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Why And How To Have A Wedding Video Made Of Your Wedding Day

If you have the vision to see how a wedding video can act as a catalyst in keeping your marriage alive. Being a constant reminder of the vows you made. How it will inspire your marriage to new heights year after year.

And if you can see your wedding video being passed down from one generation to the next as a legacy, and how it will inspire your children and their children. And this is important to you.

You are a visionary, read on.

The Motivation behind a wedding video.

1. To have an audio visual recording of possibly the most beautiful emotional experience of your lifetime.

2. To record your vows word for word, to see the sincerity and devotion in your eyes and hear the quiver in your voice when declaring your undying love for the man or woman of your dreams, before your loved ones.

3. This is the most significant turning point of your life. So that when played back, you may re-live the event in the same spirit that it took place, over and over for the rest of your life.

These reasons are powerful, and I think you would agree.

It’s Like Making a Movie

To make a movie that will inspire you and your partner for the rest of your days demands you become equipped in understanding the process of making a wedding video.

The Videographer

The average Wedding Videographer [http://www.yesido-weddings.co.za/] today has the role of Camera Operator, Sound Engineer, Lighting Technician, Graphic Artist and Video Editor, all bundled into one person.

As camera person the videographer is an opportunist, there are no rehearsals or re-takes so he or she must get it right first time, and this takes years of experience and skill.

Generally speaking, passion combined with knowledge, experience and an ability to recognize upcoming opportunities, videographers learn to cope in just about any given situation. But is that enough to make a great wedding video?

The Bride and Groom

In movie making terms, you the bride and groom are director, producer, scriptwriter, and on top of all that, the lead actors of your own wedding video production.

Planning

The relationship between you, your Videographer and your Photographer needs to be positive, each with a yielding spirit towards the other, as each party has differing needs to produce their best. You should discuss the day’s events with both photographer and videographer present if possible.

Discuss the spaces and lighting conditions that they have to work in, where they may stand, and when may they move about to get new angles and differing light conditions etc.

All this because your photographer will need to share the same space with the videographer and this definitely needs to be discussed with both parties present to ensure a harmonious relationship. It is advisable that they get on well and are able to work with each other.

Lighting and space are top priorities in the minds of the photographer and the videographer, luxuries offered by few wedding chapels, especially those found at smaller wedding venues.

If the Wedding Chapel designers were photographers or videographers things would look a lot different believe me, but they’re not, so photographers and videographers need to improvise and work together under sometimes very challenging conditions.

A Wedding Video Script

A script is basically a sequence of events. A typical script could look something like this.

Pre-Ceremony Preparations

The Bride

14h00 : Yolande Hair and make up and dressing rooms. 33 Bosbok Rd Weirda Park

Note Noisy, fun, lots of natural light, mirror shot opportunities, Champaign glasses, clothes and jewelry lying around.

The Groom

14h50: Peter Half dressed, shaving. 12 Garden Rd. The Reeds

Note:Little natural light in bathroom, small space, bring extra light

The Bride

15h30: Yolande Photos in the garden, back at 33 Bosbok Rd

Note: Get the bridal car as it drives in to pick up Yolande. Shoot her climbing into car. (Practice climb in with dress if time allows)

Wedding day Location Visit

Videographers are opportunists by default, most of the time working in unfamiliar spaces and lighting conditions, opportunities for a good take can be lost due to pressure and a lack of time to plan.

If resources allow, it’s not a bad idea to pay a visit with your videographer and photographer to the various shoot locations before the wedding day. (if possible at the same time of day that the actual events will take place). Various aspects concerning each scene, camera angle, sound, lighting, movement and other logistics can be discussed tested and planned for.

Professional (those who do it for a living) videogaphers and photographers will charge an extra fee for a site visit.

But also be warned, things don’t always pan out as planned, for instance, the florist may put a huge flower stand where the photographer was supposed to stand when the rings are being exchanged. There could be a storm brewing with dark clouds and light levels drop down by half. But this is where experience comes into play (when things go wrong), as professional videographers and photographers need to improvise under all sorts of unexpected conditions. This is what we love to do and have learnt that most of the time plans don’t pan out, so we adapt, changing the script on the hoof, as it were.

Wedding Video’s that have Entertainment Value

Your video may be excellent from a technical point of view, but without feeling, it will become to those who view it, a boring procession of expressionless people going through a lifeless ritual.

As the main actors in this ‘reality style’ movie, there are a few pointers I would like to share with you concerning your behavior towards the video camera on this day.

Be true to your feelings and live them out, don’t hide them, your body language must reflect your state of joy. Laugh, dance and cry for joy, let it out.

The secret is simply, be what you feel inside, respond outwardly to the feelings in you.
Yes, things do go wrong at weddings and brides and grooms do get upset by a horde of possible hiccups and or words that have been said by an insensitive family member. Rise above these, and refuse to have your joy stolen. If you allow these little things to affect your emotions negatively, this is what the camera will pick up.

Show Your feelings for each other

Be affectionate towards your new partner, look deeply into his or her eyes from time to time. In your body language toward him or her, give him or her freedom to move, but stay warm and close. Be tender, touch with care, tend to his or her tiniest needs at all times, no matter how trivial it may seem, the camera will pick these up and they will be remembered.

Try to be aware of where the camera is, don’t turn your back on the camera unless it can’t be helped.

The First Kiss is a typical example, turn your body so that the camera can capture the kiss full on, the videographer could be stuck and unable to move his angle, it’s your memory help to make it vivid.

Factors that bring about an emotional response are fundamental to making a wedding video fly, one that will inspire you your children and your family for generations to come.

The art of video editing

The adage of garbage in garbage out holds true when it comes to editing. A good Video Editor can only turn good raw footage into a masterpiece. If the Editor has a passion for editing, he or she could spend up to 30 hours working on a wedding video getting visuals, music, and live sound to work together like a symphony.

Transitions and subtle editing effects can compliment good footage, but edit suite

effects can’t save a bad camera shoot. Over use of visual effects steal the viewers attention away from the video content. Remember your video is about your wedding day not about how many transition effects the editing suite has. If you look at any broadcast television or movies, they don’t use editor effects, and there are good reasons why.

Camera and Sound Equipment Quality

Image and sound quality are determined by the technology employed. Standards vary considerably and generally speaking in this respect ‘you get what you pay for’.

Amateur Videographers

A Wedding Videographer could be an amateur like your brother or uncle, and use a domestic camcorder, and at the end of all the festivities you receive a free tape out of the camera, not the ultimate, but at least you have something to remember your day by.

Semi Professional Videographers

A semi professional or hobbyist may use slightly better camera than that used by your uncle or friend, and should at least edit the footage on entry level equipment for a small fee.

The Professional

A professional Wedding Videographer is someone who makes a living out of making various video productions, as well as wedding videos. His equipment quality will be relative to how much business he can attract with his skills. At the same time I must add that good equipment does not equal a good video, it’s always best to first see what skills combined with equipment is on offer before committing yourself to paying a deposit.

Of late 3ccd high definition digital cameras which render excellent picture quality under low lighting conditions are within the price reach of the average Professional Wedding Videographer, this is the least you must expect from a Professional, if you are going to pay professional prices.

You have to see it this way, when you employ a Videographer, part of the price you are paying includes the cost of the equipment being employed, you are buying a piece of his equipment’s limited life span, plus his skill of knowing how to best operate the equipment.

Entry level professional PC based editing software systems are within the professionals reach financially. Today PC based editing packages are more than capable of producing professional results and are even being used by large video production houses.

Quality

Generally speaking quality is the ability to meet expectations, a DVD as an end product does not equal quality content. Transferring footage from VHS or any other analogue or outdated format to DVD will only reproduce the quality it was recorded at, thus again giving true credence to garbage in garbage out cliché.

Videographer Skills

Skill comes about when knowledge and experience are combined with a passion to excel at what you are doing, which is an article on it’s own. But there is an extra characteristic needed to make an excellent wedding videographer, and that is patience and a love for people.

So then how much should you pay

Why are some videographers cheap and others expensive? I frequently hear being asked.

Price is very much a reaction to supply and demand for scarce resources. For example, the videographer who creates entertaining visuals by way of knowledge skill and experience is providing a scarce resource and therefore his price will be higher as demand for his or her work will be high.

On the other hand there’s also the question of how much the market (that’s you) is prepared to pay.

Look around if you can, people take chances in all walks of life, and be sure you compare video’s in the same price class.

Videographer Relationship

A friendly warm relationship with your Videographer will make the difference between a cold impersonal and a warm personal wedding video. Spend time with a few videographers talking about your day, get to know each other to see if an open relationship can evolve. Society conditions us to be suspicious of strangers and this affects our behavior and barriers toward them, break these down. You must become comfortable with your Videographer being around so that you can be relaxed in your private space with him or her being in the vicinity. Embarrassment and tension is hard to hide from a video camera.

You must be comfortable. You don’t want to be sending the wrong signals to the cameraman or woman because you don’t like the Videographer.

Have fun making your video which won’t be too hard to do, and your video will be fun to watch.

*Copyright”

This Article may be freely distributed however all links and references to the author must be kept intact. The author maintains copyright on this articles and by giving free distribution rights does not revoke or nullify such copyright privileges.

I entered the wedding industry professionaly in 1995 operating as a photographer/videographer/dj/planner. Throughout this time I have recorded and been involved with countless weddings. I also head up a wedding designer company “Yes I do Events”

Wedding Ceremony Readings – The Right Reading and the Right Reader

You have watched the movie “The Wedding Crashers” and laughed as the two rascal wedding crashers talk all during a predictable wedding ceremony. They bet on which often heard reading would come next. You know the one!

You too can probably recall some wedding readings that were obscure, too long, unintelligible, or, well, just plain boring. So for your wedding ceremony, here are two principles to follow that will make the readings complement your wedding ceremony and catch the attention of your guests.

1. Select a reading that means something to you and can be understood by your guests.

2. Chose a reader who can make the reading come alive.

Note: While much of this content relates to wedding ceremonies that are not held in a church, where wedding ceremony readings are often prescribed, these two principles still apply – the right reading for you and the right reader for the occasion.

Selecting your reading(s) takes effort and time, but there is a payoff, and the payoff is that your guests won’t yawn or roll their eyeballs during your ceremony. They will be engaged in what is happening, and they will come to understand just what getting married means to you.

Think of what is important to you on your wedding day – love, marriage, family, etc. – so you can identify what you want in the content of your readings.

Some readings talk about the meaning of marriage, how people find each other, or how you know this is really love. An example of the type of reading that is about an aspect of love or marriage is this short piece by Mark Twain:

A marriage makes of two fractional lives a whole, gives to two purposeless lives a work, and doubles the strength of each to perform it. It gives it two questioning natures a reason for living and something to live for; It will give a new gladness to the sunshine a new fragrance to the flowers, a new beauty to the earth, and a new mystery to life.

Other readings bestow blessings or good wishes on the new marriage. This type of reading usually fits in well toward the end of the ceremony. Here is an example of a reading that congratulates the couple. It is a portion of “Blessing for a Marriage” by James Dillet Freeman.

May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding. May you always need one another – not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete; the valley does not make the mountain less, but more; and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you.

While you and your fiancé are thinking about the content of reading you want, also talk about what type of readings appeal to you. For example, you may prefer a classic poem or passage from literature, memorable song lyrics, traditional wedding readings, or something offbeat and surprising. You may want an ethnic reading, a Biblical verse, or a lighthearted essay or fable.

When you know what you want the message of the readings to be, then you can zero in on finding the right reading. Do an internet search on “wedding readings.” Go through the books in the library or your local book store on wedding ceremonies and readings. Ask your officiant to provide suggestions based on what you want. Call up your old buddy, the English major.

I know I have said to be sure your reading selection is understandable. If you are a fan of Early English poetry, you know most of your guests won’t understand the words, but include the reading anyway. It’s part of you! But balance that choice with a contrasting type of reading such as the more popular lyrics from the song you have chosen for your first dance.

Here is another idea on making your wedding ceremony reading connect with your guests if there is a critical mass of non-English speaking or bi-lingual people in attendance. Have the reading you select be read in English and the other language. Alternatively, you can print the reading in both languages in your printed program. It is such a beautiful moment when you and your guests hear the “mother tongue,” which connects you to the heritage that you bring to your marriage.

So now you are on track to finding the right reading; the next step is finding the right reader.

Asking someone to do a reading in your wedding ceremony is an honor. It can be a family elder, a sibling, someone you wanted to be in your wedding party but just couldn’t add any more people, your college roommate, or a person who brought the two of you together.

Now here’s the catch: The person you want to ask, for symbolic and heartfelt reasons, may be the worst choice. Ask yourself these questions: Is that person comfortable speaking in front of groups? Does that person have a voice that can be easily understood? Does that person have the ability to “interpret” your reading so the message comes through? Does the reader actually understand and like the reading you have selected?

If you come to the conclusion that the person you would like to ask is not the right match for this task, find something else for that person to do. Move on to the next choice – the person who has experience speaking in public, the one who will rehearse the piece beforehand, and the one who can “command the room” for the moments he or she does your reading. You won’t regret it when that person does an Oscar-worthy job of reading the words you want to hear.

Using these two principles, selecting the right reading and the right reader, your wedding ceremony will be enhanced by the readings you include and your guests will not tune out. The readings will add meaning to your ceremony, and they will convey the words you want everyone to listen to on your wedding day. It could just be the highlight of your ceremony, and your wedding crashers might even listen.

Julie Laudicina is a non-denominational wedding officiant, serving couples in the New York CIty area. She is a 2010 Brides Choice winner with Wedding Wire based on excellent reviews from her clients.

Having created and officiated at over 150 ceremonies, Julie has helped couples select all kinds of readings that are tailored for each couple’s ceremony. She often says, “…from Springstein to Shakespeare” as her way of encouraging couples to feel confident in selecting readings from a wide range of categories. She advocates for involving family and friends in the ceremony, and doing that with the readings is ideal.

Julie sees the couple’s selection of readings for their wedding ceremony as a way of expressing themselves. She hopes all couples look for options to make their wedding ceremony reflect their love and their great joy in getting married. Visit her web site: http://www.julielaudicina.com.

Creating a Wedding Budget

Before you start planning your wedding, you should sit down with everyone involved with the financial aspects. Set a budget rich enough to give you what you want but affordable enough to not break the bank.

If you don’t have a budget set from the start, you’ll have a difficult time holding on to your money. It’s easy to spend an extra hundred here and an extra hundred there. If you limit your spending, you’ll be less tempted to spend and more able to focus on what you want and need more wisely.

Here are some pointers for creating an affordable wedding budget.

Who’s Paying?

Traditionally, the bride’s parents were in charge of paying for the wedding. Times have changed quite a bit, though. While the bride’s parents sometimes still pay for the wedding, it is just as likely to see the couple pay for their own ceremony or have financial help from parents on both sides.

If you aren’t able to pay for the wedding yourself, then sit down to have a serious discussion about what is going to work. Depending on your financial situation, you might assume family will help pay for the wedding, but even if you’re positive of that, show your family the courtesy of asking if they’ll pitch in.

The average wedding costs over $20,000 these days, and it might be intimidating to ask for such a large amount of money. You might want to prepare a plan that details how much you’d be willing to chip in, what your budget is, and what type of help you’ll need or the specific expenses you’d like your family to pitch in for.

Sometimes parents contribute a certain amount of money or offer to pay for certain items such as the wedding dress, the catering, or the entertainment. Look into splitting the budget up as much as possible to have everyone willing to contribute put in an equal amount towards the event.

Setting Your Budget

The budget always depends on the amount of guests that you’re inviting to the wedding. A general rule of thumb is that you should prepare to pay $100 for every guest on the invitation list. If you’re having a large amount of guests, you may receive a discount per head as opposed to paying full price per person for smaller weddings.

Taking Care of the Basics

You shouldn’t just make a wild guess at how much you’re willing to spend on your wedding. Instead, set the approximate amount of budgeted dollars per guest and then put together a list of everything you’ll need to buy with that money.

By creating a detailed financial plan, you’ll know how much you can spend on every aspect of the wedding: catering, decorations, transportation, dresses, photography, etc.

You might want to splurge in one area and you may find that with a detailed plan, you can easily save some money in another area of your wedding. By finding out what’s important to you and planning things carefully, you’ll give yourself a better chance of staying within your financial means.

Look around or ask friends that have been married before what expenses they had and what costs their wedding day incurred. Sometimes you’ll realize that your numbers aren’t very realistic compared to what people who have gone before you have spent. It’s better to find out in the planning stages than when you’re actually heading off to make your purchases.

Prioritize

When you make detailed plans, prioritize what’s most important to you. Make sure to communicate with your partner so that you both end up getting what you want instead of feeling ripped off or resentful. Rate every item’s priority on a scale of 1-5, with “1″ being your top priority and “5″ being one of the least important items. This helps prioritize wants versus needs and helps you stay on track with your budget.

Ways to Save Money

There are always tricks to saving money on your wedding package. Sometimes you can find places that offer catering, decorations, and a reception room for a low price when bundled together. Other times you’ll find a photographer that also offers videography for a discounted rate. By finding bulk deals or making connections, you’ll be able to minimize excess costs.

You’ll also want to find out if you have any friends or family members willing to help out for free. Sometimes you might know a person capable of doing all your photography as a wedding gift or you might know somebody willing to volunteer as a decorator.

There are many ways that you can save money, but most of the trick in cutting costs is thinking creatively and resourcefully. By finding out what is most important for your wedding, you’ll be able to spend money on what matters and save on things that are less important.

Stick to It

Once you’ve set a budget, stick to it no matter what. Don’t plan to be frugal from the start – be realistic. Instead of trying to spend too little and create problems when you overspend because of true cost, you should plan for costs as truthfully as possible. It’s no fun having financial pressures because you didn’t spend enough time planning properly. Overshooting the budget not only causes arguments in the couple, but it is also a sign of poor choices.

While it’s true that this is your only wedding, it’s not true that you have an unlimited amount of money available to blow on the event. It’s easy to upgrade items for a couple of hundred dollars, and some vendors will push you to do so. But if you take every vendor’s advice and don’t follow your budget, you’ll never find your available money to be enough.

Don’t stress over your purchases. Instead, spend what feels comfortable and that is within your means. Have fun finding the pleasure in the ceremony and not in the extra (and expensive) trimmings.

David Beart is owner of the Professors House [http://www.professorshouse.com], a site dedicated to family, wedding information [http://www.professorshouse.com/family/relationships/relationships-weddings.aspx], children, and household problems.

Way That Must Be Considered Before Choosing the Desired Photographer

Professional photography is an art that comprises the system in which pictures are taken or composed and should be in both balance and of good color quality. To find a professional photographer in Ontario, one has to be sure where to look. There are a number of ways that must be considered before choosing the desired photographer. First, you should look into the background of all the people who are professional photographers.

It is also important to distinguish between different types of photographers for your intended purpose. There are commercial who work whose work is in industries of different varieties such as newspapers, photographic studios, publishing, television and an assortment of other fields. Professional commercial photographers who are very talented are the ones who qualify to work in mass advertising and magazine covers. Such photographers are usually contacted through agents and they are required to understand their trade in and out. They should be able to set up perfect shots and as well have the ability to develop the photographs in a lab.

When looking for a professional photographer in Ontario some qualities one should look for are training in; the aspects of lighting, digital photography and should be well versed in computers which is a major component in this industry. He should as well be of credible speed in his work. Educational qualification is advisable and colleges are able to offer good training in this field. Most professional photographers come with extra qualifications and this is usually a plus. They should have their portfolios while seeking employment such as Internet websites, which should feature their best photographs. These photographs are easily sent to employers as samples.

Once he attains enough experience, a professional photographer in Ontario will usually specialize in one particular field ranging from celebrity and fashion magazines to catalogues and brochures. One example of a speciality in professional photography is photojournalism where to tell a story, pictures are used instead of words. This requires skilled professional eyes with an ability of interpreting events or subjects and communicating them through photographs. A photojournalist makes use of pictures as opposed to words when telling a story. For this kind of work, the journalist has to have a knack for spotting professionalism as well as the ability to tell people exactly what happened on the day of the event just by using photographs. He may also make use of words to help explain the pictures he or she has taken. Magazines, books and newspapers normally use their work but they can as well hold exhibitions portraying their work. Professional photojournalists further specialize in particular fields such as celebrities, war, portraits or world events.

It is imperative that a professional photographer in Ontario be flexible in terms of the desirable lifestyle and irregularity of the working hours due to the numerous deadlines to be met. He should also adhere to company guidelines even though it is a tremendously creative career. He should consider options such as teaching at learning centers or running individual studios. There are many opportunities in the vast city that a well talented and professional photographer could use.

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Using Wedding Photojournalism to Document Your Special Day

If you’re looking for a unique way to document your special day, wedding photojournalism might be a good option for you.

Photojournalistic wedding photography is more than just a video of the wedding; it’s a personal documentary that chronicles the events of the day just for you.

In the timeless (traditional) style of marriage photography, the photographer plays a very active role. He or she orchestrates virtually the entire event according to a preplanned shot list.

Every photo is carefully posed. Depending on the length of time for which he or she is hired, some of your most personal marriage moments, such as cutting the cake or throwing the bouquet, may have to be re-enacted or faked for the camera.

The focus of the timeless style, as opposed to wedding photojournalism, is on creating perfectly posed portraits for the marriage album. Photo time normally takes place between the ceremony and the reception and can take up to two hours. This is a long time to leave guests standing around waiting for something to happen.

There are a few major advantages to timeless marriage photography. Since the shot list is preplanned, couples can be sure that no event or family member is left out. The posed photos also look beautiful in a marriage album, creating a classic memento of the big day.

Photojournalistic wedding photography takes the opposite approach to the timeless style. Rather than posed photographs, the emphasis is on candid photography. The photographer takes a much more passive role, capturing the day as it unfolds naturally rather than directing the show.

Many engaged couples feel that wedding photojournalism captures the big day in a more realistic way. They also prefer the low-key approach of the photojournalistic style, feeling that the photographer should document what actually happens rather than faking events for the photographic effect.

Wedding photojournalism does have its own downside, however. Since there is no shot list, it is possible that key relatives or friends will inadvertently be left out of the photos. The photographer’s instincts must be top notch as he or she decides what to cover during the busy reception.

Ambient rather than photographic lighting will generally be used, which can lead to some less than perfect photographs. Finally, your album will contain no traditional posed photos.

Some parents feel that their child’s marriage album is incomplete without some traditional photos. You, too, may regret the lack of posed photos one day.

Many photographers have begun to incorporate the best of both worlds. Couples may go to the photography studio a day or two before the ceremony for a posed wedding photography portrait.

Before or after the ceremony, they might pose for a short list of the photographs they most want. The rest of the time, however, their day will be captured through wedding photojournalism.

This blending of styles ensures that no one is inadvertently left out of the photographs and gives more traditional family members the proper marriage album shots.

Yet it dramatically shortens the posed photography session and allows the couple to see candid photos of what actually happened on their special day.

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Three Tips For Venue Setup

When you are giving a presentation, whether it is a keynote speech or seminar, the venue and facilities can have a huge impact on the success or failure of your presentation, so here are three tips to make your presentation successful.

Small is more

A few years ago, my band was offered a headline gig in one of the live music venues in Cape Town. The problem is that while our band could draw a crown of about 50-100 people, the venue held over 700 people We reluctantly turned down the gig and instead asked to play in their smaller venue downstairs that only held 80 people. The downstairs gig was great – it was full, crowded and had a great vibe – we would have needed at least 500 people upstairs to get the energy we had downstairs.

The same happens when we speak. Sometimes we think “let’s rather book a bigger room – just in case,” but in general, the small yet full room has far more energy than the large and empty room. Resist the temptation to book the larger room. You can always bring in extra chairs at the last minute if necessary.

Arrive Early

What has been promised by the venue, and what they actually provide are not always the same thing. If you arrive early you have plenty of time to make last minute changes to the room setup. If possible, check it out a day or two before so that you have time to see the room and make adjustments adhead of time.

Get to know the AV Guy

The AV (audio-visual) guy is the person that (usually) works for the venue, and he is responsible for all of the audio visual equipment. They are the people who know where the hidden button is that lowers the projector screen, or where to get an extra extension cable at the last minute etc. If you are speaking at a large conference, you might have a dedicated AV guy, but if it is a smaller function, the venue might have one person responsible for the entire conference setup.

This person can make or break your presentation. Befriend him and he will be willing to assist. Antagonize him, and he might not be able to find that extra adapter that you left at home!

(I say AV guy – but in all honesty I have never met an AV gal!)

I hope the tips help – good luck with you next presentation!

About Craig Strachan

I am a keynote & seminar speaker, as well as a communications coach. I have a Distinguished Toastmasters qualification from Toastmasters International, as well as a BSC in Elec.Eng, and a BSC.Hons in Information Systems.

My passion is to help people to become better communicators, in both their personal and professional capacity.

http://blog.cdssolutions.com is my business blog, where I write about different aspects on communication.

To receive insightful articles on communication, public speaking, PowerPoint and leadership skills, subscribe to our newsletter here – http://www.cdssolutions.com/mailinglist/mailinglist.asp

I am available for keynote and seminar presentations.

You can contact me at craig@cdssolutions.com

When Choosing a Professional Photographer, What Should We Consider First?

Professional photography is a talent that is craved for in most functions as people prefer quality pictures rather than out of focus photos. To get a picture worth a thousand words you need to find legitimate professional photographers in Toronto. You might want to look in the internet or have a look at the website or visit the physical location of major photography associations or organisations, where one may find the members who have joined these groups across all of Canada. There is also a photographers market where photographers come to showcase there work and hopefully sell their pieces. There is also a professional photographers’ directory where you can find professional photographers around the world.

The professional photographers in Toronto have massive websites and liaisons with major photography institutions and are varied in different fields. They are categorized systematically, for example, if you want a wedding photographer, you may want to look for wedding photographers who specialize in weddings exclusively. Same case for wildlife photography, sequence shots, montages and so on. This is a very good and easy way to go about looking for photographers not only in Toronto, but also in the whole world. This happens when the individual has enough experience to choose in which field he/she wants to venture in.

When choosing a professional photographer, you should first consider the price that one photographer is charging. The photographer might be expensive or just pulling your chain with a price that is cannot be justified. Careful consideration has to be taken before going for any photographer; just like any other business. Good photographers are also those who run on a precise schedule, are organised and follows the work they are given. One can also check the validity of a good professional photographer. You should check for their education as they mostly place this in their websites. A professional photographer in Toronto must have gone to the major institutions in the greater Canada or even the world. There are some schools that offer online photography courses, but truth be told, where will the practical sessions be and how effective will they be? A photographer who is an alumnus of a school with extensive practical sessions can be a source for your photography work.

A professional photographer should transacts honestly in every standard of the profession, will upgrade his/her skills every now and then through seminars and conventions, performs with the high standards of conduct that conforms to the code of ethics and will strive to produce better pictures than the one he/she displays. The photography industry, like most business is also competitive and it also needs professionals. So if you find a photographer who has been to a photography institution, you better go for one that shows quality and professionalism rather than going for someone who instead will leave a bad taste in your mouth. If the price is right, you will not regret your decision. Know that cheap is expensive when you are looking for a good professional photographer.

Professional Photographers in Toronto, Videography services in Toronto, Special events photography services, Wedding photography services in Toronto, Limousine photography services in Toronto, Professional Photographers in Toronto at videobabylon.ca

How to Plan An Inexpensive Wedding on a Budget

Your wedding is truly a once in a lifetime event and many brides-to-be want the wedding of their dreams – but many also have a budget to work within. There’s no doubt about it weddings can be expensive – with the average wedding in the United States coming in at around $25,000. Seems like a lot of cash for one day of festivities, especially when that same amount of money can be used for a down payment on a new house or another big-ticket item. However, there are plenty of ways to accommodate your dreams without breaking the bank or going into debt. All you need is a bit of time, flexibility and planning.

Before doing anything, you should sit down with your fiancé and discuss what you both feel a reasonable budget is, and if your family and friends can help out in any way. Once you have agreed upon a budget and who will be paying for it, you will then need to make a categorized list for each area of your wedding. The topics to include in your list should be: Food / Reception, Flowers, Ceremony, Music, Transportation, Attire (including accessories), Favors and Gifts, Invitations and Stationary, Photography and Videography. Out of those ten items, rank them in order of importance to you. Perhaps your photography is the most important aspect of your special day – so you will want place a larger portion of the budget to that aspect than the other items. However, keep in mind, the food and reception portion of a wedding, normally take up 45-50% of most bridal budgets.

Now that you know what item(s) you will spend the most money on and the least money on, you will have to plan and comparison-shop to make the best deals for the best possible prices. We have some suggestions for you to consider for each aspect of your wedding planning that will help trim your budget and keep costs in line.

The Reception

Since the reception normally takes the largest chunk out of your budget, you’ll want to focus on trimming your reception expenses as much as possible. The biggest money saver, without having to compromise catering services, is to trim your guest list down to close family and friends. There is really no need to invite family whom you haven’t seen in years, or those friends who you have lost touch with.

Next, decide on when you would like to have your wedding take place. Winter weddings, weeknight events, Friday nights and Sundays normally are the cheapest to book. You’ll want to stay away from dates in April through September and holidays – those dates are more popular and also more expensive to book. Also consider a late breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or cocktail party reception – they are shorter in length and the fare is lighter – which means lighter on your budget.

When deciding on a menu, you may want to consider family style plates, buffets, and seasonal recipes. Limit your alcohol choices to beer, wine and soda or create a custom cocktail just for your wedding. By limiting your food and beverage choices, you are also decreasing your budget.

If a catering hall is too expensive, try booking a room in a restaurant, a local hall, your church, or even a friend’s backyard. If you have a friend or relative who is a good cook, ask them to help cater the food. Your wedding is about celebrating your new union the location of the event isn’t as important as who you keep company with that day. Surround yourself with people you love and good times will be had by all.

Flowers

Flowers, while beautiful accents to your day, last the least amount of time and often cost a small fortune. If you want to use fresh cut flowers research which flowers will be in season for your wedding and choose your arrangements accordingly. If you would like a larger bouquet, let the bridesmaids carry simple or even single flowers. Rather than having elaborate fresh centerpieces, opt for candles, glass bowls with stones, or even buy wholesale silk flowers and arrange your centerpieces ahead of time. With a little planning ahead of time, you can trim your floral budget in half or more.

Ceremony

If you’re having a non-religious ceremony, see if your reception venue can accommodate a ceremony as well. This will save you on transportation costs. Ask what decorations, if any will be there at the time of your ceremony. Depending on the season some churches may already have altar flowers. Many couples do without ceremony programs – or you can print you own from home. Eliminate the pew decorations to a minimum – place simple white bows only on the front aisles to reserve seating for your most important guests in the front. If you are using an officiant, shop around for prices. In some states, for a minimal fee, almost anyone can apply to become a wedding officiant. Check local laws, and ask a close friend or relative to marry you. For music, check with the location if you can use pre-recorded music rather than hiring someone to play live music.

Attire (Including Accessories) Your wedding gown can cost thousands – but it doesn’t have to. Consider sample sales, chain bridal stores, vintage and consignment shops, borrowing your mother’s gown or even renting one. If you wedding is not formal, consider evening gowns and cocktail dresses. Also plan in your budget the price of alterations, which can run several hundred dollars depending on how much needs to be altered. For accessories, consider borrowing from a relative or friend – it can be your “something borrowed”. If your groom and groomsmen will be wearing tuxedos, shop rental shops that offer free tuxedo rentals when renting in bulk.

Music

DJs are less expensive than bands and can usually accommodate a variety of musical tastes. Check with DJs which are new to the market – they may have less experience but are usually willing to negotiate pricing. If your reception location has a sound system, ask if you can hook up a stereo or MP3 music device to it. An MP3 player may be ideal – if you will know just how long your each section of your wedding will be – you can plan your playlists to play just the right music.

Transportation

Sure it may be fun to have a limousine chauffer you around town, but the costs may not be justified depending on location and time. Shop around to get the best prices and ask if they have wedding packages. Don’t hire a limousine for the entire day – you’ll be spending your cash on a driver just waiting around most of the time. Another option is to just hire the limo to drop you off at the ceremony and drop you off at the reception. If you have a friend with a nice car – ask if they can drive you.

Photography and Videography

Photography can be expensive – but there are ways to trim this item to fit your budget. Consider hiring photography major from a local college, reduce the number of hours you hire your photographer for, put together your own wedding album, ask for digital proofs rather than printed proofs. Hire a videographer to record the ceremony to the beginning of the reception only, or consider asking a friend or relative with a camcorder to take your video.

Invitations and Stationary

Although invitations are the first thing your guests see, they are probably the last thing they remember. If you are having your invites professionally printed, skip the engraving and go for thermography. Or to save even more, print your own invites. There are many elegant do it yourself invitation kits on the market today.

Favors and Gifts

This area tends to be skipped out or skimmed over when having a budgeted wedding. However favors and gifts for your wedding party do not have to be extravagant or expensive, but they should be given as a token of thanks. Edible favors are usually inexpensive – and are enjoyed by all. If you’re crafty whip up a batch of chocolate or cookies place them in cello bags and tie with a matching ribbon. For bridal party gifts consider something useful, such a photo album or picture frame.

And finally, planning a wedding is stressful no matter how large or small the budget. Take your time, relax and breathe! You’re wedding will be perfect no matter what your budget is as long as you are surrounded by the ones you love and who love you. For additional cost cutting tips, see our article 101 Tips On How To Save Money For Your Wedding.

Erica Tevis is the owner of Two Hearts Wedding Favors Little Things Wedding Favors which carries thousands of wedding favors and wedding accessories to suit every couple’s style, theme and budget.

Buying Equipment to Become a Videographer

This is where most people who want to start a career as a videographer are scared off, but this need not be the case, even with a small budget you can get some good quality equipment which will bridge the gap between amateur and pro. This article will hopefully help you on your way.

Camera

Obviously to be a videographer you will need a good camera, which goes without saying, nobody will be willing to use your services if your video is of a poor quality.

New or used? I bought my first professional camera secondhand. As long as your careful when buying secondhand equipment, it can be a great way to start your videography business. Obviously there is always a risk but you can make some significant savings. Make sure you see the camera working and spend time testing all the features before handing over your money. When buying new it’s good to go into a shop to try out the camera first but be aware the prices online can be a bit cheaper. For expensive equipment, it is even be worth haggling at your local retailer to bring the price down slightly, it is always worth trying, they can only say no. It is reassuring to have a warranty on the camera which is defiantly an advantage when buying new.

It is worth buying HD. Not all videographers are using HD but it is about the right time buy or upgrade to high definition. After all you don’t want to be left behind before you’ve even started.

Not all videographers own their cameras, there are a lot of companies out there which offer good daily rates for camera rental, I often use these when I’m working on a project which requires a multiple camera setup, this can work out more cost effective then buying extra cameras which may not be used very often and will eventually need upgrading as technology improves. For a larger more expensive purchase it can also be a good idea to rent the camera you want to buy to check that you are making the right decision.

When buying any equipment always look at reviews online and do your research, so you know that the camera has all the features you will need.

Microphone

There are very few videographers who use the microphone which is built in to the camera, this is because they are usually of a poor quality and can pickup noise from the camera. Don’t forget sound is half of your production.

If your camera has professional outputs, which you would expect on all good cameras, then it is worth buying a good quality microphone, more than likely you should be looking at a shotgun mic. These are the most directional of all microphones and can be used to pick up sounds from longer distances; they can be mounted to the top of any good camera. There are many different types of microphone out there but if I had to name a standard microphone, a shot gun mic is it.

Different microphones will be useful in different situations, for example some wedding videographers will have a shotgun microphone attached to their camera but also mic up the groom with a lapel microphone, (a small microphone which attaches to clothing) to record the vows.

Tripod

This can also be an essential tool when making video but make sure you buy a good quality tripod or it could be just a waste of money. So what is a good quality tripod? Well, you should be looking to buy a tripod with a fluid head, this will give you a smooth action when filming, depending on the quality of the head. Fluid heads have lubricating fluid in their mount; this allows a much smoother camera movement than with a non-fluid head. Many shops sell the tripod legs and the head separately, this is something I’ve always liked as you can replace or upgrade the parts separately without buying a complete tripod. It may be worth taking your camera into the shop to try out the tripod before buying it. Make sure that the tripod is able to take the weight of your camera; the last thing you would want during a production is for your camera to topple over.

Computer/Software

If you are reading this online, you probably already own a computer. Depending on the specifications it may already be suitable for video editing; chances are though you will want to upgrade it.

A large hard drive is essential when editing video as the video files you will be working on will often be very large, especially if you are working with high definition video. It can be useful to have multiple hard drives, with all your video files being stored on a secondary drive. This will improve performance, as the only activity on the second drive will be video related, without all the normal background operations happening. If you’re buying a new hard drive make sure it’s at least a 7200rpm drive.

Memory is also something worth upgrading; I noticed a huge difference in the computers performance when I upgraded the memory of my computer, without it I found the software slowed down my computer and the time it took me to edit was increased.

Essential is a firewire port, this is used to connect your camera to your computer to transfer the video. Many new computers come with a firewire port, if your computer doesn’t have one you will need to buy a firewire card. Be aware there are different speeds of firewire available make sure you get firewire 800 or better.

If your processor is slow, consider upgrading this too, you do not need the best processor out there but its always nice to have a speedy processor.

Many people think you need a really good video card to do video editing, but they are wrong, as long as you have a reasonably good card to start with, money will be better spent on other upgrades.

I could go on listing even more upgrades but I feel like I’ve named all the important ones, other upgrades worth considering are an extra monitor and a dvd burner.

You will need to buy some software to edit the video, these can range in ability and price. Popular products with professional videographers are Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro or Vegas Pro but there are cheaper options out there, it’s worth taking a look at some reviews and trying out some demos of the software before purchasing your preferred choice. Just make sure the software has all the features you require.

Lighting

This can be essential depending on what kind of work your taking on, for example at a wedding you don’t have time to set up lighting and will have to make do with the conditions on the day or possibly use a mounted light, whereas the production of a company training video will be vastly improved by the use of a good full lighting setup.

As with much of a videographer kit you can spend as little or as much as you would like. There are some fantastic lighting kits out there but for myself who does a lot of outdoor work filming corporate events, it’s not worth spending a fortune on lighting. This is one reason why it’s a good idea to decide what kind of work you would like to specialise in, it makes buying the equipment a whole lot easier and cheaper. At the minimum you should probably own enough lighting for a basic three-point setup. Also useful is a mounted light which sits onto of your camera, this is usually connected to a separate battery which can clip onto your belt or hang over your shoulder.

Headphones

Always get yourself a good set of headphones, it’s sometimes surprising what the microphone can pickup, so you will want to monitor the sound at all times and make any adjustments accordingly.

This article lists the basic equipment you will need when starting as a full time videographer, there are many extra gadgets out there which you may think you will need and may come in handy. Just make sure that you are purchasing the equipment for the right reasons, as it is very easy to get carried away with spending your money on gadgets which will make very little difference to your productions.

About the author

Darren Parkinson is the owner of Olmec Media a videography company which specialises in corporate video.

Visit them today for more information http://www.olmecmedia.com

Behind Wedding Videography

Love is one of the most cherished feelings in this world. It is celebrated in various ways that can only be uniquely experienced by the persons involved. One certain event that truly marks this momentous emotion is a wedding. Nowadays due to the modern era technology has had a share in capturing the memorable sights and sounds of weddings through Videography. Let’s travel back in time at how such beneficial process came into being.

Basically the term Wedding Videography is used to describe documentation of a certain wedding on video. Other terms associated with this method are wedding film and wedding movie. Now this industry was brought to life by individuals who took the chance of making a business out of weddings particularly that of their close relatives and friends. At the time, movies were done using the 8mm and 16mm films.

The 80s became the turning point of this industry when the first camcorders came into the scene. Sony was the leading manufacturer at that time. It was time for the common folks to enjoy the benefits of making movies out of their weddings which were limited to people of high status and wealth before the camcorders came around. And at this point more and more hobbyists saw the opportunity of making a career out making wedding films.

It was not as easy as you think for the initial proponents of wedding movies. The mechanisms and gadgets were not as refined as those of the present time. The camera itself was a very big load and had to be connected separately with a video recorder using a cable network. There was a need for more lights but still the pictures that came out were in poor condition and the audio output was not something to brag about. The industry faced a lot of technical hits but as time went by it seemed that the challenges were only beginning to manifest.

The industry was not fully welcomed during the wedding proper itself. It was considered to be a momentum breaker for various brides and grooms due to the fact that a flurry of bright lights became a must in order to have higher chances of producing better pictures and images. More so, the industry saw people who wanted to become videographers but did not really have the savvy and know-how needed to thrive in the industry. And to make things worse technology was not really up to par to the industry’s aspirations of making it big in the wedding market.

At the turn of the 90s, the industry was salvaged by manufacturers who saw a glimmer of light in the opportunities brought about by Wedding Videography. The term prosumer did it for the industry. It is used to link the gap between the professional level of videographers and the consumers in the wedding market. Now with this new understanding between professionals and manufacturers more and more technological advancements were done in order to produce better outcomes in the wedding film industry. Also during this time, WEVA or Wedding and Event Video Association International paved the way for a more organized set of professional videographers.

Weddings are once in a lifetime events which should not be taken for granted. The opportunity to document each glaring and glowing moment should not be wasted so when the time that you plan out your own wedding make sure Videography is properly accounted for.

Charlie Paule is a wedding videography and photography enthusiast. Be sure to click the link for more about wedding videography business tips.