A Paris Elopement

It’s hard for me to think now that’s been over four years since I made this Paris Elopement Video. I’d like to think that the way I film my weddings and elopement videos has changed since then, but fundamentally It hasn’t altered much at all. If anything this Paris elopement video signaled the start of things for me. I’ve changed camera brands since then, but to be fair, that’s all that has changed about the way I create my Elopement videos.

I’ll be completely honest and say that this actual Paris Elopement Video was the catalyst for a massive change in my own direction. At the time I was desperate to be involved with this Elopement Video. Looking back at my email communications with Lauren and Yohan, I knew their story and loved throwing ideas back and forth with them. We talked for weeks about what we could do. Without video of the party and very little bridal preparations to photograph how would we capture enough footage of the day? There was obviously a real ceremony in the middle of the day in which friends and family were invited, but for the rest of the time we would simple have to complete a variety of couples photos and video. To guarantee my participation in the elopement I offered to shoot some of their wedding photography completely free of charge. You can see it by clicking here if you like. Anyway, not too long before this project, I’d began to think about working minimal. I’d asked myself if it was really possible to create a good cinematic elopement video with simply one camera and one lens. I decided that this elopement video would be the perfect project to try the approach out on. I knew that it would be easier to create a good Paris elopement video with a minimal approach. I needed speed to be able to react to quick fire situations in front of me. Changing lenses or cameras simply wouldn’t work and would prove too much of a delay throughout the day.

Our plan was to spend the entire afternoon jumping in and out of Yohan’s car, visiting every beautiful location we could think of. Yohan knew every shortcut around the busy streets of Paris and expertly navigated us across the city thought the day. As we approached each filming point, the three of us would pray together for a parking space, always successful I may add. The ceremony was at midday followed by a forty minute period that I had allocated to interview Lauren and Yohan at their apartment in Paris. We always knew we’d end proceedings by jumping into the Piscine Molitor. We obtained permission from the management a day earlier and had a ten minute allocated slot to complete the filming work. Everything went completely to plan, which always helps. I’m under no illusion that this was down to my new minimalistic approach to creating elopement videos.

My final point however is something that I always talk about when I deliver my wedding videography workshops. It’s easy to watch an incredible wedding video or elopement video and think that the creator is a genius, but consider this. How much control do we as wedding film makers have over the things we shoot. This Paris elopement video is the perfect example. Beautiful couples, beautiful apartment, an incredible engaging story. Time. Above all we had time to explore one of the most romantic cities in Europe. I was whisked from place to place with expert precision. None of the above are down to me. I’m simply documenting the beauty that lies before me and cutting it together as artistically as I can in the edit. Sure, it works and I’m happy to take the credit but please don’t forget that it helps when your subjects and surroundings this good x