Mark Lewis Videography

I once did a wedding for a couple where the groom had cancer and didn't have a lot of time left. The bride knew this when she arranged the wedding and the fact that she wanted a video made it a very moving thing to do.

Unobtrusive, complimentary, artistic, memorable, watchable.

I guess I am most proud of my style of steady camerawork, being unobtrusive and capturing a natural coverage. And, because of the amount of footage I generate on a wedding day and the attention to detail that I give to the editing, my videos do take a little longer to produce. But, after many years of doing this, it has resulted in many happy customers, which is something I am also proud of.

Trends in room decorations continue to be impressive, but sometimes they can compromise the videographer's ability to capture a clear view of the ceremony and speeches. These key shots will last you a lifetime, so they need to be good. Having the flexibility to tweak something to achieve good results ought to be a consideration.

The wedding cake often provides the best opportunity for the couple to express themselves, which can be good. I also like it when the couple apply something significant to the table name plates, such as pictures of places they have visited, famous actors, or something that is relevant to them.

It's quite simple, if you like what you see and wish to book me, we just need go through the details of your wedding day, which can be done over the phone or in person. You will then have until the wedding day to gather all that is needed for the editing, such as your choice of music and titles. On the wedding day itself, I try to keep out of the way and work from a distance where possible. This gives a more natural coverage. Occasionally, I may suggest something for the benefit of the video, but mostly I try to remain unobtrusive. I then set about editing the video, which can take a several weeks depending on my workload.

Not sure if this is exciting, but I once filmed a bride arrive at Church and then she realised that she had left her bouquet at home. It did make a good sequence in the video whilst we waited for someone to go and fetch them.

Anything by Peter Greenaway, but probably Baby of Mâcon. The simple camera work and lavish scenery is amazing and inspiring.

There has to be a mixture of styles: old and new, slow and fast, fun and romantic, preferably with vocals. Instrumentals are okay for background music (with natural sound). It shouldn't be too self indulgent, it has to appeal to many people and stand the tests of time.

My parents were wedding photographers and had been all my life. They also ran a wedding car business, so I've grown up surrounded by weddings. After I finished art college and had spent a year or so working as a graphic designer, we noticed that there was a gap in the video market for a more professional approach, so it was an easy decision to make.