If I had a nickle for every time I’ve heard “you can photoshop me right?” I’d have a whole lot of nickles. On wedding days I most often hear this from family or friends during group shots. Professional photographers and videographers DO have some posing and lighting tricks up our sleeve to make sure you’re looking your best—and on the photo side of things there really is a lot you can do if you wanted. When it comes to video however, the “photoshopping” is a lot trickier. So how can you make sure that you’re looking amazing in your wedding video? The answer might be simpler than you think.
It’s come up once or twice that someone has insisted to me that videographers can do things to filter or enhance a person in post-prodcution. While it’s theoretically possible to make modifications via After Effects or a similar program, it’s not sustainable in many cases. If there were an easy and cost effective way to make big adjustements to a person’s appearance, why would Hollywood still be using prosthetic costuming or requiring their actors to be rail thin? Now consider that your videographer is working with a much smaller team than a big budget production. It’s just not possible to “photoshop” a full video with tons of enhancements. One time, I decided to try and remove a tattoo for a 6 second shot. I was a newbie so it probably took me way longer than it would have but…it took me 10 hours. Imagine if I were to try and remove the tattoo from the entire 10 minute Highlight film or even their 55 minute Full Length Feature?!
If post-production magic is not where you’re going to enhance your beauty then it must come down to the way we shoot it right? True pro’s do take a lot of steps to ensure that they’re getting the very best footage. We notice the little things like a hairband on your wrist or that little bit of something in your teeth and make sure it’s taken care of. We use posing and prompts that flatter your natural beauty. Lens choices make an important difference in how your footage turns out (ever try filming yourself with your phone camera on .5?). From lighting to camera angle, there’s lots that goes into a beautiful shot.
At the end of the day though, it’s not the carefully chosen angle or meticulous color grade that make the biggest impact on how you look in your film…it’s you.
At the end of the day though, it’s not the carefully chosen angle or meticulous color grade that make the biggest impact on how you look in your film…it’s you. The thing that gets me the most pumped to capture at a wedding is an authentic moment where I got to witness you being yourself with your partner. A fun loving bride running around gleefully after smearing some frosting on her groom’s nose, a sincere groom who looks up nervously as he beings reading vows to the love of his life, a strap breaking and everyone throwing their head back to laugh about it, a deep hug from grandma at the end of the night—one no one wants to let go of.
In all the years I’ve been shooting, I find myself the most drawn to and awestuck by the shots of people being themselves. This is what makes videography unique. I get to capture the colors, the light, the movement, the sound—and try to recreate the most beautiful and precious feelings that were there. Love is beautiful, joy is beautiful. That moment of silence filled with grief? Breathtakingly beautiful.
YOU are beautiful. In all your imperfect, tear-stained, wildly happy, a little bit hangry before dinner glory—and I’m so lucky I get to bear artistic witness to you being your beautiful self on one of the best days of your life.
