Photography and videography packages for weddings twin cities

Even if they both use a camera to record your ceremony day, videographers and photographers in the Twin Cities do different jobs. At French Touch Photography, we believe that photography and videography are two complementary mediums. Both of them have different purposes and highlight completely different aspects of your day. So, if you have high expectations and are looking for all-included packages, then you are in the right place! We will explain here why we choose to offer photography and videography packages with competitive pricing, and how we choose good filmmakers.

5 Good reasons to take a package

While I am a photographer and do only photography, I respect and admire the work of some of my colleague filmmakers. That said, given both vendors have to work together all day, it could sometimes generate some tension. Indeed, we both highly want to capture the best images for the new husband and wife, but only have a limited opportunity to do so.

You don’t want your photos, your videos, or worst, your wedding, ruined due to a fight between two Midwest image makers fighting during your reception? We don’t either! Let me explain.

1 – Professionalism Means Communication and Respectful Positioning

There are plenty of ways to film and capture photos during a wedding. There are some periods we use wide angles, and other periods we prefer to use long focal (telephoto). In other words, we could be physically very close to you, or by contrast, far away. In both scenarios, you don’t want to see me in your video, and you don’t want to see the videographer in your pictures. Especially for the most important moments!

To give you an experienced example that happened several years ago: the cameraman had deliberately chosen to stand in front of me all the time, preventing me from taking good shots. Since I always work with people I already know.

That’s why both professionals have to be on the same page. We’ll communicate together and understand how each one is working. It’s the only way to respect each other’s work and not parasitize the colleague’s frame. We must be a team, working in symbiosis, and not competitors.

2 – One Coherent Style

If you like my elegant and natural pictures, you would probably want a natural and elegant movie too. The colleague that I refer to here shares some aesthetic quality that you can find in my work. I will never recommend someone that would film you on a green screen and add a 3D dinosaur in the background of your frame. Do you think I am joking? You would be surprised to discover what you can find!

In consequence, both your photos and your videos would share the same character, and there won’t be a style discontinuity.

3 – Same vision Coordination resulting in time saving

When both vendors share the same vision, they are more efficient. Indeed, they benefit from each other’s work, filming and capturing images at the same time. For instance, I can take time to stage the jewelry for my pictures, and then the videographer will use my still life composition. Or, in the opposite, while the videographer interviews you, I can snap some shots.

That coordination is especially important to save time during the couple session, so both of us can have enough images to exploit.

4 – Lighting acquaintance

If we use flashes to light our pictures, videographers need continuous lighting. Of course, both systems are opposite and affect the aspect of the final image. Also, it’s important for both parties to be on the same page about lighting.

5 – One Unique Time Line, Simpler, Less stress

If you still have two different contracts, taking a package guarantees you that both professionals agreed on the same timeline. It’s a lifetime event and you don’t want to risk a misunderstanding during the pre-production that would result in you being rushed all day long!

6 – Cost Effective: We Offer you a Better Deal Together

Two Complementary Kinds of Approaches for Your Ceremony

As a wedding photographer in the Twin Cities, I strive to capture the perfect iconic moment with my camera. I capture a face’s expression, a smile, a tear, an eyebrow movement, a gleam in the eyes. The succession of my pictures tells a story, but each image is just a snapshot. They need a context to reveal all their potential, your story: it’s a wedding album. Your memory connects the dots between each image and reconstructs the event. It’s basically done through the wedding book that you keep all your life, and pass to your grandchildren. Videography works differently. It’s more passive contemplation of few selected and precise situations taken during the day. While you can put 400 prints featuring 400 different scenes in your wedding book, you won’t have 400 different scenes in your video.

That said, video has something extremely powerful: the sound and the experience of time. What’s more powerful than hearing the bride telling her vows with tears in her voice? Maybe the audio record of your father’s speech that you will listen to in twenty years? A photo includes a lot of potency, but we can’t beat that sound experience!

That’s why, if your budget allows it (and we are working in this way by offering affordable bundle packages), don’t choose and take both for your once-in-a-lifetime event!

Ordinary points used to compare packages

The obvious elements of comparison are pretty much the same ones used in photography.

• Number of hours included: Do they offer full-day coverage and can you add a la carte additional hours coverage if needed? A full-day coverage starts at 10 hours.
• How long is the final video? Is that a trailer (around 5 min), or a long version (between 20 and 60 min depending)? Some companies offer two options.
• Second Videographer to man an extra device
• Delivery time: It can vary a lot from one company to another.
• Delivery option: Online, DVD, Blu-Ray disc, USB.

Other Elements that we take into consideration

We believe you should not use only the previous elements to decide on the right team to choose. There are actually plenty of details you should pay attention to make sure the video will fit your expectation, that the Midwest videographer is serious, and that you won’t face any (bad) surprise.

• Emotions: That’s obviously the first thing we check when looking at footage. Emotions, feelings, the way memories are captured. Don’t look only at the 3-min trailer used to advertise the videography service. To really understand the personality of a filmmaker there is only one way: watch an entire movie.
• Full-length Video: Usually a short video (20 min) is more exciting than a long one (60 min). More is not always better. In the video, the rhythm is very important!
• Is the video set to music? Does the editing match with the music beat? It’s a cinch to put back-to-back several sequences and add music. Having the video and music synchronized on beat, for fluid transition, is definitely more time consuming, but also much more powerful.
• The Sound: The sound aspect is extremely important. Audio can dramatically change the aspect of a film from amateur to professional. Also, we pay attention to ensure the sound of the bride and groom are recorded with a neck or lapel microphone. That allows, among other things, to do the voice-over love story. The directional microphone is also a requirement to have clear sound. And, to keep the team intimate, we prefer to avoid the boom operator.
• Back-up of your video: You might lose your USB key, your DVD, or your digital file, and you want to watch it again in 10 years.
• Interview: One simple concept but emotionally extremely intense in video is the interviews of your relatives. First and above all they are great portraits. Secondly, they are usually done during the cocktail hour or the reception, sometimes in a booth. Thirdly, they must remain short (less than one minute).
• Guarantee of videographer if sick or injured: Same as for photography.
• Number of cameras: While it’s not essential, a second device can be useful to provide more angles from one shot scene. In consequence, it gives more liberty in editing.
• Back-up equipment: In case of problems.
• Can you meet your operator? It’s important to make sure he matches with the husband and wife.
• Travel rule: We think you should be able to go wherever you want, with no limit of locations.
• First Consultation: As a photographer, knowing the bride and the groom’s personality is important. Also, even if we need to travel to Mankato, MN, for a first consultation, or to shoot an engagement session we won’t charge any travel fee. Not all photographers in Rochester and Minnesota think the same. But our secret to capture stunning memories is to know people, understand what they cherish and be close to them. That being said, a video conference usually works for pre-production meetings.
• Raw Video: Lots of couples ask for the complete raw footage (even if they probably won’t do anything with them). Depending on videographers, you can bring your own hard drive, or would have to buy from the company.
• Can you validate the final editing? That’s one of the most important questions. Do you have your word to say on the editing? To edit a sequence can be extremely time consuming. Changing 1 minute can sometimes require several days of post-production. In consequence, conditions are different between companies. Once edited, they might allow you to adjust things for free, or with extra fees.
• Lighting: In photo and video we both use the same raw material: light. So we make sure it will work for all parties.
• Color correction? Color adjustment from different scenes? In the photography field, a large part of post-production is color adjustment. We believe it should be the same in video.
• Lens Focal Option: I have seen videographers shooting movies with a wide angle, in Minneapolis, MN. That works for real estate and rap clips but not for a wedding and nice portraits!
• Drone: It’s a plus that gives a cinematic touch for the venue, helping to showcase the location. Only FAA Certified Drone Pilots are authorized to fly drones.
• Stabilization: There are multiple ways to stabilize a scene: Steady-cam, tripods, gimbal stabilizers, dolly, sliders, etc. All depends on the equipment, aesthetic decisions and ease of use. What matters is that the final result is not shaking and has a cinematic aspect.
• Slow Motion: It’s an aesthetic effect that works pretty great. It’s not essential, but it’s a plus we love.
• Kind of Camera: Today, we believe gear doesn’t matter that much. Small devices, such as the latest iPhone, can produce some extraordinary effects. Even in a low light reception. What’s more important is the operator’s ability to use it.
• Focus consistency: That’s one difficulty in video, to sequence focus.

Extra options seen in the Midwest

Finally, there is a bunch of extra options that you can face.

• Same day video: We are pretty impressed by the ability of such a workflow. It usually amazes the guests. That said, to be honest, we are quite skeptical about the quality of such practice that uses pre-made digital effects.
• Effects: As you might have noticed, we prefer true and natural feelings, than artificial effects. Raw emotion is pure and timeless!
• Engagement sessions in MN: If you believed engagement sessions were reserved for photography, not anymore!

Contact us today

You are getting married in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, MN, and you want great images. Call us today to have an accurate pricing. We offer all our clients a first consultation in Rochester, Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN, and greater Minnesota.