Conversations with Chris Yates

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Yates. 

Hi Chris, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I love capturing candid moments and setting those moments to music, which really allows me to portray emotion and particular atmospheres. I began by creating my own artistic videos, but that eventually evolved into capturing wedding stories when I realized that I had a talent for catching the little details that really make a wedding day special. I’ve been filming weddings for 8 years– 3 of which have been as a full-time occupation. In the past, I would film weddings here and there on the weekends, but I have since made this my primary source of income, and I love my work! While I am based in Paris, TX, I have filmed weddings all over Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I am self-taught when it comes to video production and editing, which means that there was quite a bit of a learning curve to get started. I began doing this as a part-time endeavor, which allowed me that leeway to learn as I went along. My growth has been organic and over time, as opposed to deciding that I wanted to make a business and just tackling it overnight. When the pandemic hit, that definitely caused a lot of confusion and stress, as the wedding industry suffered greatly during that period. I feel like I am finally hitting my stride again. If anything, my latest challenge is keeping up with demand while I am a one-man operation. There’s so much editing, but I love it! 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
While there is a lot of technical proficiency involved in my craft, the true beauty comes from simply capturing the candid moments of my clients. They are the art. Their story is natural and unscripted, which is part of what gives me the inspiration to then edit their stories into something that captures the feeling of their special day. While portrait photography often is posed and pre-planned, being able to capture a behind-the-scenes look of a wedding through video really gives my work an organic feel. I am still able to stylize and use methods of cinematography to accentuate the aesthetics, but it’s more of a game of watching for those small moments. It’s extremely rewarding to capture a moment on camera and also present it in a way that makes it beautiful. 

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If you can fit it in your wedding budget, a videographer will solidify so many memories that otherwise will be lost over time or blurred through fading memories. To be able to relive your wedding day over and over is something that I truly believe is worth the price. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chrisyatesweddingfilms.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrisyatesfilms

Image Credits
Chris Yates