My First Wedding...

Wesley and Kristen on Vimeo

I posted this under show your work for a little bit of feedback, but had no such luck so maybe posting specifically in the wedding forum will help!

This was my first wedding. A photographer friend of mine asked if I wanted to shoot at a wedding he was working just for the fun of it. I have been looking for such an opportunity so I jumped on it. There was another shooter, but he was completely new to DSLR shooting and didn't feel comfortable sharing his footage. So everything you see was shot by me on a 7d.

I have shown this to the Bride and Groom and they are in love with it which is great, but this being my first wedding I would just love some input from the rest of you. This was also an edit I did to test out FCP X, which is nicely suited I think for these types of projects.

SO...what do you guys think?

[Greg Fiske]

Whats the difference in your settings between :27 and :28. The skin tones looks fantastic at :28, :27 is saturated or somethings going on?

Same with :33 like you dropped the gain?

What are your settings at 1:14, maybe we can trouble shoot it. The stabilizer software should allow a border, maybe drop to 720 so you can save shots.

1:23 again, I think you dropped your gain, but it makes the image look flat. If stuff is blown out, you can't save it with a dslr. You need to expose for highlights.

1:28 try to keep your exposure consistent, indoor stuff looks a tiny bit dark.

Try to get your client to interact with you. They seem like they are ignoring the camera. Talk to them, you want to capture their smiles, etc.

1:54 footage needs to be warmed up, whites are blue in this shot.
2:03 wb is off and gain is off?
2:08 much better
In general, I'd try to inject more motion into the shots. Maybe a monopod rather than a tripod?
I'd add some sharpening in post to get the footage crisp. You got unlucky with the photographers, that's the most trigger happy I've ever seen anyone shoot. Gh2 is the solution to that, from what I've seen. Sometimes you need to work the edit around footage that is not working. I had this awful dj on the last gig, purple light everywhere. Not much of the reception made the trailer, but you can't tell. If it makes it onto the web, make it your best stuff, and if flash is killing it, I'd ditch it. Flash software will fix 1/3 to 2/3 of it, but you'd have to test it out with something this extreme.
Maybe try adding some ambient sound. I think maybe with slower songs having some audio added might tell the story a little better. Faster songs I think can carry their own. Telling the story is the part I'm always trying to figure out. Study wedding photographers for ideas on composition and creativity. I think the difference with vdslr shooting and videography is that we are bringing the photographers eye into movement. If we can get as creative as this guy, then we've told the story:
Hassas Photography Blog

[Matt Portwood]

Thanks for you comments Greg!

I see what you are saying about the inconsistancies in WB and Gain. Still working on developing a better eye for these things. Everything was shot on a monopod with the exception of the slider shot. Shots were definately limited as I was the only shooter and I like to shoot mostly candid stuff so if the photographer is doing a good job directing the couple I am happy to work around him. If not and there is something I need I will interject.

[Greg Fiske]

No problem, keep up the good work!