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Amateur or pro? Pros and cons of letting a friend do your video Return to articles index | Photography | 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. Return to articles index |
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