Amateur or professional?
The pros and cons of letting a friend do your videography
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Videography
With the steady improvement
in digital home video cameras, it’s increasingly tempting for couples to let a friend or relative
shoot their wedding video.
Before making that decision, it’s a good idea to find out just how skillful
that individual is with the equipment and in capturing the essence of an event. Take a look at videos
the person has recorded and edited. Ask yourself whether you would be happy with that approach to
your own wedding.
Are scenes framed well? Significant moments captured from beginning to end? Is
the camera held steady or moved smoothly, or do you notice jerks and jiggles? Are scenes well lit
without obtrusive lighting? How is the sound quality?
The standard for wedding videography has gone well beyond the linear home-movie
approach that was once common. It’s now typical for the finished video to be a carefully edited
production, using cinematic techniques to make up a compelling narrative of your special day.
Does your volunteer videographer have proven editing skills? Have good video
editing software? Know how to capture important moments without getting in the way?
Guest or vendor?
Even if the answers to all these questions are positive, there’s one other
important consideration. Are you comfortable asking your camera-toting friend or cousin to spend their
whole day peering through a viewfinder rather than enjoying themselves? If not, are you willing to settle
for a partial record of your wedding -- the part an amateur videographer can shoot while not eating,
or socializing, or freshening up his drink?
A volunteer videographer isn’t the same as the folks who help put the centerpieces
together, or decorate the church before the ceremony. When those tasks are done, those volunteers are
free to enjoy themselves during ceremony and reception. But that’s when the person with the camera has
to be working.
Expecting anyone to be a guest while doing a job can lead to resentments on their
part and disappointment on yours.
When somebody is doing you a favor, it’s harder to impose your expectations on
them. You’ll get what they choose to give you, not necessarily what you want. When relying on free
services from friends, don’t forget the truth of the adage “You get what you pay for.”
Those worries don’t apply to a professional, who expects to be working, not
partying. A pro doesn’t take offense when you outline your expectations. It’s part of the job to
understand what the client wants and to satisfy those requests.
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