Thursday, November 13, 2008

Nariman & Hassane : Prep

Nariman and Hassane had the nicest family. I shot so much extra footage during the Prep at Nariman's house because they kept feeding me! Nariman gave me a really cool CD of some music and I used some of my favorites for her Prep. The first piece, Chambao has an old timey scratched record feel and I felt that the footage required a vintage look. Hope you like it. Now I am really itchy to shoot with my Super-8 camera.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Happy Birthday To Me!


Hey Everybody -- It's my birthday! Time for bed, but wanted to make a quick post.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Get Ready Early (for Girls)


Okay, I had to blog about this because I think it's one of the most important things that a Bride can do to ensure that they have a great wedding video (and photos, too).

GET READY EARLY! Now I'm not talking about being in your dress 3 hours before your ceremony, but I can't tell you how many brides and attendants wait until the last minute to get ready. I won't name names, but you know who you are. And it makes it really hard to give you the best coverage when you're running behind -- and I want to make sure you have absolutely the best coverage you can. That said, here are some suggestions (must-do's):

1. BRIDES GET YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP DONE FIRST. Brides, you are the center of attention on your wedding day, yet so many of you wait until last to get hair and makeup. Why is that? Do yourself a favor and get your hair and makeup done before your attendants. If anyone has to rush, make it be them. They'll work it out and be fine, but YOU will be stressed and frustrated and it will show in your video. You can save final touch ups until the end, but having your hair in rollers 5 minutes before the ceremony (true story) is not the way to enjoy your special day. I like to get a few minutes of coverage when you're finishing your makeup -- when you are looking your best. By getting ready early you allow more time to get shots of you looking great. Same goes for hair. Plus, it will allow for more meaningful moments as you get into your dress. Except for final touches, you should plan to finish your hair and makeup an hour before leaving for your ceremony.

2. GET YOUR DRESS ON EARLY. Many brides wait until the last minute to put their dress on. This really limits the amount of video (and photos) we can get of you looking your best. Also, if you have a problem with your dress, having extra time will allow you to fix any issues without being rushed. There's nothing worse than spending your last few moments as a single girl fussing with a stuck zipper or cleaning a dirt spot. Start putting your dress on about 45 minutes before you depart for the ceremony. This will give you a good 30 minutes for photos/video and problem solving should you have any. And keep in mind that your videographer and photographer will quite often need to leave early to set up for your ceremony coverage, so the extra time is really not as much as you think.

3. ATTENDANTS -- GET IN YOUR DRESSES. Bridesmaids should get in their dresses as soon as their hair and makeup are completed. We can only take video of you while you're dressed, and too often we get shut out of a room while bridesmaids search for missing items and fumble with bows. This cuts into your coverage, so please encourage your attendants to get their dresses on sooner rather than later. It will also allow them to focus on you, the bride as you make your final preparations. There is nothing more moving than seeing a bride, surrounded by her attendants while she puts on her shoes or is laced into her gown.

So, do yourself a favor and GET READY EARLY. The few extra minutes you'll have will pay off big for video and photos that will last a lifetime.

Photo by:  Kevin Keelan Photography, www.KevinKeelan.com

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Kerry & Zach's Wedding Trailer

I didn't have the chance to meet Kerry or Zach before the wedding because the both live out of town, but I did get to spend some time with Kerry's Mom, Sheila who was planning the entire event. She spoke so enthusiastically about both her daughter and her future son-in-law that I knew this was going to be a great day. I hadn't shot at the Grand Cypress for over a year, but I remembered it was a beautiful location. When I got there though, it was even prettier than I remembered. It was a very emotional affair -- and many of their friends and family travelled a long way to get there. One of the highlights of the evening was a toast given by Kerry's Dad. I found it so moving that I had to include part of it in their trailer.