A WORD OF ADVICE ABOUT VIDEOGRAPHERS
A little while back I had a horrible experience with the videographers at a wedding. Now of course I am not going to mention their name but I feel very strongly about brides understanding what they are getting into. At any wedding, it's important that the vendors are able to coordinate with one another to insure that things go smoothly. At this particular wedding, as the ceremony began, I was surprised to see one of the videographers standing right next to the officiant, and even more surprised to see the second one standing in front of him! I politely asked the 2nd one to get out the shot and asked if the first one would be standing next to the couple the entire time. He said "yes." I do understand that they want to do a great job on the video, but there is a certain amount of professionalism that should be met so as to not be a part of the ceremony themselves. This obnoxious interferrence continued the entire wedding, making it a super challenge for me to get a shot without one of them in it. It went on during the reception, their lights blaring on the couple and one of them standing within 3 feet the entire time. I repeatedly asked them to move out of the shot and finaly went inside to talk to them privately. I asked them to please work with me so as not to be in the photos and they explained that "The couple had chosen heavy coverage." I asked them if they had made it clear that this meant that they would be in their face all day, they said "no".
Basically, it comes down to this. These videographers did not have professional equiptment or remote mic's so they needed to be up close (obtrusive) the entiere day to get 'heavy coverage.'
Never, in 11 years of wedding photograhy have I worked with such obnoxious vendors who didn't care about anything other than themselves. I even had guests coming up to me and asking what the deal was with the video guys!
If you are a bride planning your wedding and considering a videographer, PLEASE! make sure they are not going to be the focus of your wedding day, have them explain their method of filming and understand what this means. It's ok for the vidoe to record everything that happens during the day, it is not ok for the videographer to be in every one of your wedding photos!
Ok. I vented. I feel better.
4 comments:
You go Shawna!
good advice!!
Boy can I relate! the last wedding we did which we just posted last night...I ran into a similar situation. even after learning that the bride specifically told the videographer to stay out of the way of the photographers as she valued the photos more! But he apparanly got carried away at the reception and I guess he forgot! He was right inside the dancing and had the video right in there he was in almost every one of my shots!!
They had 2 cameras too! The other guy was more discreet as I hardly ever saw him...'
I'm feelin ya... : )
Kerri
word! there is nothing worse than a videographer with little to no tact. especially when you are shooting portraits of the couple. they can really stiffle the creative mood and ruin the spirit of the moment if they are smothering everything.
Post a Comment