Over the past few years when we have had the privilege of photographing many weddings, one factor was always a bit exciting: how do we work well together as a wedding photographer and videographer? We were often operating as duo wedding photographers and then by default you are two photographers, but a videographer comes (not always, but often) alone.
Not surprisingly, a videographer sometimes chooses certain shots that influence the pictures a photographer can take and vice versa. This in turn can cause friction. Hence, we always check which videographer we will be working with prior to a wedding.
Jan Persoon: our collaboration
For a few years now, we have occasionally worked with videographer Jan Persoon. He films on his own and works the same way we like to do: invisible generally, but visible where needed. What makes his method so wonderful is that it is so personal: he knows exactly who is playing which role, remembers many names, and in this way gets absorbed in a wedding day while controlling everything.
The importance of photography and videography at weddings
In essence, your videographer and your photographer capture the same thing: your wedding day. But how can you see in pictures what the day was really like? Is it the details, the group photos or the moments like “The Kiss” or is it the little moments that you can’t think of beforehand, but that happen anyway? Or is it an atmospheric impression in many different images?
The difference between film and photo
A photographer often tries to capture small parts of your wedding day in many separate images. These photos together make up your memories and you will see the summary, or the mood impression, in a wedding album.
A videographer builds scenes, so to speak. A videographer can use spoken text. For example, your wedding vows, your guests’ speeches or little statements made during the day. The combination of moving image, spoken text and music can evoke so much emotion!
Tips for collaborating with the videographer
As wedding photographers, we always like to check out the videographer’s website. Does he or she work close to the bride and groom (read: wide-angle lenses)? Is there a lot of staging? How is the style of the film? For example, is the film relatively Dark and Moody or Light and Airy or average in terms of color tones? In fact, this may affect which places the photo shoot will take place.
Below, for example, you can see a relatively dark room with daylight coming from a skylight. If the bride and groom were to choose a white room with windows on three sides, the film or wedding shoot would automatically become much brighter. Thus, as a wedding photographer and videographer, you can also have an effect on the atmosphere of the film or wedding shoot.
Choosing the right videographer
Multiple factors affect your final product. For example, does the videographer have a drone and if so, where will he/she deploy it? Using a drone sometimes takes extra time, so it is helpful to schedule a longer photo shoot or group photo opportunity.
Does the videographer set up tripods with cameras in different places, and if so, can you avoid them in your photos? Does the videographer have certain wishes for the lead-up moment or for the moment when you will see each other for the first time?
Have your videographer and photographer worked together before, and if so were they both satisfied with the result and the collaboration itself? For example, Jan writes about working with duo photographers that it can be more difficult than when there is one photographer present. It requires more coordination, and so there must be good communication between photographer and videographer. We like to communicate that ;)
Memories in pictures
The goal of every wedding photographer and wedding videographer is to give you a beautiful memory of your wedding day in a way that also minimizes how your day is experienced.
Tip: Check out the last wedding where we went to collaborate as wedding photographer and videographer with Jan here.
How do I find a good collaborative wedding photographer and videographer?
Who did you book first? The videographer or the photographer? Check to see if he or she can recommend a colleague. For example, Jan asks in his application form who will be the wedding photographer. That way, during the interview, he can immediately pick up on your wedding day and how it may be captured.
We have a shortlist of our own that includes a number of top performers that we are happy to recommend, including Jan, of course. If you would like more information, please send us an e-mail and we will e-mail you back as soon as possible.
