Featurette: Ben and Erica

This Featurette is extra special to me. Why? Because it's family. Ben is my husband's cousin and Erica is his beautiful bride. It gave me a whole new perspective when filming because everywhere I turned, it was our own family at the end of my lens. Our siblings, our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. I especially love the quirky moments I got to capture. You'll get to see them when you watch.

This may sound cliche (most things we truly learn and that stick with us seem to end up sounding that way), but all I can say is that this is how I want to approach every wedding. Like it's my own family. So we can all remember those dear to us who helped us celebrate our wedding day.

Little Lion Man: Alex Turns Two

When I'm not creating wedding films, I exercise my camera by taking photos of adorable people. It gets me interacting with the best people out there. Like Alex. He knows the names of more animals than I can fathom and has one of the most tender hearts of the young'uns.

This also goes to show you the beauty of what you can do in your own home. We took all of Alex's photos in the dining room with light from the patio door. It was perfect! I'm also particularly fond of Alex's geeky chemistry blocks. If you look closely, you can see why any kid needs a set of their own. Hint hint, Santa Claus.

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Videographer

1. Who does the filming and editing?
You want to know that the work you see online is done by the person/people who will be covering your wedding. You love the work you see for a reason, so the people who created it should be the ones making the work you'll love most of all. Since I'm an "oldest" child and suffer from bouts of control-freakedness, I film solo as much as I can. Editing is a very detailed process that is only done by me. It's my baby.

2. What equipment do you bring with you?
This will influence your experience watching your final film and your experience while being filmed on your wedding day.

Audio. My #1. Every videographer needs a good game plan and have a "Hail Mary" tucked away if needed. How are the things said during your ceremony and reception recorded (do they mic the groom, your officiant, etc.)? How do they work around wind noise for outdoor ceremonies? I work with two wireless lapel mics for the ceremony, one on the groom, the other on the officiant and record to a device separate from my camera. For any given situation, I have no less than three audio sources.

Light. Receptions are notoriously dark and can make capturing scenes in high-quality difficult. Your videographer should either have an amazing camera capable of high-sensitivity in low-light situations (and know how to utilize available light) or will have an on-board camera light. These lights tend to shine like spotlights, so think about how you (and your guests) will feel about those "beam me up, Scotty" moments. I'm a fan of using natural light, mostly because I like to be forgotten about, and use a camera with amazing low-light sensitivity.

Camera stabilization. Unless you're in the mood for a Jason Bourne fight scene-style film, ask your videographer how they stabilize their camera. Some cameras have built-in image stabilization. Videographers who shoot with DSLRs tend to use monopods, tripods, and other equipment. A videographer who also has ideas for why they use certain equipment for certain shots approaches your wedding for the story it will tell. I bring a monopod and tripod with me and rarely shoot without either. The monopod also helps distinguish me from your photographer, though I still have guests pose for photos for me.

3. How do you put together your longer pieces?
Do the trailers you see online reflect the approach your videographer takes to their longer films? Will your story be told in chronological order or will elements from your day be mixed in at various times? For example, I like to pick out key elements from the toasts and ceremony to weave throughout my films. These elements create a whole new underlying storyline that makes each film unique.

4. Why did you get started in wedding videography?
This isn't a technical question, but I love being asked by couples because it helps open dialogue between all of us. You get a feel for the level of passion your potential videographer has for the work they do when they share their story. Maybe it's just me who enjoys this question because I enjoy the look of surprise on my couple's faces when I tell them my background.

I could talk about wedding videography all day, so if you have questions feel free to get in touch. Or even anything to add or take away from this list. I enjoy being involved in the behind-the-scenes wedding day festivities! You can find me living on Twitter (@lzeidner) during the day and flying by Facebook at night.