The Importance of Event Lighting for Video

Photo: John Solano

The number one factor that influences how well a wedding video will turn out is lighting, lighting, lighting.

If you want an absolutely perfect wedding video you need to make good lighting a priority during every part of your wedding.

During the getting ready sequence both the bride and groom should be dressing in a room with all the lights on and with curtains wide open to let natural light in.

If the ceremony is outside, be sure to position the alter, chuppa or arch, so that it will not be back lit by the sun when the ceremony is performed. Video cameras have trouble adjusting to back lit situations and faces will appear very dark, as if in a shadow.

A videographer’s worst nightmare is being in a situation where the sun is setting behind the couple during the ceremony. This also presents visual difficulties for your guests, who usually end up squinting or using their programs to shade their eyes.

If the ceremony is inside, for example in a church, please choose one that has lots of windows and natural light or one that has really nice lighting. Some churches have very yellow or orange light that make everyone and your footage appear in those hues. To combat these situations, if allowed, add white lights into the decor of the church.

Even candles really help shed more light on your wedding.

During the reception there should be plenty of white lights everywhere. As a rule of thumb the more lights used in a room the less light the videographer has to use, the more discreet they can be. This is extremely critical for videography because the more discreet the videographer can be, the more candid moments they can capture.

In general, most people tend to get a little shy and uncomfortable when they know that they are being filmed. When you have a light on your camera it is very obvious who you are filming and you get a lot of shots we like to call, a deer in the headlights shot.

In low light situations, it may be difficult for the still photographer to focus his/her camera and the flash can be very jarring. If the reception is outdoors, please put as many lights out as possible. Any extra lighting will do, candles on the tables, tiki torches around the edges, white Christmas lights or Japanese paper lanterns strung over the top of the dining area and dance floor.

If there is enough light, you not only get all of the candid moments but you get shots with the coloring at its best, bright and clear with natural skin tones. I would not, under any circumstances use colored lights anywhere.

Cameras can’t adjust for this and the footage and pictures will turn out the color of the lights, for example blue lights, result in blue faces and a blue dress. I would use color everywhere else (cake, flowers, table settings) just not in the lights. If you remember to think critically about lighting on your wedding day it will absolutely ensure a perfect wedding video.