greg vescuso Loc: Ozark,Mo.

I see a few people hear shoot video at weddings, I'm shooting stills at my step daughters wedding next weekend and wanted to know if I used one or two go pros for the wedding ceremony just leaving them on tripods how well they would work. I'm asking because I wouldn't be able to run them since I would be shooting stills.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Sorry, no experience with Go Pros here.

I have one piece of advice from a guy who used to work in television as anything from a cameraman to director/producer. (sounds more impressive than it is) The most boring thing in the world is to shoot an entire wedding ceremony with one camera angle. Using 2 Go Pros will be a great start to giving you a video that you can at least watch. I've seen some videos done by "professionals" (I should stop putting that in quotes, but when I see this stuff it drives me nuts) where they have just one camera at the back of the church, so you get to watch the back of the bride and grooms heads for the whole ceremony. If you use 2 cameras, you can change the angles if you get decent editing software. Which will help. The absolute best wedding videos don't show the whole ceremony anyway, they show snippets of getting ready, walking down the aisle, and a few snippets of the ceremony, all edited together in something that is closer to a slideshow, or a digital wedding album.

Beercat is the absolute pro here on all things video, but I just wanted to put in my 2 cents that no matter what you use, 2 mediocre cameras will give you better results than one TV quality digital camera in the wrong location, just running for the whole time.

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Great question Greg and thank you for asking it for me. I am at the point where I need to invest in video equipment and am balancing GoPro, higher end video cam, or both. I keep getting asked to do video and need something more flexible than my DSLR. I am betting that Beercat will have some advise for us.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

I shoot video and stills at the same time on our "essentials" package. My wife will operate 2 video cameras and I'll operate 3 video cameras and take the stills.

We have 7 cameras. 2 big boys that will do anything one would want for a professional video shoot for TV. 2 Canon 70D's that we use of walk-arounds on monopods. (1) Sony RX10 that I use for the ceremony on a tripod, usually boxed in on the groom from over the brides shoulder.

An then (2) GoPros which are hidden or at least camouflaged in flowers of vines on a trellis. The secret to GoPros is to get them real close to the B&G. I'm usually within 5 feet and the range set to medium. I box in the position by using my iPhone/app and then place a marker on the ground for the B&G and the officiate to stand on. Another thing you must do it set the metering to spot.

As we shoot the actual ceremony with 7 cameras it all comes to life with the edit which my BH does in Final Cut Pro. Any video camera that just sits is boring but when you have a dozen angles, yes a dozen, remember two 70D's are on monopods as walk-arounds picking up people in the pews, parents, different angles of the B&G and/or bridesmaids/groomsmen.

I wouldn't use 1 or even 2 GpPros as standalone static video cameras and try and sell it off as a wedding video, just not very exciting.

GoPros are a great tool in my arsenal of cameras, they have a place in wedding videography, just not as a standalone. Remember, the GoPro is all about getting them close to the B&G. I'll post a short video showing the camera angle for the GoPro.

greg vescuso Loc: Ozark,Mo.

Thanks for getting back to me, I was going to use one or two go pros but I see what your saying and it really does sound like it would be boring. Since it is my step daughters wedding I wouldn't be selling it but I think with just one or two go pros being on stand it would be boring to watch. Maybe I will just put a slide show together of the stills telling the story of the day with zooming and panning of the slides and add some music to the slide show.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Here is a good example of what I use the GoPro for. No one could see the GoPro and it gives me the reverse angle, plus there is no need for me to get close to the B&G and become a distraction.

https://vimeo.com/127503388

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Maybe a dumb question, but when you put it all together in editing, is their a noticeable difference between the GoPros and the Big Boys in terms of video quality?

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Nope, the GoPro takes great video ........... you just need to remember to get the camera close to the B&G & use spot metering.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

See, I told you Beercat is the guy to ask.

I've seen literally hundreds of videographers that shoot with 1 camera, and I have to tell you that even the bride and groom think it is a snooze fest. If you don't go with good editing and multiple cameras, I personally feel that a slideshow will keep the interest better.

However...an OUTSTANDING video, will steal the show. Kudos to Beercat for proving my point.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Just from the angle I gave you can see I had at least 4 cameras. The GoPro filming, the GoPro to the right boxed in on the groom, a camera I'm playing with in the back, yes that is me ......... and the camera on the monopod in my other hand. What you don't see is the camera to the rear down the isle boxed in tight on the couple, another camera to the left on a tripod boxed in tight on the bride and then another camera on a monopod that my BH has with her walking around.

7 video cameras, 3 lapel microphones ......... a big edit job which my BH is just finishing today. 16 man hours on location + 65 hours of edit work, and to think we get paid less than the photographer. I say that because the money is still in the stills, not the video.

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Exactly why I am cool to video. I enjoy doing it, but a lot more time for less reward. Plus the investment in multiple cameras.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

We have about $15K in equipment, about what a good snapper spends for 2 good FF cameras, a bundle of speedlights and some good glass.