So, I ended up booking my first of the year fairly last minute. The wedding was Feb. 6th, on a Friday, and the bride was really into it. She said she had wanted a videographer to capture the day, but her enthusiasm got me excited. I love people who WANT a video...not just a plain old video, but something different, something crazy...cause that's what I feel my niche is.
So, after our meeting and agreement signing, the bride said "look...if there's anything you have wanted to do, but haven't yet...do it. Even if it means other people with you...I don't care." Well, at this point I said, well now you opened a can of worms. Right off the bat I say, let's trash the dress in the Point State Park fountain in downtown Pittsburgh and other various areas downtown. Too much for her though....she changed to "almost anything"
Next I say then, alright let me go over some ideas and I'll let you know. Well, going into this year I've decided I wanted to do photography as well. I never feel cohesive with the photographers and I often see shots they don't take. So, for that reason I wanted to use the opportunity to do the photography side FOR the video...nothing else.
I contacted the bride and told her I was bringing a friend...an intern at the Pittsburgh Art Institute. He rolls fairly deep equipment wise....D200, several baller lenses with 1.X aperatures, etc. I also have a D60 with several lenses and I felt this was the opportunity to go big. The bride said the hired photographers were just starting out (something getting ALL to common) and were enthusiastic. I assured her we wouldn't get in the way of their photos and that we're merely taking pics for the video purposes.
So, Feb 5th comes, and we head to the rehearsal. I use the rehearsal to immediately get up in the mix. I like to get to know people quickly and I start talking to anyone and everyone. Getting them comfortable with me means better video, so I'm doing my thing. Time goes by, and surprise surprise...no photographers. I'm thinking, I can understand when these photographers of 20 years don't show...but for your first go-around...seriously?
Next day comes and we are scheduled to get with the bride at 9am. She's pumped up and so are we. I decide to meet at the hairstylists shop, and that's where the day begins. Well, 9 turns to 10 and 10 turns to 10:30...I'm thinking, what the hell! So I call to find the hair stuff disappeared and they're buying new. I stress to her that time equals lost video, and she needs to move.
Finally they show and I get on it with the interview (pre-makeup). I start asking probing questions right off the bat, and I crack her quickly and easily. She cries about how she feels about her husband to be, and her father who means so much to her. We were aggravated about time, but it was a great piece of video, and I was excited. We even got a great shot (camera and video) of her 8 year old daughter wiping her eyes...I was pumped!
So, as I often do, I show the bride good video shots...and now I show her good camera shots as well. I find it really pumps them up about what we're capturing. She's very excited....still no photographers at 12 noon.
We leave there to get with the groom at his hotel. He's a wild one, and they are in a honeymoon suite that has an opened shower...like no curtain and a big tub. He's talkin about us getting the zoom lenses out....it was funny stuff...all on video for the special features. We got some good interview while he fixed his hair and got ready.
We bolt out of there and head to the brides house. We get her and her sister through getting ready, get my signature dress shot I like. Suffice to say a bunch of mud and a white dress is a huge contrast. The risk was ridiculous, but once I'm after it I just can't help myself. Got it back without a spot though and got a great shot out of it although my photographer dropped the ball a tad
.
From there I get back in, secure the dress, then take my first noticeable breath in the past 20 minutes. She's pumped up, and finalizing getting ready...still no photographers! To this point we'd shot hours of video and taken over 450 pictures.
We bolt out of the house and head to the church. Everyone is behind and we race through traffic with the bride and MOH behind us. We get to the church with 20 minutes to spare and she gets in the bridal room to get her dress on.
FINALLY, the photographers emerge. A younger couple...kind of looking like deer in headlights asking US what to do. I'm trying to give them a brief, but we've got audio to setup, positions to think over, mics to get located...you know the deal. Well, they follow us to where we lay out our equipment and we start pulling out equipment. They walk over and I then see something I truly thought I'd never EVER see. Their camera's are, for real, Best Buy point and shoots....expensive point and shoots...but nevertheless point and shoots!!! I suppress my reaction, but I am thinkin....oh, this isn't gonna be good. I've seen several brides get burned by this same "starting out" photog. Everyone has to start out...I had to start out, but at least be equipped for the job.
Immediately upon seeing equipment I ask if the bride spoke to them about us taking photos. They said yes, and reassured us their camera's were better than SLR's and that they can use photoshop. I don't really respond and just explain how we work with other photographers.
Quickly I get with the bride and get some great footage into the bridal room. Picture this....6 women...all sisters...all great lookin girls. So, I ask mom, tell me your feelings, looking at all your amazing daughters, beautiful...all women and all grown up.....she's cryin already...lol. She gives a great interview then dad comes in and they have an extended hug....all good stuff. No photog again...
The ceremony begins and I take the front on the glidecam as usual. I generally stay right next to the photog and move around with the glidecam. It looks great in the video and I've never had an issue with the photogs...till now. Turns out the girl wanted to take the front and says they need to be tripod'd in the middle of the aisle! That doesn't go over too well, but I'm able to manuever around her and I make do.
Ceremony continues and I look to my other videographer (yes, no longer my partner) and the photog is lying on the ground beneath his tripod! On another occasion I was up front and low to the ground squatted down and I feel something beneath me...let me say again I'm squatted down and beneath me! Yes, he's underneath me like some gay porno...I almost snapped out. I gave him a look that said he was walkin a thin line.
Moving forward to picture time, he can't get everyone together, he's standing on the pews and holding his camera above his head like his taking concert pictures from the crowd....a total wreck. The mother pulls me aside and says "HELP". So I send my guy into shooter mode and he gets some photos of the bride...but this doesn't sit well with the photographers.
At the reception the groom says the photogs approached him and were upset about us taking photos, and reassured me that the family was concerned. He told me to do my thing and that the bride said whatever I wanted to do I had her permission. I love being tight with the bride!
Reception goes on and these photogs are wrecks. They are holding their cameras in the air, takin one handed pics. I stood behind them on an occasion or two and the pics were as you'd expect...on camera flash, people blown out with a black background. I just couldn't believe these people stepped into wedding photography with this equipment. A persons planned special day...what a tremendously foolish risk!
Night goes on and we get great footage. The family is thanking us, telling us all their daughters are hiring me....I love doing this!!! I came into this business to do video just a little different and with a bit of a different flair, and I'm just so happy to impress people with what I do!
Here some non-edited pics we got from mine and my friends cam. I uploaded one or two that aren't so great, but it's so you can see their photogs in the background. Dark reception though...so I was happy with what we got.
The groom and bride called me the next day to thank me prior to leaving for their honeymoon! They said that they were hoping that if the photogs pics aren't any good that they could buy mine. I told them I'd give them to them as a wedding gift and for all the referrals they could muster! Only catch with the referrals is they have to hire me for photo and video
Overall though...a really fun group and a freakin awesome group of sisters. So, that's my story...I type fast, so I hope your not tires of reading...lol. The reward is some pics though...haha.
[modified to fix an error I'm always making myself - saying "reception" when I mean "rehearsal". Great post!! Don't you hate it when the photogs go 180 from you? - Hank]
Photographer in the background. This is how he shot all day and night. You can see him in several of the photos.
