A common question I get asked is if I get 'sick' or 'tired' of filming weddings? Yes, weddings can be repetitive but at the same time each one has unique aspects.
I’ve filmed at St. Hilary Catholic Church and Portage Country Club in Akron, OH before and probably will again. But that didn’t make the day go slowly. Erin and Elliot’s Day brought familiarity, even catching up with Betsy, the Matron of Honor, for the first time in a long time after going to the same middle school.
But it’s the unfamiliar that enchants. Erin’s energy and enthusiasm was real and contagious. It started with her signing grade-school Catholic singalongs while getting into her wedding day attire. She even laughed off her dad walking in and greeting Marisa, the photographer, before noticing her daughter sparkling in her wedding dress and accessories.
Elliot was noticeably nervous in his hotel room before the ceremony and even more so in front of the St. Hilary congregation. His nerves brought a weight to the occasion, a wedding is a huge deal, a monumental moment in a person’s life and showing true emotions on your special day is what makes it feel like a big event.
Every shoot, I'm looking to add something, and today it was flying my DJI Mini 3 Pro over the church as the couple exited to their cheering guests. It provides a new perspective and uniqueness to compliment the ground shot of the grand exit.
The reception came slightly rushed since the ceremony was later in the day. Luckily, Marisa was quick and efficient at shooting the family and bridal party photos. I would’ve liked to capture more cocktail hour shots and shots of the Portage Country Club ballroom. I was very satisfied with the sunset aerial flight over the grounds and getting shots of the couple on the side balcony. Akron, Ohio provides a lovely backdrop on summer nights like these. The band, the Element, was great as always. The first dance song was “Love in Slow Motion” by Ed Sheeran and was acoustically played by the bride and groom’s friends, a lovely touch.
Every wedding, I’m out to seek perfection. To get the best angles, perfect exposure and crisp audio. Obviously, this is never possible but striving to do better is why I wake up in the morning. This can make editing frustrating, watching back footage that is slightly shaky or too dark is crushing. Sometimes you can’t fix it, you just learn and move on. Sometimes the couple or the client don’t even notice the slight echo in the audio or the grain in the under exposed image. Yet, it bothers me because there’s no take two or a reshoot on a wedding day and I want to deliver the best quality to every couple.
On the flip side, there’s no more satisfying feeling when you absolutely nail a shot; the lighting looks perfect and there’s pure emotional bliss on the couple’s face. Play it back in Adobe Premiere and smile, you know it’s going to wow the couple, family and friends and it always reminds me why I film.
The next time out, I’ll be sure to learn from the last shoot. The 10,000 hours rule makes sense in that regard. There’s no substitute for experience and each time I’m holding a camera I get a little bit better at using it.
