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I’ve been bleeding for a big project, something to really throw myself into. Luckily, weddings are as big as they come, and at 70.43 GB of footage taken, this wedding was the biggest by far.
It was also the first Italian wedding I’ve experienced, and there was nothing more interesting than observing the customs. It’s a very physical culture, with lots of hugging, kissing, and firm pats on shoulders. And somehow everyone is a natural dancer. How did everyone know to hold hands in equally sized circles and start moving in the same direction? How did everyone know when to stop holding hands and start clapping1? How did you everyone known to step in to touch the groom and mother at the same time?
This is a perfect example of how video takes over the limitations of still photography. A lot of camaraderie and intimacy and confidence only come out when motion is involved, because it’s all in how people move and interact. Trying to capture a bride eating cake out of her cleavage just isn’t possible with a single frame.
This was a very special project for me, and I put so much love into this film, from the camera-work to the editing to the grading to the music. Over three hours of footage was carefully stripped away to create this five minute story. Every moment matters, every frame counts.
Sarah and Mike are so happy with the final product that they’ve now decided to send a DVD of this video out to all the guests in lieu of thank-you cards. For a wedding of 450 people, this is no small consideration. When I first met them, I knew they were going to be a fantastic couple to work with because they were super nice and made me feel very comfortable. They also gave me full creative control, which is always the most important thing for me as an artist.
Production notes
I mostly used two lenses: the 24–70mm f/2.8 and 70–200mm f/2.8 IS mk II. I changed to a 15mm fish-eye for dancing at the end cause the lower focal length provides a bigger depth of field. This was crucial, as I had my monopod propped on my waist to get shots from a high angle, and I couldn’t see the viewfinder there so I was just hoping for the best. I’ve decided that I can never use primes cause things move way too quickly when it comes to video to be changing lenses all the time.
There’s something very visceral and nostalgic about the grain in the low-light shots that isn’t the same as grain added in post-production. I’m now tempted to shoot an entire wedding at 3200 ISO.
Everything was filmed in full manual this time. In my experience, the contrast of the dark suits and white dresses really throws off the automatic camera settings. This means that on top of composition, focus, and movement, you have to worry about exposure, but it’s better when you’re shooting against constantly changing backgrounds and environments cause the camera won’t suddenly make things too dark or light.
My investment in the Glidetrack has already paid for itself. Side-pans make great transition shots. Sure, you could try to fake side-panning in post-production, but the edges of foreground objects have certain angles and textures and bokeh that gives each shot a unique look.
- It reminded me of this time I saw an opera in Budapest. When the curtain came down and the audience started applauding, everyone eventually clapped in unison and didn’t speed up. North Americans all clap in an amorphous din, but over in Hungary it’s like they were all clapping to the timing of a conductor. [↩]
I watched this on my teeny phone screen and it was still amazing; funny; gorgeous; touching; beautifully timed.
I wish I’d known you when I married!
I’m always worried about people viewing these videos on a phone cause they’re not meant to be seen that way; there are some details lost at small resolutions, and the music needs to be heard on a decent set of speakers. I’m sure musicians have the same worries though, cause not everyone has expensive studio quality speakers.
I was going to ask how you did the side panning shots. Then you mentioned buying the glide rails.
Nice one, I am beginning to see your videos in league with the pros.
I forgot how much those shots stand out (probably because I’ve been staring at my footage for too long) until people started asking me about them. Although when I look at other people’s work with Glidetracks, I always think “Wow, that looks like an expensive production”.
Having attended this wedding I am so HAPPY with this video. (And YAY I’m apparently getting one now!) You really captured it. The emotion and atmosphere you have here reflects what it was actually like and isn’t a product of music and editing creatively. SO AWESOME.
Interesting, I’ve never considered how editing would play a part in a wedding video. I’ve always been more of a storyteller, so I try not to rely on “creative” editing.
Your video and photography just get better and better. I’ve followed your blog for a while now and I must say your artistic eyes is just great. The color tones add to the intimacy of the images you capture. Great work on the video and music. I’ve seen some wedding videos that are just so stuffy and impersonal whereas yours gives an air of familiarity and a true understanding of how formal and fun a wedding day truly is.
Just magnificent work!
Thanks! I’ve also seen a lot of weddings videos that are posed and set up. I think that’s why they tend to be impersonal, not to mention very unnatural-looking. That’s why I prefer to do candid shooting; all the emotions come out by themselves when the cameraman isn’t telling someone what to do and how to look.
So when do you quit your day job? Your wedding films are so evocative, such a beautiful storybook of the wedding, that I always feel like I was there when I watch them. That is a nice cover of The Knife too.
I’d love to do this full-time some day…but my day job is too great to give up right now!
Love it love it love it!! I stopped breathing when you side-panned across the audience — the effect was so cool. Really great investment, I thought it added so much.
Thanks! It’s hard to put a quantitative price on certain pieces of equipment because nothing is a “necessity”. But when you get certain results and you think “I would have gladly paid this much to achieve them”, then you know it’s worth it.
beautiful!!! weren´t there, don´t know anyone of the wedding though I get the feeling I know them a bit :) very very nice. and: I really like the very natural feeling you get though at the same time you know that every picture is at the right place — and that´s handicraft and technical knowhow. fantastic! by the way: who is the song&singer?
The song is Heartbeats by Jose González…choosing the music was probably the easiest part of making this video. It went so well with everything that I knew I had to use it.
Wasn’t that one of the songs that was in a playlist last year? I loved the video, i really hope that you keep it up. The video shows fragments of their relationship that couldn’t be captured by any other person. You did a wonderful job.
Nope, this one wasn’t on any of our playlists, I first heard this song about a year ago when a friend put a mixtape ended up in my mailbox as I was going through some hard times.
I’m late on commenting. Jeff, man, this is awesome.
Sounds like you have some amazing friends. ( From a strangers perspective )