Help. I am in Maui. Getting married in 12 hours and need help with camera settings!

[Hawthy]

This is actually a true situation. We decided earlier this year to holiday on Maui and then later decided to get married while here. The Reverend Bobbie-Jo is hitching us on Napili Bay at 9am Hawaiian time. She will take a few photos but I would like to video the event for all the people that we did not invite - and that is everyone. Not that they will be that interested but maybe my mum will want to look.

Any tips on videography by the beach at 9 am with a Nikon D5100?

[enseth]

Can't help technically but I hope it all goes well. Best to both you and your bride.

[ricktas]

Congrats on the wedding. My suggestion, find someone who knows their way around a DSLR for starters. Perhaps the hotel you are staying in, can assist?

[macmich]

www.affordablemauiweddings.com/‎
i know we should not put up ads but the bloke is desperate, have a happy wedding
cheers macca

[farmmax]

That was going to be my suggestion. Hire an expert That's what we keep telling everyone else to do

Congratulations, and have a happy, happy marriage. We expect to see Pics!

[Hawthy]

Thanks. I will muddle through. Cheers.

[bricat]

Try out a few shots now before the wedding. That is if I am not too late. And good luck and congrats. cheers Brian
PS Leave it in auto mode.

[Hawthy]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I had a crack at it and, other than the horizon being not absolutely straight, it looks like it turned out pretty well. Cheers.

[macmich]

hopethat was a crackat the photography and not the wedding

[Mark L]

Jeez, if you're doing it like that, why worry about photos or video? Who cares about others.
You'll both be happy (hopefully) remembering how it came about.
Happy all the best type stuff.

[Hawthy]

Mark L, a very good point. If it wasn't for my 88 year old mum I probably would not have bothered. That said, the report is as follows. I used a Nikon D5100 on a tripod with just the standard 18-55mm kit lens set fairly wide. I shot in RAW which allowed me a lot of latitude in processing the video including straightening the horizon (once I had converted the file to a smart object). Being a beach wedding, I knew that background noise would be a major issue so I bought a little shotgun microphone that sat on the flash hot shoe and a "dead cat" wind sock.

The video itself is fine but the sound was a bit disappointing. Provided the person speaking was directing their speech at the camera / microphone it was fine but otherwise it was just waves crashing. I saw another wedding done on Kapalua beach and the photographer there used clip-on lapel microphones. Lesson learned. If I ever get married again....