Sunday, July 24, 2011

Martin Wedding Highlight Video



I love doing weddings in Cedar Falls where I don't even need to print a map to know where I am going. I don't really mind the 1.5 hour drive. I was very hyped and inspired to shoot this wedding after watching the Tony Romo wedding video. It gives me some new ideas to try out and to improve. I can tell you that every wedding I shoot, I do get nervous. I see it as a good thing because I care a lot about weddings. I can't help it, it is a live event and I need to get it right the first time. My goal is always to exceed a bride's expectations, to capture the details that she was too overwhelmed to notice. I wanted someone to watch my video and say "wow". I feel like I am still getting there but I know I will get there.

This wedding has so much beautiful details that I wish I had more time to capture. First of all, my assistant arrived half an hour late, I almost felt that I was better off if he didn't show up. Hence, I was in such a rush setting up all the cameras, talking about the standing positions and lighting with the wedding coordinator and capturing some details around the church... all in one hour!

I love, love, love Samantha's entrance at the ceremony. The music, her coming down the stairs... The Heartland Vineyard Church is indeed a beautiful church, with a great sound system and nice theater seating. The people are absolutely wonderful and very helpful.

And I love doing weddings at Pipac Park Place Event Center too. It's probably the most beautiful location for a reception in Cedar Falls. And Joan Ney did a great job with the decorations at both the church and the reception. I am always excited to shoot a wedding when she is the coordinator. I haven't seen anyone else with such talent, putting together such a beautiful and elegant wedding. I am excited to shoot another of her wedding coming up in just 2 weeks!

For some reasons, I always run into some friends when I shoot weddings in Cedar Falls. Like the whole 6 degrees from Kevin Bacon. By the way, I swear I am 2 or 3 degrees from him.

Weddings are stressful to me because I want to do a very good job. I am very attached to the weddings I do. I can't help crying after listening to the vows and the speeches. But it is an amazing feeling to be able to work with and be surrounded by such wonderful people. That is why I'm still doing them.

I was actually upset while driving home from shooting this wedding. I thought I had found THE assistant to help me out on shoots. I have been trying out several but none had worked out. This assistant might have good technical skills but not only was he late (contract stated punctuality is very important), he had some attitude issues and was not enthusiastic to perform. It's really hard to shoot a wedding video and hold someone's hand at the same time. I understand most people work for the money, but it is important to love what you do because your work shows. I am a picky employer, I have no doubt about that. But anyone who has seen my work would know that I put a lot of heart into it. I just do not settle for low quality or bad attitude, it would be wasting my client's time and money if their shots are unuseable. I haven't been using assistants for that long, in fact I have done weddings by myself for many years. I think it's time I run a one-woman show again.

1 comment:

  1. That sounds like a pretty quick judgement on the potential assistant. Maybe someone gave him the wrong directions or something. Then the "bad attitude" would make sense, since you're obviously attributing it to intrinsic factors. I'd find it incredibly difficult to find good help if I had as biased judgement as you.

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