Today we’d like to introduce you to Peter K Hull.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Peter. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I shot my first video in 1992 with a VHS camcorder. It was a clip of my dad hang gliding in Germany. I watched the video later that day and thought it was awful. The zooming and tilting were dizzying and nauseating, but I realized something: the person shooting the video can affect the person watching it just by moving the camera.
I started paying attention to the camera work in movies and music videos and eventually took video production classes where I learned why those camera techniques work. I took a job at a TV station in Killeen, Texas and worked on using those skills to tell stories. I moved to Waco, then to Pennsylvania, then came to Dallas.
I still work on TV, but today I have more free time, so when I’m not at work, I’m somewhere in the city with my camera.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has smoothed out recently. In the beginning, I struggled to learn better storytelling techniques because this was at a time when people preferred to guard their secrets. Today people make tutorial videos sharing tips and techniques, and the internet has democratized this information, but back then there was a lot of trial and error and frustration.
Another struggle was finding people who wanted to collaborate. Before social media became part of our daily lives, you had to really go out and be active in the arts community to find like-minded creatives; another problem solved by the internet.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I do everything: but the two areas I’m really focused on are still photography and camera training. People can book a photo walk, 90 minutes of my time, to walk around the city and shoot candid street portraits. People visiting Dallas for a weekend can book me for a session, and they get sort of a mini-tour in an area of the city, plus photos of them exploring. That’s a big one right now.
I also have clients book camera tutorials. This is where we go out into the city, similar to a photo walk, except I focus on a specific skill or camera technique and we explore ways to be creative. Some people just want a class on ISO or depth of field. Some just want to talk shop while they shoot. Either way, my goal is to have them leave with a more solid understanding of their camera.
I work with everyone from DSLR veterans to first-time iPhone photographers. It feels good to know there are many people who want to take better photos and they are willing to reach out and face some constructive criticism, all with the end goal of making them better and more confident. That’s important to me. You won’t ever feel like I’m just here to collect money and move along. You invest in me; I invest in you.
I think the difference between my service and others is once we work together, I’m just a text away. You end up out on a shoot and have a question, text me or call. Like I said, it’s a small time investment aimed at helping you tell better stories and make art the way you want to make it.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Phone cameras are only going to get better. I see a shift already with shooters deciding to pack two iPhones instead of a larger video rig. I used to have to take two video rigs to shoot an interview and now with a GoPro with the right settings and some free color grading tools; you can get the same wide cutaway but with a much smaller device.
With video, the ability to go live on the gram or FB gives us direct access to anyone willing to share – some people will stream their entire life, making money from sponsors they interact with throughout the day. The value of still photos will shift too once cameras have the ability to become “smart” and interact with the user.
People might be able to shoot stock photos and videos with phones and make money from it. I see video, and still, photos becoming more decentralized than they currently are, giving everyone more creative tools. Really, with technology, we’re all just one algorithm away from a major change.
Pricing:
- 90-minute street portraits \ $200 (8-12 final proofs)
- 90-minute camera tutorial \ $160
Contact Info:
- Website: www.peterkhull.com
- Phone: 4695004215
- Email: peter@peterkhull.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/zoomwithyourfeet
- Twitter: twitter.com/peterkhull
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