Author's note: I am a hybrid photographer/videographer. I am a storyteller and use whatever medium suits best, my first preference is photography, followed by videography.
The job of a photographer is to document a story in one single photograph, showcasing a story of love between two human beings, who decided to spend the rest of their lives together.
Choosing who will document your wedding day is a very important task because what he photographed, is what will shape your memories 5, 10 years later, as the photos & videos will be a reminder of what went down, who was there, and how magical & awesome it was.
Choosing only a photographer can have some great pros - and equally some cons. In this article, I will highlight these advantages and disadvantages.
Fewer people clogging the aisle
Having a team of photographers (2 photographers & 1 assistant) and a videography team (2 videographers + 1 audio guy) will result in having 6 people chasing you continuously. Having a lot of people running around does not only increase the mayhem but reduces how magical the day is. And during the most important part of the ceremony, the marriage ceremony part, you'll have 6 men with cameras, lights, strobes and microphones pointed at you, while blocking your families view of the marriage. Having a lot of people around reduces the intimacy of the day and therefore we suggest that you somehow limit how many people are around you. Your wedding can end up looking more like a press rather than a wedding if you do not ask how many people the photographer and the videographer will bring.
Fewer contracts, fewer emails
Planning your special day is stressful, but not hiring another team will reduce the stress, emails, contracts and deadline for payments. Having more free time on your hands, you can put that time to sort out small things for your reception, such as practising the first dance and even working on your relationship. This alone does not outweigh the pros of hiring a wedding videographer, but this still is an upside.
Half the posed shots and acting
Having both a photographer and a videographer will make the post-ceremony shoot more daunting. This is because after walking down the pier 4-times (for the video) you will have to spend 15 mins shooting posed photos with various configurations such as with the whole bridal party, then the groom with his groomsmen and the bride with her brides. Having only a photographer will allow you to focus more on getting great posed shots, in less time.
Having no videographer also increases the quality of shots taken because it frees the photographer up. While covering a wedding with a videographer, a photographer has to continuously think and check that he isn't blocking any of the video angles and casting a shadow on subjects from video lights. Most importantly lookout for wires - So he doesn't trip and cause a scene.
However, these aforementioned points do not truly outweigh the benefits of having a videographer - or a photographer. Why? Because memories are priceless and you cannot put a price over them. However, since this is not an idealistic world, you need to compromise something.
If you are having trouble deciding whether to hire a photographer, videographer or both, we are here to help you decide! Give us a call on +356 79710352 or email us on anacaphotography@gmail.com. We are a team of photographers with over 35 years of experience, covering Wedding & Events in Gozo and Malta. We are one of the best-rated photographers on Gozo, view what our customers have to say about us on our Reviews Page.