My Professional Shame: Confessions of a Red-Faced Videographer

Posted on March 21, 2008
Filed Under General, Video/Audio Equipment |

ShameMy sister was getting married. And she asked me, her professional videographer sister, to produce her wedding video.

Her request made me very happy…for a couple of reasons:

1. I didn’t have to buy her a present (I’m a terrible shopper/gift-giver.)
2. I could show off my professional talents to her new husband and his family…making my sister proud.

So getting into professional videographer mode, I double and triple-checked all my equipment so as to leave nothing to chance. I bought extra batteries and videotape cassettes. I ran a last minute sound check to make sure that I was going to capture clear sound.

I knew from experience that there were going to be wonderful moments that my sister and her groom wouldn’t be able to see on their special day, so I made sure to tape them.

Some of these special moments included my sister and her attendants getting dressed in their wedding finery; all the special out-of-town guests arriving and sending personal greeting to the couple; the groom’s son lovingly tying a bow tie on his dad; and a hilarious, off-the-cuff interview with the judge who was conducting the wedding ceremony. (That was a bonus!)

The setting of the ceremony was my sister’s beautiful back yard. I scouted and found an excellent camera location, making sure that I wouldn’t block anyone’s vision.

The big moment finally arrived! My sister’s maid of honor made a slow, but lovely entrance which help to build the anticipation.

Then the music changed and my sister began her momentous walk toward her new life.

I was suddenly overtaken by a tsunami of emotion. I couldn’t stop crying and shaking, which almost caused me to drop the camera.

I image that you’re reading this in stunned disbelief. I, the consummate PROFESSIONAL videographer, was HOLDING the video camera.

I made the #1 mistake that should be avoided at all costs: I didn’t put my camera on a tripod.

Regardless if you use a VHS camera, DV cam or film camera, when you’re videotaping a wedding, a tripod is the one piece of equipment that you simply cannot do without. A tripod gives you CONTROL, stability and flexibility to perform simple zooms and pans.

As you can see, below, I ruined my sister’s big moment. And there is NO WAY to get it back.

My sister and I laugh about it, now, but I can tell that it still bothers her. I know that it still bothers me.

The moral of the story: This is a mistake that could have easily been avoided. A wedding is the type of event where you only get ONE CHANCE to get the video right. There are no re-takes.

So don’t do what I did. Don’t forget the tripod.

You may not have such a forgiving sister like I do.

For more professional wedding video secrets, Click Here!

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