FAQ
Photography:
Film vs. Digital
I am shooting 90% digital now and overall I think that digital is a much more effective tool than film for most assignments. Film does have a certain look to it that digital will not but overall digital is sharper and more versatile. My modern Canon digital SLR's have incredibly high resolutions (8-17 million pixels) and can be used in very low light. They are very dependable and I can shoot thousands of photos without the costly film. Even if I (or anyone) shoot film it is still scanned into a computer before it is printed. The other huge advantage of digital is the ability to adjust my images later. I shoot everything in a raw format- this allows me to go back over every photo and make adjustments without affecting the image quality. I can also chose to output a photo in black and white or sepia without discarding the original colors. Having said all of this I still enjoy shooting film and I can add some film to your project if you want the timeless look of film.
Lighting
I bring a flash and reflector to all of my assignments. I usually pack a larger (off camera) strobe, but I rarely use it. I find that trying to get perfect lighting takes away from capturing your moments. I get great results with my flash and reflector and they allow me to stay mobile, unobtrusive and most importantly fast. I also use some very fast lenses that can capture without flash in many instances which is a great natural look.
How many pictures will I get?
You should expect to get between 50-100 pictures per hour, an average wedding with me shooting alone generates 700-1200 pictures. If you book two photographers you can expect 75-150 pictures per hour.
Do I own my photos or negatives?
You always own your images, they will be delivered at their highest resolution (8-17 Mega Pixels) on DVD Rom or CDROM. Film is scanned and delivered on disc, or you may have the negatives or slides if you prefer. You are then free to get your own prints or albums.
Do you edit the photos?
Every photo I take goes through a basic edit which includes color balance, sharpness, and exposure. I will also do some custom black & white conversions as well unless you tell me otherwise.
What is a custom print and why should I get it?
You will get great prints from the basic edit photos at a good professional lab so you do not need to get custom prints from me. Custom prints will however undergo a more advanced edit that includes smoothing out skin tones and removing blemishes. I will also dodge and burn (highlights faces and creates more tonality & contrast. I am also happy to do custom colorations. I then get the prints made at a lab I work with frequently and I know the results will be optimal.
Pricing for custom prints:
4x6: $4 5x7: $5 8x10: $9 11x14: $12
Bigger prints and custom frames and canvas wraps available; pricing will be quoted on request.
Albums:
An album really pulls all your memories together, it takes a true professional to really deliver a quality album and I strongly recommend you include an album into your budget. I have albums for every budget starting as low as $100. More durable larger albums are $600 to $1000. All albums are custom designed with the larger albums allowing for the most design possibilities and customization.
Videography
Camera Coverage:
We will do our best to capture your event completely and thoroughly. The more cameras that are rolling the better covered the event will be. I will do an amazing job with one camera, and an even better job with more. By adding cameras we have more choices in editing: more angles, shots and moments will be captured. All of my camera men are experienced professionals working directly for me and under my supervision. I use professional Canon & Sony video cameras for all my camera's delivering the highest digital video picture.
Editing:
Key moments will be included in their complete form such as the ceremony, first dance, toasts and garter toss. Other events are edited and summarized on the video such as dancing. Upon booking you will be given a worksheet to fill out giving us some instructions as to how to edit your video and what music to include. The more you tell us the more likely we will be to edit the video as you want.
Unmanned 2nd Camera:
I will place a high quality smaller camera on a tripod and let it run automatically during your event. This is a great way to get a second angle on things without paying for the cost of an additional professional cameraman.
Sound:
Sound truly is half the picture. I use professional wireless microphones for all of my events. In the example of a wedding I will have a wireless microphone to capture the bride, groom, and minister/priest/rabbi. I will also have a microphone on the camera and an additional wireless microphone that I will be carrying with me to gather comments from the guests. I monitor sound closely and am prepared for the typical problems that arise with location audio. Please remember that location audio is never perfect and I can not completely isolate your dialogue or vows over background noise. This is another benefit of having a second manned camera- allowing for an additional professional to capture and monitor sound. I will also use music to overdub parts of your video especially montages. (summary segments)
Lighting:
Simple lighting means that I am using the available light to capture your event plus a single professional key light that is mounted to my camera. New technology allows me to work under many lighting scenarios. During your consultation we will discuss the venues and lighting conditions.
Editing:
Editing is the biggest difference between amateur and professional videography. I use an online non- linear editing system. This is a high quality professional system suitable for television broadcast. After I have captured all the video and audio from your event I will bring it into my computer and mold it into a story. My objective is to tell your story as beautifully, thoroughly, and interestingly as I can. I will cross cut footage, edit in pictures and titles, add music and transition effects, all in order to give you a permanent memory. I will then master your video and record it onto a DVD. Copies will be made and then the process is finished.
CUSTOM EDIT
All of my productions are customized from the consultation. However I can more fully customize your edit by giving you more advanced options. We can design more complex graphics and motion effects, and transitions. We can edit in older home movies or pictures. I have advanced software such as after effects cs and can do many of the effects you have seen on television or in your favorite movies. Customization and effects take time, I can only give a price after we discuss your production specifically.
DVD
DVD's are a great way to keep your memories alive. If properly stored and cared for DVD's will last indefinitely. They will not wear out over time like VHS tapes. DVD's also deliver higher resolution and the ability to randomly access video from a menu system. I will give you a fully authored DVD that will play in any DVD player. After you put in the disk you will be able to select your video from the menu. I can also provide you with your raw footage on DVD if requested for an additional charge.
NEW! HD Video:
HD is an exciting new range of formats that offer exceptional clarity and sharpness over standard definition. We believe that seeing is believing and we will show you a sample to give you the full picture and demonstrate the sharpness and detail of HD. Here is a more technical explanation for those who want to know:
Resolution is the number of individual dots that make up an image, these dots are actually electrical cones known as pixels. Standard Definition is 720 by 480 or 480i and is presented in a interlaced format meaning half the image is displayed each 1/60th of a second then the other half. HD is more complicated and can come in a number of different resolutions. The most common two broadcast are 720p (progressive) and 1080i (interlaced) Our current cameras capture 1440x1080. If shot properly HD video is spectacular, images are incredibly sharp and lifelike. HD can offer as much as 5 times the detail of standard definition, bringing your moments to life.
Technology is merely a tool, it is the technique and skill of the cameraman and editor that make for a well made video. HD will give you a wonderful video but if it isn't in your budget- don't fret, our standard definition cameras will capture beautiful images that will last forever if taken care of. Newer HD televisions will be able to play your video for many many years to come.
How will I watch my HD video?
Anyone who tells you that you can view HD on a regular DVD and DVD player is either ignorant or lying to you. Some people confuse widescreen (16:9) with HD. Widescreen video is not automatically HD. Currently HD video can be viewed on a computer or on your HD TV through two new formats: HDDVD or Bluray Disc. We are hoping that these formats will soon be playable on one single dvd player. Currently (2-07) you can purchase a HDDVD Player for about $500 and Bluray for $800. We are confident that one of these formats will be commonplace in a couple years. The entertainment industry has spent billions developing these new technologies and the government has mandated HD television.
So what about my video now?
Your video will be archived in HD and we will deliver it on a data dvd that can be played on a computer (PC or Mac) on quicktime, a free downloadable program from Apple. We will also deliver a DVD that has a down converted standard definition version of your video. Because the video is shot at a high resolution it will look great down converted to standard definition and enjoyed in all its' full resolution when you are ready for it. We will begin delivering either Bluray or HDDVD's by June of 2008.
Why should you produce my HD video?
We have studied and trained to use HD properly. As with all new formats there have been bumps in the process and HD will make it even more necessary to acquire a professional. We waited and bought the third generation of HD cameras. These cameras have been developed by Canon and have lenses made for the additional detail captured. Many companies that jumped on the HD format early on or that tried to get in cheaply have inferior equipment. Ultimately you should judge us on our work do not book any videographer without seeing an actual project that they have produced. If you are booking them for HD make sure you see something in HD. The process is different and requires some additional skill. One big problem with HD is that many companies are editing it with a highly compressed format that attempts to fit all the data of HD in the same space as standard definition. We edit in a professional HD format that has four times the data of the amateur format many video companies are using. It was important to us that we did HD right before we offered it at all.
