A Day in the Life of a Videographer: Behind the Lens

What does it mean to be the guy capturing life while living it at the same time?

Being a videographer is equal parts exciting and exhausting (though it’s a little easier when someone else carries your bags, lol). It’s a career that blends creativity with technical skill - demanding long hours, quick thinking and a sharp eye for storytelling.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like behind the camera, here’s a glimpse into the daily grind - and the magic - of life as a videographer.

Or as I like to call it: Lifestyle Through a Lens.

The Planning Phase (Pre-Production)

Before any footage is shot, there’s a mountain of prep work - treatments, call sheets, site recces and more. Depending on the project (weddings, commercials, documentaries, vodcasts, music videos, etc.), this might include:

• Client Meetings – Understanding the vision, the budget and the expectations.

• Storyboarding & Shot Lists – Planning every angle, movement and transition (aka blocking).

• Scouting Locations – Checking lighting, sound conditions and permits.

• Gear Prep – Charging batteries, formatting cards, packing lenses, stabilisers, mics, and backups - because gear always fails when you least expect it.

Controlled Chaos (Shoot Day)

No two shoot days are the same - especially outdoor ones - but they usually follow a familiar rhythm:

• Early Start – Whether it’s a sunrise wedding or a corporate shoot, you’re often the first to arrive and the last to leave.

• Lighting & Setup – Natural light is great, but most of us bring modifiers, LEDs or reflectors to shape the scene.

• Capturing the Action – This is the heart of it. Adjusting exposure, focus, shutter speed and composition while anticipating moments before they happen.

• Problem-Solving – Dead batteries, sudden rain, loud generators—something always goes wrong. Adaptability is the real skill here (and yes, even angles can save the day).

• Client Management – It’s not just about how you shoot, it’s about how you show up. Clients remember how you made them feel on set.

Where the Story Comes Together (Post-Production)

People often think shooting is the hard part. Truth is, the magic really happens in post.

• Organising Footage – Logging, labelling, and backing everything up (never trust a single hard drive).

• Editing – Cutting sequences, colour grading, syncing audio, adding music, tweaking transitions—the works.

• Client Revisions – Some love the first cut. Others… not so much. Cue the “make the logo bigger” and “can it pop more?” requests.

• Final Export & Delivery – Rendering, uploading, and praying there’s not “one last change.”

The Realities of the Job

• Physically Demanding – Carrying gear, crouching for hours, standing all day— your back will let you know about it.

• Creatively Rewarding – But when a client tears up watching their wedding film, or a brand video gets traction online, every late night is worth it.

My Final Thoughts

Videography isn’t just pressing record - it’s crafting emotion, solving problems on the fly, and learning something new with every shoot.

It’s a job for people who love both art and hustle.