Photography has been around at weddings for over a hundred years, and this has quite understandably, led to many photographers feeling like their role at the wedding is enshrined with divine glory. Video is a newcomer, and again, quite understandably, it’s viewed as the new kid on the block. It’s threatening when you’ve been working alone with complete control for years and then suddenly have to share your creative control with someone else.
This has led to a sort of unwritten pecking order at weddings, with the photographer taking on the assumed role of ‘creative events director’, and the videographer as some kind of subordinate role.
Let me first say, that I’m speaking as both a photographer and a videographer, so I have experience of being on both sides of this fence, but because I got into video for weddings first, I have the most well rounded understanding in that field.
Many photographers don’t do video and have never shot or edited a wedding film, so they don’t really know what it’s like to be in a videographer’s shoes. And the same can probably be said in reverse. So naturally, there’s a bit of adversarial nonsense that goes on between these two disciplines. I want to try to spell out for photographers some of the requirements of making a wedding film so they know what’s involved, and also some issues that photographers face. My hope is that the playing field can be made more level, more accepting, respectful and more collaborative.
What do photographers complain about?
Most of the photographers that I work with are really quite experienced and so they’ve been in the game a while. Many have been used to shooting alone and now have to suddenly share their space with videographers and content creators and goodness knows what else. This is tricky to do when you’ve been used to calling all the shots, but most are very accommodating and professional.
However, it’s no wonder that some photographers get frustrated with videographers. Here are some of their complaints that I’ve picked up both from photographers in person, or via the web…
Videographers make the wedding feel like a film set by setting up tripods and cameras and lights everywhere.
It’s true. This can happen very easily with video and even from the most respectful of videographers. I’m probably guilty of this a bit myself. Where possible, I think it’s always good practice to conceal your cameras. Using pillars, flowers, furniture etc.. Actually, I sometimes even fall prey to my own gear getting in the way of my main camera! It can be really difficult to ALWAYS find a way to conceal stuff, but one should at least have a go. The worst offender is the rear central aisle camera and tripod. Putting this low to the ground and maybe partially concealed behind an aisle decoration seems to be the best way to go. Or if you have a second shooter, get them to position the tripod only after the processional has finished, so it’s not in any of the shots down the aisle before this.
Videographers get in the shots
Well this is somewhat inevitable from time to time when there are multiple cameras around. And of course, the same goes both ways. I’m always incredibly respectful of a photographers working distance, and stay level with, behind, or only slightly in front (depending on photographer’s lens). You just shouldn’t be gimbaling all over the place in front of the photographer when they’re trying to shoot. However, I would also say that this issue probably occurs because videographers get fed up with not being given any opportunities to shoot and direct, so they take matters into their own hands. Even photographers who are happy to collaborate can get a bit carried away shooting and forget to invite the videographer to take a shot. Videographers should not get carried away either. Be quick, efficient and don’t do multiple takes – just get what you need in 60fps and then you’ll almost certainly have a good few seconds you can use.
Also bear in mind that with photos, it’s often possible to remove people from images quite easily now with AI. The same is not so true with video!
Multiple takes ruin the moment
When the videographer gets a bit overly involved with a shot that they want to do perfectly and keep asking the couple to repeat something. Yeah, this is poor form. You have to keep in context the importance of the shots you’re taking. There might be something you missed and I think it’s often ok to ask someone to repeat it quickly, but don’t do this over and over, or repeatedly throughout the day – everyone will get bored with you!
Having to take turns doubles the shoot time and breaks the flow
This is what I’d call a semi-legitimate complaint. It is obviously going to take longer to get all the couple portraits if there is video as well as photo to do. But the couple should be aware of this when they hired you both. If they want both mediums, then they’d need to accommodate this in their day. I believe the assumed pecking order of ‘photographer as creative events director’ is obsolete and the idea that a videographer should live off the crumbs of a photographer just reeks of entitlement. You’re both there to create art and memories for the couple. You both need to be able to get what you need for them. This can be achieved in a number of ways, but however it is achieved, it should be agreed upon in advance, not assumed that video should be shot from the sidelines.
So let’s talk about videography for a sec…
Without meaning to trivialise anyone’s job at a wedding, I’m gonna go out on a limb and declare that video is the hardest job at a wedding. Here’s why I believe that…
- The videographer carries way more gear and has to move it around from venue to venue. It takes longer to set up, and longer to plan.
- Planning is huge as a videographer. A videographer has to plan the flippin’ heck fire out of the ceremony. I’ve spent hours thinking about these things ahead of weddings. Same goes for speeches, first looks etc. It’s super planning-heavy (and then you find that nothing goes according to the couple’s plan and have to make it up on the spot!)
- Videographers have to do all the same things photographers do in terms of composition, exposure, focus, white balance etc, but have the added complexities of camera stabilisers, continuous focus over time and framing, multiple cameras, lighting AND audio to contend with too, and all of these things can change throughout a shot. They can also easily be ruined by one tiny thing like a person moving into the frame or a sudden jerk or loud noise. A photographer can just take another shot.
- Also, after the wedding the videographer will likely spend far longer editing the film than a photographer would editing their photos.
I’m not saying this to gloat or flex – but just to bring awareness to the complexities for videographers. They’ve got a mega hard job on their hands. Honestly, it’s so stressful. I’m not sure why I do it! (I am – I love high pressure!)
Although there will be plenty of filmmakers who are happy to just film over a photographer’s shoulder, piggybacking on their direction of the couple, and filming from the sidelines all day, for many others, this simply won’t allow them to make the kind of film that they’re aiming at. Now obviously compromises have to be made somewhere – this is a live event and there are few opportunities for do-overs, but in order to make the best film you can, you have to be able to have some input into the parts of the day that are traditionally directed rather than unfolding naturally. I’m talking about the parts where photographers pose the couple, either individually or together.
No lie, at probably 75% of the weddings I have shot at in the last 4 years, I have been at the end of this approach from photographers, where it’s very clear that they expect to be able to direct everything, and that I should just film over their shoulder. The problem with this is that it’s baseless. There is zero reason why a photographer should have more jurisdiction over this process than the videographer!
I’ve also worked with photographers who have tried to be considerate through directing the couple to ask for ‘a bit of movement for video’. And while I appreciate that, the problem is that the assumption that video should just shoot with the photographer’s crumbs is still very much in force. It’s not the filmmaker’s vision, it’s the photographer’s!
Static poses in particular are largely useless for video, whereas movement can easily be photographed perfectly well. A popular complaint is that if the two of you take turns to shoot, the shoot will take twice as long and will bore the couple and break the photographer’s flow. So we’ll tackle this next as it’s one of the most tricky parts of the day to get right for photographers and videographers working together.
Start with communication
First, I email the photographer ahead of the wedding, letting them know how I work at key points in the day. This means the ceremony, confetti, speeches and also the couple portraits. This establishes a connection and sets up expectations. They can’t be surprised when I show up and start directing. I also reiterate some of this on first meeting them and ask them how they will work and anything important I need to know from their side.
Educate the couple. This should ideally be done in either the first or second consultation with the couple. They need to understand only a little bit about how the partnership works – after all, it’s our job as professionals to just get on with it, but it helps if they understand what’s involved. They then also have the means of telling you what they’d like to happen – and what they want goes. Their preferences should act as the guide for how video and photo works together. By all this I’m talking about how long the portrait sessions will take, and when they’ll happen in the wedding day.
The portrait sessions
I like to tell the photographer again as we go into the first couple portrait session, just how I want to work and what I need to get. I like to establish a brief plan about where we’re going to start and finish and what shots we each want to get in particular during the shoot.
What works for me:
You may prefer to work a different way, but this is how I like to do things… I tell the photographer I would like to go first in each location. I shoot quickly and efficiently. I don’t tend to redo shots much, and I already have an idea of the poses or prompts I’d like to try. By going first I will get everything I need, and wrap up fairly quickly then allowing the photographer as much time as they need to get the shots they want in that location before moving to the next.
During the time I’m shooting, the photographer can still shoot as I will be posing with movement and not often ‘to camera’. They just need to know that I am controlling the space and the poses during my ‘time’. The same is true for them when it’s their turn to shoot.
What I like about this is that everyone gets their space to get what they need, and you can still shoot when the other is shooting, but the priorities are switched up in turns. It’s more collaborative. We can bounce ideas off each other, and just get stuck in. A lot of the problems and frustrations arise when there is no agreement, and it’s every man or woman for themselves. This is when you see people taking liberties because they’re not getting what they need.
Finally, that thing about breaking the flow? I believe that collaboration means bouncing ideas around, communicating and coming to the best conclusions together. This way is more fun, and allows time for you to collect your thoughts about what you’re going to do next.
Shout outs!
There are really only a handful of photographers that I’ve had this with really well, and I’m bloody well going to shout them out because I love working with them. Check them out!
Dan Hodge Photography
Drawing With Light Wedding Photography
Bristol Contemporary Photographic
Just James Weddings
Matthew Scott Photography
Karl Moriarty Photography
Rose and Rainbow Photography
Amy Woodham Photography
Sam is a relaxed and positive guy who is basically a big softy and loves all the emotion and fun of a good wedding. Making beautiful memories for people with cameras has been his passion for the last 6 years. He lives between Bristol and the Cotswolds with his wife and two sproglets, and is constantly pulling his German Shorthaired Pointer, Starbuck, off the kitchen counters.