When do you use tripod at the weddings?
 

Whe do you use tripod at the weddings? If 1 cam shoot only do you still use tripod?

I use a tripod for everything save the Processional, Communion, Peace, and the Recessional.

I also don't use a tripod for Limo Arrivals.

For me, ceremonies are always shot from tripods.

Virtually all other aspects of a wedding shoot are managed with a monopod.

For me, I have one camera on tripod at all times, and the other on a tripod about 85% of the time, only going handheld for certian dances and special shots.

Ryan

I use 2 locked off cameras on tripods, but operate solely from monopod. I find it easier to adapt and move position that way.

It is best to have at least 2 cameramen if you can persuade the client to pay for them.

I like tripod material for the ceremony, toasts, and first dance. The rest of the material is off the tripod and on a camera stabilizer system as much as possible.

The reason I use a tripod is for steady, professional shots during those times.

Ben

Yes, use a tripod during the ceremony especially if it's one camera coverage.

I think one of the most important elements of good videography is taking care to avoid distracting the audience with bad camera work. Use whatever device or technique u can to "take away" the hand-held look. Hand-held (if it looks hand-held) = amature IMHO. We all have our preferences, use whatever works for you especially for not specialty shots that should be static/stationary. Tripod, Monopod, Stabilizer.

Also, I've noticed that many shoulder-mount folks seem to be allergic to tripods, but in my opinion, anyone can plop on a shoulder mount camera and shoot shaky video. Maybe it's just me but whenever I see shaky shoulder-mount coverage for a wedding, I think to myself, now there's lazy videography - anyone could do that... ANYone.

I think one of our goals should be for our customers to be thinking "I couldn't have done that."

I use both a full size and a small camera for weddings and I agree 100%-use a tripod or monopod or stabilizer for the ceremony. You can only hold a camera for a certain amount of time (short time) solid and steady.The only time I don't use a tripod for the ceremony is if I can't use it during the processional and when that happens I keep my tight shots to an absolute minimum. Nothing exaggerates camera shake like a zoomed into the nose tight shot. During the reception I generally use a tripod for the intros and toasts-after that I go handheld (shoulder held) for the cake cutting and dances BUT not always-it depends on the setup. Again when going without the support I try not to zoom at all but rather walk in to get a tighter shot if I need to.
Your camera support can be your best friend when the best man thinks he has to do a Tonight Show monolouge. :-(
Don

Both cameras are on tripods during the ceremony and speeches. One camera on tripod during the first dance.

All handheld during the preps.

Main cam on a tripod all throughout the ceremony, second cam roving for reactions.

Speeches, singing toasts during the reception all tripod mounted
bouquet garter toss, first dance, dancing - both handheld

Monopods for everything preceremony (2 cameras). Tripods during the ceremony (3 cameras - and I've routinely dismounted to capture things I couldn't get from the tripod). Monopods only for the reception (2 cameras).

I've yet to use a tripod at a wedding. Same with a mono pod. Everything is handheld, shoulder or handheld stabilized (funky little DIY jobs).

OK, I need help! First off, I'm no professional but I am video photographing my daughter's upcoming wedding (she is going to have a "Pro" do stills). I am on a budget, but have purchased a Sony HC1 for the wedding, which is going to be outdoors. Maybe it's my aging body, but those 1.5lb HDV camera's are a pain to keep steady for any length of time.

My "stabilization" budget is modest, plus the price of a LANC zoom controller. Beyond this event, I do mostly outdoor-nature photography with a Nikon D70 freehand.

Right now I am of the mind for three ways to go:

1) Monopod with stabilizer. I like the idea of the Bogen Neotek 685B or 3245 with a support arm like the mono-stabilizer from dolgin.net. Other options to the monopod include using a shoulder brace, gun-grip, or foot brace (like the Pro4 pod foot "pedal") with it.

For those of you who use monopods, which model(s) do you like and what if anything do you use to help stabilze your shots, and do you also use a ZOOM controller with your monopod? Plus of a monopod is that I can also use it with my Nikon.

2) A low-cost ($200) Steadytracker (steadytracker.com). One plus I like about this one is the ability to set it on something (like the ground) to act as a very short tripod.

For those of you who use a "stabilizer", which ones do you use (with an eye on the less expensive models). I have looked at the spiderbrace2 (for $70) but don't see that it's that stable -- i.e., hold both arms out braced in front of you and see if they are any less wigley than one arm out there.

2) A decent tripod that can be used like a monopod, for example the Pro4 Uni-loc tripods.

For those of you who use mainly tripods, what models are you using?

Thanks for any suggestions.

For tripods we currently use Davis Sanford ProVista models. They work really well for a $250 tripod.

For monopods we use the Varizoom StealthPod, which also works very well for a $100 monopod.

I've seen monopods for half that cost, but I can' tell you if they are any good or not.

Regarding getting a LANC controller and a 'steadicam' type device. If you are on a tight budget, neither of those are a necessity. We don't use either one of those at the weddings we shoot, and we shoot high-end weddings.

You can get great shots with a monopod and the learning curve for using one is almost nothing. Compare that to a 'steadicam' device. The learning curve is much higher, and I doubt you'd be really ready to make use of it to it's potential by the time of the wedding.

Those are my thoughts . . .

Amen. Anyone who gets paid to shoot/produce even a single wedding video, who doesn't share that goal, does everyone in the industry a real disfavor.