Bryan McAdams, the owner of Blar Media, is a wedding videographer based in Tucson, Arizona. We chatted with Bryan and he gave us the details on how he got into wedding videography, what he’d be doing if he wasn’t shooting weddings, and how an app like Joy can make weddings better for everyone!
Kevin and Phylicia’s Wedding Day from Bryan McAdams on Vimeo.
How did you get into videography and photography? Are you self-taught or formally trained?
I actually started off as a film maker and I realized I could expand my skills with the camera I had, so I began taking photos for friends and family. I am self taught when it comes to photography and 50% self taught when it comes to videography.
What do you love most about capturing weddings?
I love being a part of these special moments and experiencing the different cultures that everyone brings to their weddings. I meet interesting people and have even collaborated with some for other projects. I got into wedding videography on accident after capturing a friend’s wedding. Once I posted the final product on the internet my wedding journey began.
Do you have a favorite, must-capture moment for every wedding?
I treat the ceremony and reception much like a film with three acts. Here’s an overview of the ceremony: Act one is the intro where I establish the location of the ceremony the first initial emotions when family and the bride are introduced. Act 2 is the body of the ceremony where the bride and groom participate in the traditional wedding events, such as candle lighting and vows. Finally, act three wraps up the ceremony. The kiss, of course, is the most important part. You have one short window to capture this moment before it disappears forever (unless you capture it correctly, of course). I treat the exit as a conclusion to the ceremony and treat it very specifically to transition to the reception “Scene.”
Alison & Carlos’ Wedding from Bryan McAdams on Vimeo.
As a videographer, what has been your biggest wedding day challenge?
My assistant and I recently took on the challenge of photographing and capturing video of a friend’s wedding. It was tough, and required a lot of running around, but the photos and videos came out great!
What piece of advice would you give brides and grooms to ensure that they get wedding photos and videos they love forever?
Make sure you leave a lot of time for the wedding photo shoot in your schedule. Bring your smiles and be comfortable with your spouse. When searching for a photographer do not look for the cheapest prices. Look for someone who knows how to capture an entire event, and not just portrait photography. Meet them before booking them because you don’t want to have a photographer that you don’t get a long with. Someone who treats you like a friend can be trusted and give you a more natural photoshoot.
How do you think an app like Joy can help make weddings better?
Joy can inspire wedding planners, couples, and photographers to help sculpt the perfect wedding the client dreams of. They can take pieces of different weddings to build their own package.
If you weren’t a wedding videographer, what would you be doing?
I would continue to create short films, submit to film festivals, and pursue a career in the film industry. Film is a lot like photography, where capturing the true emotions is very important.
Gwarzo Wedding Day from Bryan McAdams on Vimeo.
