This was my first time doing a wedding. I think over all it came out well. The ceremony was extremely dark. They didn't want any lighting but flash was okay.
But experience will teach you to have an polite but frank conversation with your clients.
The topic is do you want good video/pictures that you will have a life time or is the short moment in darkness (the ceremony) more important.
My video partner has had to have several conversations with clients. Really it is educating the client.
That being said .... crank the ISO. Better to have grainy bright images than dark images that have no life.
A thought on the video... in the beginning and after the water shot, there is some quick cuts that felt out of place.
so watch you transitions.
I notices WB jumps around also.
I got uninterrupted on the last 1/3 ... so i have to watch again for that area.
But experience will teach you to have an polite but frank conversation with your clients.
The topic is do you want good video/pictures that you will have a life time or is the short moment in darkness (the ceremony) more important.
My video partner has had to have several conversations with clients. Really it is educating the client.
That being said .... crank the ISO. Better to have grainy bright images than dark images that have no life.
A thought on the video... in the beginning and after the water shot, there is some quick cuts that felt out of place.
so watch you transitions.
I notices WB jumps around also.
I got uninterrupted on the last 1/3 ... so i have to watch again for that area....Show more →
The bride was def strong on having a low light ceremony. She didnt mind flashes but was not up for video lights. I tried to get them to turn up the light, but wasn't a go.
Thanks for the tips. I needed to have some more steady shots. little shaky at times
Did you realize you were shooting that dark or was the camera at it's ISO limit. All that matters is if the bride was OK with it. Did you try to brighten it in post?
I did. I had a GH1 and GH2 shooting at the time. The GH1 was at it max for decent footage. I think I could have boosted the ISO on the GH2 to maybe 5000 but it starts to get really grainy. I did brighten it up in post best i could because it started to look weird.
Ive recently have bought some new lens and another camera to help improve with low lighting. The GH3 pared with 35-100 2.8 works great. wish I had this gear then.
I think you got lucky the bride accepted this video footage. I have a feeling any of my brides would have wanted a refund if not more. Just because they put limits on you does not mean you accept the deal. If you can't overcome the issues then turn down the contract. I know that is easy to say after the fact but something to always think about.
aonavy wrote:
This wedding was free! I didn't charge for this.
for sure some shakiness going on that needs to be corrected. I have order a glidecam to help improve these shots.
Since this wedding my gear has increased and should help with low light situations and shakiness.
I just need to practice with this glidecam now...
Which one did you buy?
Because the only stabiliser I would currently buy is the MoVi.
Got it in my hands for 15minutes, but I LOVE it!
But out of budget for the few movies I make...
Comment on your video:
Too much sharpening, noisy (neatvideo pro version is AWESOME), nice moments, but very bad background when the bride put's on her dress.
Did you hack your GH? Because if you did I'm sure you can get much more out of the video's in post.
But really stabilisation is the BIGGEST problem, it would have been very good with descent stabilisation (now, for me, some shots just look like they are filmed with a smartphone and not one with Lumia 920 video capablities ).
Really, lots of potetial, but wasted because of lack of gear/stabilising skill.
For video, I work with primes only (except for the 70-200 2.8), it gives much nicer images and you have more light to work with! I hold a D800 + Sigma 35 1.4 perfectly stable with the right technique (even moving works fine). Just get contact!
2 ways:
1/ Strap around neck/body and push forward.
2/ LCDVF/hoodman/zacuto/... to get 3rd contact on your eye.
First method works best, but is hard to hold for more than 1 hour.
EDIT: Also, get a good microphone, sound is really bad. Sound is 50% of the movie, the video may look awesome, if the sound is crap, the video is crap.
- you need to learn how to stabilize your shots. Glidecam or steadicam certainly for your moving shots,
but you'd be surprised what monopod can do for you.
- You should have jacked your iso up for that ceremony, or had a faster lens.
- looks like you attempted to use "slide" moves in the beginning, and then stabilize? The jerky motion looks worse
than a stationary shot would have. Some things you can fake, but slides are really hard... without a slider, or a steadicam.
(on a side not that has nothing to do with you, when the groom is putting on his jacket, and staring at you, it really
really really creeps me out)
-your text effect was ... wow
You've got a lot of work to do before you can start charging. Right now it's a wedding video, video's are what your
moms and aunts make at weddings. Your goal should be to make wedding films. Seriously, as you get better, stop
using the word video, it sounds so cheap and 1994.
And if you care about the source of your critiques, I work as a DP.
I would go with a lower light lens. Most of the time, it will benefit you anyways, especially in certain hotel rooms for the "getting ready" and for the reception. I keep a 24mm 1.4 and a 50mm 1.4 in my arsenal for those purposes. At really low light, focusing becomes difficult but that's why I have a part in my contract addressing lighting.
Agreed on the glidecam and the wide angle lens. Joe Simon has some great pointers using the glidecam.
Please use neatvideo pro and crank up that iso.
Personally, I am not a huge fan of the "zoom in" shots. Edit around it. JMHO.
Some of your wide shots, like the shot down the aisle, need some composition help. Rule of thirds.
).