Ryan & Kristina
The hills went gold, and we spent the last of it on the two of them. Sound on.
The last hour.
Ryan and Kristina were married at Hummingbird Nest Ranch, on the estate that sits in its own bowl in the Santa Susana hills. Their film runs a little under seven minutes and carries their own voices through it.
The frame we keep coming back to is the one at the end of the day: the two of them out on the open ground with the sun already low behind the ridge, everything gone warm and hazy, nothing in the shot but hills. That is the hour this property is for, and it is shorter here than most people expect.
Watch the ridge.
Hummingbird Nest Ranch is 124 acres of private estate in the Santa Susanas, and the thing worth planning around is the ridgeline to the west. It takes the sun noticeably earlier than the published sunset time, so the usable golden window here is shorter and more sudden than at a coastal venue, and a timeline built off a sunset table will run out of light. We have now filmed six weddings on this property, which is more than anywhere else we shoot, and most of what that experience buys you is knowing exactly when to stop everything and go take the portraits. More on the estate in our notes on filming at Hummingbird Nest Ranch.
Do you film weddings at Hummingbird Nest Ranch?
Often. Ryan and Kristina's is one of six films we have made on the estate, which is more than we have shot at any other venue. That much repetition means we already know where the light lands at each hour, which groves hold up at sunset, and which corners past the lawns are worth the walk.
How much does a Hummingbird Nest Ranch wedding videographer cost?
Our collections run from $6,000 for The Moment to $10,000 for The Legacy, our most complete collection. Each one is a full cinematic wedding film of your day plus a custom wedding website. Everything is set out on our Collections page.
When is the best light on the ranch?
The last hour before the sun drops behind the ridge. Because the estate sits in a bowl in the Santa Susanas, that ridgeline takes the sun earlier than the published sunset time suggests, so the golden window is shorter here than most people plan for. We build the portrait time around it rather than hoping it lasts.
When do we get our wedding film?
About 8 to 12 weeks for the full film. The Portrait and The Legacy also include a shorter teaser, delivered sooner, so you have something to share while the main edit is still running.
Will we notice you during the day?
Barely. We film the day as it happens rather than staging it, staying close but out of the way. Most couples tell us afterwards that they forgot anyone was filming.