View Full Version : My First Wedding


Jamie Pippin
November 8th, 2010, 11:37 PM
This is the first thing I've ever been paid to film. I had a great time. Shot on a Canon t2i. More info on my gear if you follow the Vimeo link.

Patrick and Launa on Vimeo

Jamie Pippin
November 10th, 2010, 10:48 PM
any comments?

i know some of the 50mm shots were shaky and audio wasn't too good. any more advice on how this could have been better? or what was good about it?

Alan Melville
November 11th, 2010, 05:19 AM
Hi Jamie,

You already know the audio was a bit scratchy, I'm assuming it was shot with an on camera mike. Keep an eye open on the classified of this forum or Ebay and see if you can pick up a better mike.

As you said, you've got some shake in your shots, there's two ways to counter this, 1] practice, practice, practice hand held, if you can master it it'll give you huge freedom. 2] Purchase a Merlin or similar, doesn't need to be new, Ebay or the classified on here will do, then practice, practice,practice....using it.....

Get to know your camera position in relation to the focal length your using, it'll save you chopping off the top of peoples heads!!!!! Maybe tape a couple of pieces of white cotton across the LCD / viewfinder to make up a set of cross hairs, this will give you a reference position and may make it easier to keep the camera steady.

The flowers at 0:50, you need to be very careful of focal shift, use manual focus for these shots.
I'd have left out the take from 1:58 to 2:01, she looks like she's have a Bridezilla moment!!!!!!! lol

Keep at it, your getting paid, more than some others achieve......

Al

Jamie Pippin
November 11th, 2010, 09:49 AM
Thanks for the feedback! It was very helpful and I'll definitely take your advice.

Whoops, that's the second comment about that bridezilla shot :o I didn't notice it while editing...I probably should have left that out, haha.

Thanks again!

Sophie Bucks
December 12th, 2010, 03:57 PM
Hi Jamie

Getting paid to film makes filming a whole lot more fun.

I agree with Alan it is just a matter of practice. Although the couple will not notice if you really get their emotion- I think for weddings its almost the most important factor.- to really get the emotion into the camera close up. - You might want to think about using a paparazzi trick of not actually looking down the lens all the time but to make eye contact while shooting. ie. If you smile, they will often smile back probably thinking you are not shooting, or even thinking about the camera.
There is a little moment at the end of the film with the cake cutting onwards where I think you capture them/their personalities really well.

Anyway I hope that helps, good luck

Jamie Pippin
December 12th, 2010, 04:42 PM
Thanks Sophie, I really appreciate the feedback! Thank you for watching and for the advice.

Taky Cheung
December 14th, 2010, 01:26 AM
The color and shooting angles are great. However, the shakiness is REALLY bad. It makes the piece so amature. Did you not have OIS on or you are using a lens without OIS?

Jamie Pippin
December 14th, 2010, 10:31 AM
most of the shots were with a 50mm because it's the only good low light lens i have, and a 50mm on a cropped sensor camera is equivalent to an 80mm, so it makes it nearly impossible to be steady. there's no form of image stabilization.

Taky Cheung
December 14th, 2010, 10:38 AM
Those shaky scenes were shot during the day. maybe time to invest another lens? =)

Jamie Pippin
December 14th, 2010, 08:34 PM
yes, a new lens is desperately needed!

Taky Cheung
December 14th, 2010, 08:35 PM
I'm using a Sigma 17-50mm F2.8. The zoom range is okay but it did reception low light well.

Jamie Pippin
December 15th, 2010, 04:05 PM
I think I'm going to go with the Tamron 17-50 2.8 with vibration control, because I HATE shaky footage.

Taky Cheung
December 15th, 2010, 04:06 PM
Yeah OIS is important. The Sigma I have also has OIS. I don't like Tamron because the zoom ring and focus ring direction is different than my other Canon lens. I will be all disoriented.

Jamie Pippin
December 15th, 2010, 08:01 PM
Hmm, I might go with the Sigma then. Because I wouldn't like having to focus differently either. I wonder if the OIS on the Sigma is equal to the vibration control on the Tamron.

Taky Cheung
December 15th, 2010, 09:18 PM
VC and OIS are the same thing I would day. They like to use different terms to confuse people =)

Russ Ivey
December 16th, 2010, 01:11 PM
I'm not sure how much she was cleaning her nostrils, but I'd stray away from showing her shoving a kleenex up her nose as well.

Jamie Pippin
December 16th, 2010, 04:49 PM
that was their vows, i wouldn't leave that out. and what bride isn't going to wiping her face with tissues at her own wedding?

Russ Ivey
December 17th, 2010, 07:33 AM
That's why I wondered how much she was doing it (meaning through the entire vows). If so, maybe there isn't anything you could do about it. Perhaps an over the shoulder shot so you could catch him saying the vows, then one of her when she is saying hers?