A little change.

Super tired... Lots of shooting going on. 2-3 engagement shoots a day.

We are closing up December in South Florida. If you are sitting on the fence we only have a few more spots open for 2008.

You may have noticed I changed the back ground. This is to test how the new videos I am posting will look. Let me know what you think?




Congratulations Julia and Chris !!




Here is a precap (intro to a wedding video) for Susy and Louie

Video Test

For this test I am reviewing - encoding quality, movement artifacts and colour rendition. Please email me your comments.

Back on the wagon.

I love the movies. I like how if I'm in a pissy mood, 2 hours of watching a funny movie (or a chick flik - dont laugh I love them. Yea that is Jean - as in Jean Francois not Jean as in jeanie) will completely change my attitude.

What about you? Have you ever gone to a Rambo movie and felt a little tougher? Or, better yet a Karate movie? After Karate Kid - I waxed on and waxed off for weeks -----ohhh noo I didnt mean that the way I wrote it!!!!!

anyhow---

Wedding videos. Why do we make them? I know when I started in the business it was just that, a business. But as I spent more and more time being a part of hundreds of couples special day I came to realize that the moments we record are not just for viewing by the Bride and Groom a few months after the wedding. No no. These memories are clips of people and times past.

It's become even more obvious to me since I've become involved with FloridaHomeMovies.com, TorontoHomeMovies.com, USHomeMovies.com and MontrealHomeMovies.com. The 4 most important events that I see recorded over and over again are

• Weddings - almost every single person who brings in reels has wedding footage.
  
• Babies in the bath - seriously I could make this up. Babies love to splash too.
• Vacations - of course, makes sense that we all long for the fun times
• close ups of older relatives - this sounds spooky but I think sub conscientiously whoever is recording wants the older person to be remembered and deliberately takes the time.

So why do all the bridal show videographers spend time showing videos with a million effects and camera angles that make MTV look tame?

Over the next few months I will be featuring a number of videos. In fact, we are currently looking making this blog a much more interactive event, with submissions from both our photo and video editing teams!!



For the above photo read the names on the jerseys. OK now read it again out loud slowly 3 times. heheheehhehehheh - Their joke not mine!

Tax day - boo hoo

What do the below companies have in common?

Chanel, Bentley, Chopard, Patek, Rolex

Take the time to visit each one of these sites. This is not an exercise in apathy but in personal quality growth. I had a great conversation today with a bride and groom about expectations.

The point is this. Having only the highest expectations is like saving money. Over time your expectations will slowly lead you to a path that will provide a better standard of living for you and therefore your children will benefit.

The 5 companies above personify the idea of highest expectations.

• quality
• design
• form follows function

What does this have to do with photography? The best way I can explain is based on couples understanding that photographer with the highest expectations will NOT take bad photos on purpose. Will not compromise lighting, composition or expression for the sake of quantity.

So tired.....

I've been shooting video and photo almost everyday for the past month, plus travelling back and forth to Boca. I'm off to bed but before I go here is some cool photos from the last few days. Remember, if you click on the photo you will see a high resolution image.

Check out this new slideshow ---- sabrina and tony


And a few cool engagement pics.

I knew it!!!!!

Good Morning!!!

Last night it was so hot that I couldnt sleep. So in the middle of the night I opened a few windows on the second floor. This morning I woke to a symphony of sounds. The birds were singing, someone putting out the garbage (darn it garbage day)and a the neighbour across the street is having interlock stone put on his driveway so I hear the tractor.

Its strange that as it get closer to summer I feel my body wanting to get out of bed earlier. And when I do get up at say 5:30-6, I alway have a more productive day. Even if I just sit in the back writing my blog.

Course the first thing I did was use my new blender to make breakfast. A power breakfast smoothie with - ice, granola, yogurt, banana, flak seed, chocolate soy milk, and 4 juicy strawberries. Yum!!

I love the internet -- and my new blender

OK if I had to I could spend 365 days a year with only my laptop and the internet. Check out this funny video. Stuff like this makes me giggle.

Air Travel is fun

I'm back in Toronto. Spent another weekend meeting interesting couples who are getting married in South Florida. I love it how I can get to the airport at 6:30 and be at my desk in Boca Raton at 11.

I find myself looking for hang outs. For example; in Toronto I always go the Indigo book store on Hwy 7 and Yonge. I have my discount card, and love to sit for a few minutes and read with a Starbucks coffee.

In Boca, I always go to the Barns and Noble bookstore, I have my discount card, and I love to sit and read with a Starbucks coffee.

The difference?

In Boca books are 30% cheaper, my discount card drops my Grande decaf from 2.05$ to 1.69$. I can sit outside on the patio and enjoy the gas powered lamps.

I got a ton of web work done yesterday. If your name is not on the site or there is an error please email me asap.

I want to welcome Ronnie to the TorontoHomeMovies.com team. She is an Adobe Photoshop specialist who will be handling a number of our digital and analog photo work.

We will be offering a number of options for video this year. Expect that Tim will be contacting regarding your video lovewalk in the next month to schedule. Plus I will be emailing information on group video shoots, upgraded locations and pre-ordering your raw footage before the wedding and saving $100!!!

Energy levels up!!

Welcome Melissa and Mark. They are officially my newest couple for 2009. While updating their site I realized that we are behind on a number of couples new pages.

Soooo over the next few days look on the couples page for your names, wedding dates etc. Please let me know by email if you name is spelled correctly and of course, the right wedding date.

My library is slowly filling up. About a year ago I decided to buy a book a week to fill in the gaps on the 1 measly shelf of books I had. As of last night I now have 3 full book shelves. Its not just going to the book store and pick up $2.99 specials. I set up these parameters.

• All books I buy must be read at least 50% even if I hate it. So, the book on Glycemic Index bakery good did get read fully
• at least 50% of the books I purchase must contribute to my personal growth. ie biography of Andrew Carnegie
• No more than 10% can be taken up my magazines
• Used books, new books doesn't matter - but the cover must be intact.
  

A bunch of people have asked that I update my reading list. I'll start on the next post.


South Florida couples - I will be shooting 4 lucky couples this coming weekend at either City Place in West Palm Beach or Las Olas in Ft Lauderdale. If you want to be one the couples to have their engagement photos taken this weekend please call Marianna at:

Tel. 561-939-1497
cell . 561.674.6515