Why big cameras turn on Brides, or is it the guys?

What is it about big cameras that say to a bride outloud, “I’m big so I will get you the best quality video?” Never mind that the value of a wedding video lies with the shooter and in the edit (yes we will get to the camera). This time big is not what counts, it’s not in your pants or on your shoulders either.

To clarify, the quality I’m referring to is the video content itself and how the story telling is assembled and expressed not the video frames themselves. Though you want both, there is a correlation between the camera size and the video image quality as the image sensor is bigger…. Enough of the technical.

I have seen weddings shot using these old shoulder mounted cameras, with the video guy sweating it out on a hot summer day. Just a labourin’ getting to the next shot. “But boy this camera is big so it must provide the best video possible.”

These old broadcast cameras are great in the studio with lots of lights, proper gels or outside on a nice sunny day, but that’s it. Don’t have them work well during the reception when the lights are turned low. Kiss any quality expectations goodbye. Use lights you say! Sure 10KW beams blinding the guests and thick power cords lying around for people to trip over, assuming you don’t burn out the fuse box first at the reception hall. Todays weddings must be shot discretely and unobtrusively as the brides expects.

An exception, if a bride had the big bucks for an all out no holds barred wedding where costs are out the window, sure there are quite large digital cameras that work wonders under many conditions and produce grade A plus video, even film like quality if you want it. These are $250K or more cameras (that doesn’t count the $300K lens) for professional film makers and broadcasters, not for doing weddings, but then again anything is possible. But really back down to earth. Does the size of the camera mean something to the bride or the groom for that matter. The groom usually asks first.

Some prospective brides want to know about your equipment, (hmm, hold that thought). Having pictures or showing the bride your video equipment generates either oohs, awes or an hmmm depending on the camera you show them. I have many size pro cameras and the smaller ones always gets an hmmm. The groom likes big cameras to.

So what is it about the perception of a large looking camera that strongly suggests pro cinematic results or of high image quality video. In days gone by that may have been true, at least of the latter, but today’s prosumer compact digital cameras pack a real professional punch.

I will say this however, even high end consumer HD camcorders, though producing stunning video under good lighting conditions have poor low light characteristics producing noisy video. It can be compensated with intense but diffused directional on camera lighting when it counts like the bride and groom dance and cake cutting for example.

A well shot video (considering scenes, assembly, lighting, composition, etc.) using a professional grade camera that stores highly efficient high bit rate video like H.264 in HD is an excellent choice regardless of the size of the camera. However that is not the whole story of a great looking high quality video. The camera should have a decent size imager in 3CCD format, work in low light conditions, have high quality lenses and the ability to maintain high data rates without corrupting the recorded images. This you will get with a professional industrial grade camera and yes they are somewhat larger than the average consumer hand held HD cameras. So does size matter? Ask the bride. What about pro cinematic results and great storytelling. Ask your videographer.

The Classic Wedding Bubble

What is the Classic Wedding Bubble?

Well it’s a term I coined to describe this transparent bubble shaped yet rigid container (despite the delicate bubble context), where all of the expected traditional aspects of a wedding day are seen and listed by the bride as “must haves”. You know, the dress, the cake, the ring, the dinner, the honeymoon etal and of course the photographer. I’m going to zero in on the photographer “must have” part.

In many cases, Wedding budgets are based on these ingrained “must haves” and any after thoughts are considered outside the bubble and may only come into play if there is any money left. Nice to haves if you will. That usually means less dollars than there should be for these last minute thoughts.

As a professional event videographer for the last 15 years, I have seen a huge disparity between the dollars paid to the photographer to that of the videographer just based on this ingrained tradition. It’s just too uneven.

The photographer is already in the bubble and thus can readily command a “going rate” as God forbid there are no pictures taken. A videographer on the otherhand is outside the bubble, and usually has to get by with a smaller monetary consideration if the service is undertaken at all. I somewhat blame the videography industry itself for that, but that’s another story. The disparity is in the actual costs paid for “time on the job”.

The photographer, (yes is paid for their professional eye, not for the volume of picures taken) really only works the day of the wedding plus some off time particularly if the shoot is all digital. Those photographers that still shoot in 35mm film do have more work, but the overall net is still high. Additional bread and butter is in the copies, proofs and the albums.

A videographer(s) is available the entire wedding day (shooting or not) depending on the wedding video package deliverables. That can be as long as 12 or more hours. That’s just the filming time. What about the next 30 or so hours in the edit suite (can be less for very cheap weddings where cookie cutter templates and minimum footage are used for your video). Many brides are not fully aware of this latter aspect of getting a real pro wedding video done. Creativity and assembling real production value in a wedding video means having the right footage to work with and the time to express this value. Working for an equivalent of $20 or less an hour is what this really boils down to as compared to $45 to $60 per hour on average for a photographer. Is this fair?

When comparing apples and apples between a seasoned pro videographer and a seasoned pro photographer, in my opinion the necessary expertise, the cost of the equipment and software far outstrips that of a photographer. Is this fair?

I’m not saying do not choose a photographer for your wedding day. Equally, do not shut out a true working budget for the videographer which not only works longer but in my opinion provides far more value over the long run for re-capturing those memories of your special day, in both sound and motion no photo can ever compete with.

It takes an exceptional photographer to exude the essence of a once in lifetime shot to say “wow” this picture says it all. This truly is a Da Vinci moment. Unfortunately most photographers use the cookie cutter method of a shoot (mostly pressure from the brides mom – ok I’m in for it now) to create the plethora of mostly mundane shots and get very well paid for it, only for the sake of tradition.

When considering what visual method you choose to cover your wedding day, my suggestion is to choose one of the professionals to do it, not both. Pull that videographer inside your bubble and consider the service as an essential part of your wedding day plans as you would a photographer.

Many videographers now offer a photo shoot element as part of their wedding video package for less than you think. A great value. You can still get that photo on your mantle.

Another advantage to have one pro in your wedding day coverage, is that there is no competiton for that key shot. Full attention is given to your wedding day coverage with no joostling for best position and losing that wonderful shot or shots that can define your day. It does and will happen.

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