen to music, take walks, clean up, get organized, give to others like supporting a local church with your skills, talents, and money. These things go a long way for better health mentally and physically. Being a videographer is really hard work and I hope that people would take notice of this, especially when potentially booking them. Videographers go through a lot to give the client the very best they can possibly do. Some are better than others, some are more experienced than others, but we all strive to do our best. No matter what you do for a living, having time for your health is way more important than any job. When you take care of yourself, you're able to take care of your job more efficiently.


-Paul Rodriguez

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