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How to Choose a Wedding
Videographer? Why bother reading an article on How to Choose a Wedding
Videographer? After all, you just look at his (or her) footage and size up
their personality, fees and plans, then make your choice, right? Right. And
that's how the majority of weddings get ruined - or at least have the "Fun
Meter" turned way, way down! That's right, four out of five weddings are
ruined by the wedding Videographer. So, if you don't want your wedding
Videographer ruining your wedding, read on..
Wedding Videographer
Styles of Operation There is a time for posed, formal videofooatge - at your
photo session. Often there are two photo sessions, one held before the
ceremony, with guys and gals kept separate, and one held after the ceremony. In
my opinion, a wedding Videographer should be told that this is the only chance
to get posed footage and that he must be good enough to capture all other
footage as though he were a professional event Videographer - oh wait, he IS
(supposed to be) a professional event Videographer. Event Videographers and
photographers are supposed to be able to unobtrusively record an event without
interrupting it to stage and pose for footage, etc.
Puppeteers Unfortunately, most brides are unaware of this
little fact. After all, she only has to choose a wedding Videographer once in
her life (hopefully). So what happens when she hires a wedding Videographer who
cannot shoot like an event Videographer? One who thinks he must be in charge of
everything and that every shot must be posed in order to get a smooth and easy
montage. I'm glad you asked, because now we're getting to the whole purpose of
this article. These guys act like puppeteers with you and your groom as the
puppets. You are never left alone to enjoy your day. There will be no casual
footage of you and your groom, friends and family having a great time, partly
because all footage will be staged and partly because the wedding Videographers
will make it difficult for people to have a great time.
It begins while the bride and bridesmaids are getting ready.
Some Videographers will come into the room
and stay out of the way and quietly get some casual shots, then ask for a few
posed shots, then leave. Those are the pros. Unfortunately, most are not pros
and will hover over the bride and bridesmaids, constantly harassing them for
posed shots, so that the bride and her friends can hardly find any time to chat
freely and enjoy the moment.
The Wedding Ceremony During the ceremony, a time that should
have reverence, a time that should belong to you and your groom, I see these
wedding Videographers continually turning their video lights on and off and
walking back and forth in front of guests. They seem to be doing a much better
job of distracting your guests than of getting good shots. A professional
wedding / event Videographer should be able to cover this from a tripod further
back in the room, using a telephoto lens and without lights. He should not be
moving about and distracting people. The purpose and focus of a wedding ceremony
should be you, your groom and your guests - not a wedding Videographer (and not
a wedding photographer either).
Photo Session I've seen after-ceremony photo sessions run
two hours and longer. By that time, guests at the reception had grown tired of
waiting and had begun leaving. This is not the way you want your wedding
remembered! A real "pro" Videographer will extend the photo session
less than 10 minutes to get some special video footage.
Reception This is where it really gets bad! Wedding Videographers know they need good shots
of the main events - grand entrance; first dances; cake-cutting; toasts;
bouquet toss; garter toss; etc. A true professional wedding Videographer will
get these shots "casual style" by staying out of the way, yet close
enough to get the shots. You, your groom and guests will see he is there and
there will be camera lights, but he won't be really distracting or obtrusive.
However, the majority I've seen are not pros and they have
no confidence in their ability to get these shots without staging them. They
will not let you and your groom enjoy things like cake-cutting and toasts
without trying to manipulate you both as though you were puppets. Imagine going
through your reception while constantly being told what to do by the wedding
Videographer! This isn't a "wedding reception", this is a
"modeling session"!
I am constantly amazed at the way brides and grooms meekly
allow this to happen, then rail angrily about it afterward. Sure, you'll get
your video - but will you and your groom really look happy?
These wedding Videographers will hover over you so closely
that your guests probably won't get a very good view of the major reception
events. Your wedding photographers will have to be magicians or use three or
four cameras throughout your reception in order to have any chance of getting
some shots that don't include your wedding Videographer. (chicago illinois videographer)
But the real "pros" can get great shots without
manipulating you through all your events and without unduly distracting your
guests. Don't take chances - demand that your wedding Videographers and
photographers work from a twelve to fifteen foot radius, allowing you some
breathing room and your guests some viewing room.
How Does Your Wedding Videographer Dress? I am constantly
amazed at the way many wedding Videographers come dressed for weddings. A true
professional will wear all black for most weddings, so that he is unobtrusive
and so that he is not mistaken for a guest. He may wear light tan at a beach
wedding, for the same reasons. Another consideration is that your family and
guests will be taking photos and a wedding Videographer dressed in loud colors
or black and white polka-dots will be quite distracting in these photos.
How is Your Wedding Photographer Being Paid? Most wedding
photography plans are structured so that the more photos they have that you
want, the more money they make. I've been told more than once that many wedding
Videographers consider the wedding videographer as their competition. If the
wedding video doesn't come out well, then the photos are the only remembrance
products the bride can choose from and the Videographer will sell more photos.
However, their thinking goes, if the wedding video comes out great, then the
bride may not want to buy more wedding photos.
This is why many wedding Videographers purposely get in
front of the video cameras at every opportunity. I know this sounds incredible,
but I have footage of photographers aggressively getting in front of video
cameras. I have many times seen footage from an unmanned video camera where a
photographer is standing to one side, looks over his shoulder to see just where
the video camera is, then repositions himself to block its view better!
Most wedding videographers plans are flat fees that change
only if the hours change. But saying that, most professional photographers
understand that videographers and photographers are here to do whatever we can
to please our client - the bride and groom, and therefore we extend every
courtesy to the photographers.
SUMMARY - What Should You Do? Sit down with several wedding Videographers that you've pre-screened
and discuss this article and your feelings about it, with them. Listen closely
to what they say and how they say it. It takes training and experience to cover
an event like a wedding, and get great shots while being unobtrusive. In short,
it takes a 'pro'.
Unfortunately, both the wedding photography and wedding
videography fields are full of amateurs, hobbyists and even experienced people
who have been doing things wrong for years. Finding a real 'pro' is not an easy
task. You will have to invest some time and effort, but it will pay off
tremendously!
Remember - this is supposed to be YOUR DAY, not the
Videographer's day! More than anything else, your choice of a wedding
Videographer will determine how YOUR DAY turns out. "How
to Choose a Wedding Videographer" may be the most important reading you do
before your wedding.
By
S. Aafjes
The Wall