Brief Introduction to the Fascinating World of Videography

[Penny Donnell]

Over the past generation the video camera has become a central feature
at a full range of events and celebrations. Whether you are making a
wedding, a children's party or having your grandparents over for a
long awaited visit, it has become standard practice to have the
occasion captured on video. Certainly the video photographer need not
be a professional and it is common for many homes to have their own
video cameras. Yet for that most special event you may not want to
rely on the unprofessional touch of a family video photographer.
Allowing a family member to do the filming may be good family
politics, but it is unlikely their skill will match the abilities of a
photographer trained in videography.
Many of the skills that are valued in videography are the same ones
developed over the past hundred and ten years for videography's older
sister, cinematography. In the same way the juggler seeks to keep any
number of colorful balls revolving above their head, so the
videographer has to know how to make sure that the sound track is
coordinated with the moving scenes. They need to master lighting and
also acquire editing skills so that they can cut out those unwanted
scenes and chop and change clips to create a video that captures the
essence of the occasion.
Those who have commissioned professional wedding videos and received a
quality product will know the amazing results that the expert
videographer can achieve. For example, in addition to filming the
actual wedding they can use all kinds of attractive devices to enhance
the video. For example, they can take old family photographs of the
groom and bride and merge them into their current pictures.
They can also add favorite music tracks to the video. Unlike family
produced videos where scenes may show signs of camera shake and other
evidence of a lack of professionalism, the expert videographer
presents you with a smooth camera work where the actions of the
cameraman are lost in the background instead of the focus of
attention.
Videography at its most professional level often requires in addition
to the cameraperson, assistants dealing with the lighting or carrying
around a microphone. While they need to be at the center of the event,
if they make themselves too obtrusive this can detract from the
atmosphere. Therefore, besides technical abilities with the equipment,
sensitivity to the nature of the event being filmed is also an
essential element in successful videography.