Posts Tagged‘wedding videography’

Capturing wedding videography is like telling a love story in motion. Each wedding is unique, and as a wedding videographer, I’ve found that certain shots are key to bringing this story to life. Here’s my personal rundown of the 10 essential shots that I believe are crucial for creating a truly memorable wedding video.

Bridal Prep

The morning of a wedding is filled with anticipation and excitement. I focus on capturing the bride and groom as they prepare, surrounded by friends and family. It’s the little details – the dress hanging, the shoes, the laughter and nerves – that set the tone for the day. Whether it’s laughing with the girls, tears over a handwritten note or a deep breath to keep composed, all of these set the tone for your film and big day.

The Emotional First Look

There’s something incredibly special about the first look. Whether it’s the couple seeing each other for the first time or a parent’s tearful pride, these moments are pure emotion. Capturing these genuine reactions is key to adding depth to the wedding story. I’ve seen first looks where bridesmaids are in tears, or dad can’t quite find the words to say how beautiful the bride looks, all are equally magic. 

The Iconic Aisle Walk

The walk down the aisle is a highlight of the day. Here at Modus Films we aim to capture the anticipation, the emotions of the groom, and the reactions of the guests. This moment is rich with symbolism and emotion, making it a must-have in any wedding video.

The Heart of the Ceremony: Vows

The vow exchange is the emotional peak of the ceremony. It’s about the promises made, the quivering voices, and the couple’s deep connection. Capturing this moment requires a focus on both the bride and groom, ensuring their words and emotions are preserved.

When you’re choosing a videographer do take time to ask if they capture the vows in full and provide you with these, as not all wedding videographers do. To me this is the most crucial part of your day and the part where I pretty much hold my breath the whole way through!

The First Kiss as a Married Couple

The first kiss is a fleeting but monumental moment. It’s the culmination of the ceremony and a symbol of their new journey. Capturing this requires perfect timing and focus. You’ll often see the photographer and wedding videographer working together here to ensure they both capture this moment perfectly, and this is another reason I recommend ensuring your videographer and photographer get on. Noone wants a disgruntled photographer popping up mid-frame!

The Joyful Exit

The post-ceremony exit is a burst of happiness. Whether it’s through a shower of petals or cheers, this moment is all about the celebration of love. Capturing the energy and excitement here is essential. Don’t worry about where the confetti goes, smile, laugh, kiss, have fun! This is where the party starts!

Intimate Moments: The Couple Alone

Setting aside time for the couple to be alone is crucial. This is when I capture their love and connection in a more intimate setting. It’s about the shared looks, the laughter, and the quiet moments away from the crowd.

The First Dance: A Dance of Love

The first dance is always magical. It’s a visual representation of their love story. Capturing the couple’s movements, their connection, and the ambiance is key to bringing their story to life. First dances are also about your friends and family filling the floor and cutting loose until the early hours! Nothing beats seeing the best man dancing the time warp with your Great Aunt!

Wrapping It Up

In wedding videography, it’s not just about capturing moments; it’s about telling a story. These 10 shots are some of my staples for ensuring that every aspect of your day is remembered. But beyond these, I’m always ready to capture those unexpected, spontaneous moments that often become the most treasured memories. Every wedding has its own rhythm, and my job is to capture it in all its unique glory.

Cinematic Wedding Videographers Based in Kent

Here at Modus Weddings we offer premium, cinematic wedding videography services to our couples. We film worldwide to capture beautiful wedding videos that capture all the details from your day.

Find your perfect Wedding videographer with our selection of award-winning filmmakers. We are a collective of friendly individuals who love to make you smile.

 If you want to work with the best cinematic wedding videographer Kent has to offer then get in touch! Or see our packages here.

Email [email protected] or call us on 01233 273 273.

Wedding Video Company, Kent & London

A lot of skill behind the camera and video editing mastery will be required to capture the first wedding dance in the most emotional and visually-pleasing way. This is one of the most important reception moments. As a wedding videographer, you’ve shot first wedding dances multiple times and you know that each one necessitates a specific approach. The nature of the wedding venue, the available space, the light and the music all determine the manner in which you’ll have to shoot the first dance for the wedding video content.

On top of paying attention to the technical and environmental essentials, you can also test out various creative techniques to get a beautiful outcome. Or check out our other blog on best cameras for wedding videography.

Have a Chat with the Bride and Groom

Coaching the bride and the groom before the beginning of the reception will enable you to capture some of the best dance shots. Tell both the bride and the groom they should hold each other without blocking the face of their partner during the dance. You should also give them a clear idea about your position and where to look.

Keep the instructions simple and limited. If you overwhelm the couple, the shots will look way too stiff and staged.

While it’s important for the bride and groom to look at the camera, they should also enjoy the first wedding dance. Tell them that it’s ok to look at each other, have fun and connect during that very special moment. This kind of connection is the one thing that will boost the emotional appeal of the shots.

There’s one final thing you’ll need to touch upon.

Many couples worry that their first wedding dance is going to be mediocre because they’re not particularly skilled on the dancefloor. Let them know that dance skills don’t really matter. The first wedding dance is about the emotion and about having fun. If the bride and groom manage to let go of the worries, chances are that the footage will look spectacular.

Ensure Quality Light

Even if you know how to use the most advanced video editing techniques, the outcome will look grim and blurry in the absence of sufficient lighting.

Most wedding receptions occur in the evening. Hence, the light will be limited to candles and lanterns. While these create a very romantic atmosphere, they could prevent a wedding videographer from capturing all the beautiful details of the first wedding dance.

Visit the wedding venue in advance. If you know where the stage is and where the first wedding dance is going to take place, you can use external flashes to illuminate the bride and the groom. These are easy to turn off once your job is done so that the romantic atmosphere is uninterrupted.

For the best results, place your lights high and aiming down at the bride and the groom. If you have to, think about ISO adjustments, as well. When the image remains somewhat dark regardless of the additional lights, you’ll have to increase the ISO manually. Depending on the camera quality, start with an ISO of 800 to 1,000 and make additional adjustments upon necessity.

Experiment with Shooting Angles

A static camera in the beginning is a good choice because you will create some quality wide footage. You will capture the dancing couple and some of the surroundings to recreate the party atmosphere in the wedding video content clip. It’s also a good idea, however, to experiment with some more interesting shots.

A few face close-ups will capture the depth of emotion. Create some footage of the groom’s hand placed gently on the bride’s waist, of her shoes on the dancefloor or the floral arrangements surrounding the stage. Show the faces of the guests, the parents, the best man and the bridesmaids. Look around – don’t be focused exclusively on the couple (a tip that sounds somewhat counterintuitive but that can add great details to the shots).

You can also experiment with shooting angles and perspectives to make the footage a bit more dynamic. Take the camera low and point it up to make the first dance footage more intriguing. Alternatively, climb on a chair and point the camera down towards the dancing couple.

You can even experiment getting behind a lit candle or a table centerpiece to frame the shot and add a bit of context to it. Such experiments are best undertaken when you have a second wedding videographer at the venue. Make your colleague capture the wedding dance in its entirety while you get a bit more creative.

Use the Right Video Editing Techniques

You have one more chance to get really creative with the first wedding dance footage. The editing process is as important as capturing those special moments during the ceremony. Using the right video editing techniques will highlight the most beautiful aspects of the shots.

It’s ok to use some special effects like slow motion or animation. The rule with special effects is that less is always more. Choose one special effect and understand the manner in which it’s going to affect the footage. If you have no reason to utilize the effect at that very moment, you should probably keep things simple.

Slow motion, for example, could be a good choice while the bride is spinning around. It will show the beauty of her gown, the fine lace that is twirling around her body.

Working with a wedding video content editing team is also a good idea if you don’t know how to eliminate imperfections and make the footage extra-special. Outsourcing the post production will give you more time to focus on the things that you do best and to still get a beautiful outcome in the end.

Trust your instincts when shooting the first wedding dance. Have some fun with it. Stiff footage isn’t going to cut it, especially if you want to show just how special the moment is.

Have a plan but maintain a bit of flexibility while shooting the dance. Look around, find the cute and special details and capture those to recreate the very nature of the ceremony in your film.

Cinematic Wedding Videographers Based in Kent

Here at Modus Weddings we offer premium, cinematic wedding videography services to our couples. We film worldwide to capture beautiful wedding videos that capture all the details from your day.

Find your perfect Wedding videographer with our selection of award-winning filmmakers. We are a collective of friendly individuals who love to make you smile.

 If you want to work with the best cinematic wedding videographer Kent has to offer then get in touch! Or see our packages here.

Email [email protected] or call us on 01233 273 273.

Wedding Video Company, Kent & London