Gert Booher of Video Vantages

Coffee Talk with Gert Booher of Video Vantages

A St. Louis based videographer and owner of Video Vantages, Gert Booher knows what wedding videography is all about... capturing the moment, preserving the memories, and reliving the excitement! With many years of experience in both wedding and corporate video arenas, Gert focuses on providing the couple with beautiful moments as well as excellent customer service. We had the pleasure of talking with Gert over a hearty cup of mint hot chocolate.

WC: How did you get started in wedding videography?

GB: I sat next to a friend of a friend at the ballpark who asked me if I knew anyone who could videotape her daughter's wedding. When she gave me the particulars, it sounded like too much fun to pass up. I preserved the magic of the bride dancing with her grandfather, the family partying hearty with cousins they hadn't seen since they were nine, the groomsmen singing a KISS song, and the breathtaking beauty of the wedding site and the girls' dresses. I was hooked.

WC: How would you describe your videographic style? Are you discreet and photojournalistic or are you hands-on and interactive with the subjects?

GB: I am whatever the couple tells me is appropriate to be within the confines of my outgoing, people-person, educational-theatre-director personality. I keep an eye on the grandparents, family, wedding party, and kids because they are often making wonderful memories. I do have a small camera that has allowed me to get some pretty wonderful candids.

WC: Do you videotape in black-and-white, in color, or both?

GB: I most often deliver in color, because the colors of a wedding are spectacular. I have used black-and-white for contrast.

WC: Some brides opt to have a relative or friend videotape their wedding. What difficulties might they encounter if they choose this route?

GB: Everything from Distorted Sound, to Dead Battery, to Featured Elbows & Armpits. I could go on. The worst part is that a person close to the couple is not able to relax and enjoy the moment.

WC: What are some common misconceptions couples may have regarding videographers?

GB: That all video is a Hollywood production. (Wedding video need not be intrusive.) That a photographer and videographer will get in one another's way. (Professionals know the division of labor and respect it.) That they have no control over what I will shoot or include in the final tape. (I shoot and edit from a "Shot List" compiled with the couple long before the event.)

WC: What advice would you give to a couple interviewing videographers for their wedding?

GB: Talk to the videographer to see if he/she has the same attitude about your big day as you do. See a demo of her work to know what you'll be getting. Get everything in writing, and then RELAX and let her coordinate with the photographer and the musical entertainment.

WC: I'm sure your videos have captured many special events. What was one of your favorites?

GB: That's a hard question. Usually the last one I've shot. Last Saturday I worked with other Wedding-Club.com wedding professionals. Wedding Planner Rebecca Boillat from St. Louis Wedding Gallery and DJ Jimmy Hussey from A Rockin' DJ. The bride and groom had personality and love oozing out of their pores. They left the reception at 11:30 pm exiting down the steps of the Grandel Theatre lined with guests holding 4th of July sparklers. It was an evening packed with precious memories. This Saturday might be just as magical.

Read other interviews at the Club Cafe.