Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

I'm using firefox and also getting the jumbled mess.
It only seems to be the Wedding / Event Videography Techniques page. I can't get the postings list.

Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

" Brides do NOT want photographers or anyone else directing their wedding."
So what, exactly did you mean by that ?
Obviously there is a lot of directing going on in a wedding.

By the Maitre D, because that's his job to direct. By the wedding planner, she makes absolutely sure that things are done to the agreed contract with the bride and plans the events and direction of the day beforehand with the bride, by the DJ who can direct the dancing crowd to do congo lines, chicken dances etc.,

"posed stuff" is only possible by "placing/moving them around/ repositioning them, making them look this way and such in other words "directing".
Without directing or perhaps a better word is "controlling them", there would be mayhem and disorder along with confusion and the eventual music the photographer will hear from the bride after the honeymoon. If there is a lack of direction, then the photographer becomes a snap shooter just like a guest.

"nailing the posed stuff" I wish I have a wedding that they would pose themselves.
Would make my job a lot easier.

Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

Its simple Arthur, you direct during the posing part and thats how you nail the posed stuff. It would be ridiculous to expect most clients to know for themselves even though quite a few pretty young things have some idea of what appeals to them personally.

For the rest of the day a photographer striding around taking charge is a most unwelcome intrusion. That is the job of other staff.

In the UK there is generally a duty manager at civil venues who tasks include ensuring things run more or less to schedule. Usually there would not be a duty manager and a wedding planner / co-ordinator on duty at the same time - there would be no point. Sometimes most of the duty managers tasks are taken up by a red-coated toastmaster but that is an extra cost so not that common.

The DJ would not even arrive to set up until early evening and would most certainly not start corralling guests into chicken dances. Oh dear, what a dreadful thought! Their duties start when they announce the couples first dance and after that they let the music do the talking. On the rare occasions I have experienced a pro-active DJ the reaction from the guests has been "WTF."

Perhaps our weddings are more relaxed in the UK. We don't for example have that awful contrived "first look" or ranks of groomsmen and bridesmaids standing to attention alongside the couple blocking our cams throughout their ceremony - not unless there is an American connection anyway :- )

If you spend some quality time on galleries of busy US or UK photographers I'm sure you'll find that there is very little setup stuff out of the whole. Indeed most go out of their way to reassure prospective clients that this is not their way of working. So many now take this approach that you would be hard-pressed to find what may be regarded as a "traditional" photographer of the late Monte Zucker species (whose workshops I attended). They do it when appropriate but certainly not at other times.

Pete

Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

Adrian, it all goes back to cave paintings!

Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

Random "Go, video!" anecdote: friend of a friend, working as a nurse in London, already had her legal wedding, but, for her proper wedding, was prepared to save for years to get the particular videographer she wanted, Jason Magbanua. Videographer came second on her list after dress.

To be noted though: she's Filipino.

Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

I recently saw a video posted by a Belgian bride on her photoblog, she was a professional wedding photographer and hired a videographer form the states to cover her wedding, won't mention his name but it was a team of 2 persons and the resulting video was very "artsy fartsy", it was visually very creative, not documentary at all, for me it didn't show how the day felt, it looked more like a photoshoot in motion (they did the photoshoot when it was dark in a forest with a very bright and big light spot to create big light contrasts)
It must have cost an arm and a leg to get those guys from across the ocean and it was also the first time I saw a weddingvideo from a Belgian bride investing that much to get exactly the style she wanted.
That is a very big exception over here, if all brides where like that wedding video business would be booming and you could charge accordingly. Unfortunately not happening.

Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

George

Sadly you have to not only delete the cache but also all your cookies ..then it works.

Now what happens to me is that the "remember me" part never works so I have to log in each and every time ..big pain if I need to post!!

Chris

Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

Both this case & Adrian's previous post about the Filipino nurse hiring Jason Magbanua are part of a modern trend for people who want to appear in a high quality music video. It's almost irrelevant that a wedding is involved although that is the hook on which the video hangs. It's a fantasy fulfilment thing that is far far away from documenting the wedding day unfolding. There is someone who posts on this board (name escapes me for the moment) who shoots engagement videos with a Red that would be in the same genre.

Re: Why do brides value photos more than video?
 

"It's a fantasy fulfillment thing that is far far away from documenting the wedding day unfolding."

Nigel, that's a fantastic explanation of cinematic vs. doc style. It really gets to the heart or purpose behind the two different styles. I've tried to express that difference to people myself, but my explanation always came out more convoluted. Since I named my company "True View", it's not hard to guess which style I prefer. Sure, it's okay in my book to get a little creative on a short highlight. But I wouldn't want to go too far. I feel we should be focused on "their wedding." I suspect that some cinematographers have fantasy fulfillment wishes of their own and independent filmmakers should just come out into the open and either write their screenplays or team up with a screenwriter.

It might be natural that brides with a fantasy fulfillment thing hook up with those cinematographers if they can afford them. Too often, those brides of more meager means try to fulfill the wish with a Bollywood wannabe that fits their budget. Some of them starting out do have real talent, and the bride lucks out. But there are also those disaster wedding videos starting to go viral and even make the broadcast news.