My Final Wedding For The Fall…At Least, I Think So

So many words could describe my first fall shooting wedding videos: fun, rewarding, challenging. Above all, the most accurate word is "grateful."

Thank you so much to the four couples who trusted me to shoot one of the most important events in their lives. So far, everyone has been exceedingly easy to deal with and equally as appreciative of what I provided them.

Unless something unforeseen happens, my fall wedding season wrapped up this weekend with the nuptials of Kayla & J.D. Botner, who held their festivities at the picturesque Fillauer Lake House in Cleveland, TN.

Their story is slightly untraditional in that they were legally married back in December before J.D. spent a lengthy stint away from home serving in the Air Force. He returned to Tennessee recently, and this past Sunday was one of the few days they could schedule a ceremony in town before they quickly move to Arizona. The life of a military family.

My shoot went rather smoothly thanks to my wife Martha, who was able to help out again and work as a second videographer. She mainly stayed on the tripod. Circumstances left me without my monopod (or slider) so I used my Revo shoulder mount most of the night. Decent results. It's much easier to move side to side with the shoulder mount, but it tends to make the shotgun mic bounce around more, and the monopod certainly is easier on my back. 

As for cameras, in the past, I've rented a Canon 5D as a second camera for weddings to go with my Canon 70D. This time, I rented a Nikon D500 instead. Like my Canon 70D, the Nikon D500 is crop sensor. But for a crop, it's incredible in low light! I was shooting with ISO above 5000 at times, whereas on the 70D, I would start seeing noticeable noise at 1600. It's a few hundred dollars more expensive than a 70D, but if you have it to spend and have no extreme loyalty to Canon, I recommend the D500.

But enough camera geek talk.

Enjoy this preview highlight video (a trailer, if you will) from the Botner wedding. I'll release a longer version some time next week.