Working with Videographers During a Wedding

Many times in our still photography profession we encounter instances where during an event, such as a wedding, we are competing for time and attention with guests, amateur photographers and the videographer. I have been fortunate enough to have worked alongside some great videographers both professional and amateur who work with me so that we can make both of our jobs easier.

Video and still photography are worlds apart in the sense of setup, lighting, and position. I had a comment on a previous post about a still photographer who had a very hard time with a videographer especially during the cake cutting ceremony. The videographers light created unwanted effects on the still photographer’s photos and videographer basically ran away with the positioning.

Here are some suggestions I have to try and make your joint work effort easier.

1. Talk to the videographer before the event starts. Get a game plan. Make sure you both are on the same page and see how you can work around each other. The last thing you want is him getting in the way of your photos and the last thing he wants is you right in the middle of his video.
2. Take turns. When I am doing the formals I always make sure that they are getting what they need to and they reciprocate. Usually if you extend the olive branch they are more than willing to work with you. Get your positioning, take your shot and then make sure they have time to get what they need before moving on.
3. Ask for what you need. If they are doing something that is impeding your performance then simply talk to them about it. If their light is too bright, explain the situation and perhaps take turns or dare I say, recreate the moment again with the couple so that you get a beautiful shot. It’s going to take some fancy footwork on your part but being a wedding photographer means being versatile. We cant control very much in our environment and we have very little time to control what we can. Work with what you can and create what you cant.
4. Find a videographer that you work well with and promote them! If you don’t have an in house videographer then do some networking, find someone you work well with and then suggest them to clients. Emphasize the importance of working with a quality professional and explain what can happen if you can’t.  Many times a client will put faith in your suggestions because you are the professional. I refer my videographers not to get kickbacks, because I don’t, but as a matter of professional courtesy. I know how they work so it’s like working with a fellow employee. It’s a win-win for everyone. They refer more business to you, you refer more business to them and the client makes out with the best of both worlds.

These are a few of my suggestions. They seem to work well for me and fortunately I haven’t had any bad experiences. I can appreciate that some of you have though. I’d love to hear from you and have you share your experiences and tips both good and bad. Until next time, Happy Shooting!