Choosing a Photo Booth

What not only entertains guests, but also provides a unique keepsake from your wedding? A photo booth! People volunteer to be put in front of a camera, strike a super flattering pose, and leave you with a photo of how much fun they were having at your reception. As I've filmed weddings, I've seen photo booths where guests (and the couple) are encouraged to be as goofy as they can be with props either provided by you, brought in, or gathered from your wedding's surroundings. Here's my insider information from my many wedding travels.


Retro Booth
The first is a retro fit photo booth complete with curtains and two strips of photos printed on the spot; one for you and one for your guests. In some photo booths, like this one from Buckeye Entertainment, there's a modern surprise. The photos are also instantaneously uploaded to Facebook. There's always a long line for this and I find great joy in perusing the Facebook photos afterward. You all have some silly guests out there.


Photographer Booth
I've met wedding photographers who also provide their own version of a photo booth. These are usually solid backdrops and a single camera manned by the photographer or assistant.

Groups will fit in to have their adorably ridiculous photos taken and images are later uploaded to the photographer's site for you to purchase prints (and possibly share on Facebook). Shutterhead Studios first introduced me to the concept with their You Booth and I later saw Mary Wyar and also the Ely Brothers have a similar approach with their Fauxto-booth and The Awesomeatic.


Couch Booth
A new take on the photographer photo booth route is the photo couch from Henry Photography. It's probably the prettiest couch I've seen and can make an appearance at your wedding in front of any backdrop the photographers deem worthy. Ooh la la.



DIY Booth
If you're looking for a DIY alternative, I've had couples hang a sheet or pretty tapestry, bring in a crate of hats, wings, glasses, picture frames, chalkboards, you name it, and set up a small point and shoot camera complete with self-timer on a tripod. The guests seemed to enjoy encouraging each other and suggesting poses and props.

A cyber option would include encouraging your guests to take photos and upload them to a site like Instagram using the same hashtag and later create your own album of images on a site like Shutterfly.


You can really let your imagination run wild with the possibilities. What are you considering for your reception? Comment below or pop on over and "Like" my Facebook page to share your ideas and stay current with my videography world.


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Photograph Your Newborn in 4 Practical Steps

Greetings Peeps!

I shared my oh-so-traumatic experience of attempting to photograph our newly minted family addition ending in tears and being covered in unpleasantries. Not wanting to be bested by our little fox, I took up the challenge and attempted our photo session again. This time = success! Here's what worked for me:

Step 1: Feed the baby
A substantial milk coma did wonders for coaxing the little one into doing whatever I wanted. I waited for the aftermath as well - burps, pukes, and poops. It was like dropping Mentos into a 2-liter of Coke. Feed and wait. The pressure built. The countdown began! Then came the explosions that quickly become predictable (they had to after cleaning poop off the wall a few times and changing tops twice in a 5-minute span).

Step 2: Stick a finger in it
Whenever the little fox would resist the adorable places I found for her, I would stick my finger in her mouth to woo her back to sleep. A quick coaxing was all I needed in this case. This included snacks. Once upon a time, in ideal Parenthood-Land, I felt this pressure to keep baby on a strict eating/playing/sleeping schedule and to only feed when hungry. For sanity's sake, I was more than happy to take a quick break and get some food in her when she was getting overly fussy with my poking and prodding. It was a nice break for me too.

Step 3: Keep baby safe
It was so fun to think of places to mold a very moldable and snuggable baby, but especially since I was attempting this myself, I made sure she was securely propped up and contained. I was also within arm reach when taking the photos. I must have been my usual famished self because I reached for a mixing bowl and stuffed it full of rolled up blankets for her. The inside was deep enough that she fit just like a batch of my pumpkin brownie mix. I even laid our little fox out on our bed for some of my favorite shots. How easy was that? There was no way she was going ANYwhere (I hope she'll still be this compliant when she's older).

Step 4: Get Naked
The baby, of course! The key for me was starting with our little fox fully clothed so I could get my bearings and she could get hers. Happy coincidence was that once I started putting her back into day clothes, she was still in milk coma status. That meant I could play around with amazing photos showing off that little potbelly of hers.

I was so happy with how these came out and there was practically NO stress. We took our time and I waited for her cues before scrunching her into her next pose on whatever surface I could find in the house, ever handy with a quick snack or pacifier. I happily threw out all of the baby book rules out the window for an hour or two to be able to play like this! And I confess that I have since thrown out most of the baby book rules permanently.

Photograph Your Newborn in 2 Easy Steps

Hello Peeps!

Hubby and I welcomed our first little fox to the troop on November 3rd and she's been such entertainment ever since. Here's just one entertaining story so far...

The fox was merely a week old and I had the brilliant idea to take photos like all the gorgeous naked, posed baby photos you see floating around Facebook. I cranked up the heat, set out some props, stripped the little fox to her bare little baby bum, wrapped her in a blanket in case she leaked, and handed her to Daddy.

You can tell by the photo that we had absolutely no idea what we were doing. We're first time parents after all, not yet knowing if the poor thing's head is going to roll off her neck if we don't hold her just-so. As I snapped photos with my fancy camera, she screamed and cried, even reaching that high shrill that only the most talented of babies can reach.

Dumfounded that she wasn't sleeping peacefully like the babies in all the photos I've seen, I wrapped her in the blanket she had just thoroughly soaked with pee and handed her back to Daddy. The logical conclusion was try, try, try again. Here's where it all hit the fan. Simultaneously, Daddy and I start to sweat because the house is now a sauna, Daddy's phone rings, he reaches for it with his free hand while holding the pee-soaked blanket containing our shrill fox - and the icing on the cake - the baby poops, all over Daddy. And screams and cries.

That last bit applies to us all. A full-blown meltdown ensued with me and the little fox sitting on the floor bawling our eyes out and Daddy covered in poo. And all I have is this lousy photo to show from it.

Step 1: Hire a professional to take newborn photos

Especially if this is your first child. You have way too much going on and no matter how much of a Wonder Woman you think you will be, expect the unexpected and let an outside source pamper you and your baby the way you should be pampered. You'll thank me for it.

Step 2: Keep your phone handy

Some of my favorite photos I have of our little fox are taken with my phone (like this awesome one on the left - totally Anne Geddes, don't you think?). It's so easy to snap photos here and there with my phone (which I have by my side so I can time feedings anyway). It's candid, it's natural, it's stress-free!

It gives you more freedom to play around with things like poses, framing, and lighting because all you have to do is sit there and cuddle your little spawn. Your finger on the button does the rest. If you haven't heard it enough from your family and friends, let yourself relax! Take advantage of this time to just be with your baby! I wish I had taken that advice. It's the only time you'll get to have an excuse to just...be. Your baby will go through a million different expressions in a fraction of a second, so you can easily sit there and capture each one while you're doing what you do best - being a Mom.

Secret Step 3: Stay tuned

I'm going to post my phone pictures, and I encourage you to do the same! I want to see your babies! I post phone photos here and if you'd like to contribute, send your favorites to me on Facebook! I'll also write about how to make the most of using whatever camera you have handy to take meaningful photos of your newborn.

Vegan Carrot Cupcakes

Sometimes the only way to handle the crazy thoughts that race through your mind as a freelancer is to distract yourself. Like cupcakes! It must be a rough patch if I've made these almost every week for a while now. I can feel my thoughts returning to the "I can do" attitude each time I catch of whiff of these baking in the oven!

Vegan Carrot Cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil (canola)
1/3 cup soy yogurt (I use vanilla)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup finely grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, and vanilla. Sift in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices - premixed in small bowl) and mix until smooth with a wooden spoon. I think part of the secret is to not over-mix the batter. Mix until just combined. Call it a feeling, but it seems to work. Fold in carrots.

Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted through the center of one comes out clean. Or do what I do, and when you smell that tasty aroma from the oven, they're most likely done. Frost when cooled.

(Modified from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World).

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
¼ cup nonhydrogenated margarine, softened (Earth Balance)
¼ cup vegan cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together margarine and cream cheese until just combined. Use a handheld mixer to whip while adding the confectioners sugar in ½ cup batches. Mix until smooth and creamy, then mix in the vanilla. Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use. I scoop into a plastic baggie, seal, and cut the bottom corner of the bag to ice. Feel like a pro pastry-chef decorating!

Filming and Early Pregnancy

The morning after we went in for that first doctor's appointment informing us that, indeed, there was a little beating pea in there (and there was only one...and it was firmly implanted just where it needed to be, not floating out in my nether regions like a little lost sheep), my body and my mind were in agreement. I was pregnant.

Once the body and mind started talking, they hatched a cruel plan. Just like something out of a Marvel movie where the alien villains scheme for imminent destruction of the entire earth. My internal villains decided I would roll out of bed and immediately feel the urge to vomit. Each and every day for 8 weeks. I woke up to it and fell asleep to it. Rice cakes and yogurt became my frenemies and only mealtime acquaintances. By the time the nausea finally subsided, I figured I would be just as sick if I ever saw another rice cake again. In. my. life.

It was early spring and the filming world was blossoming. I was out 3 evenings a week filming lacrosse games (more like dodging balls) for a few hours at a time and weekends were beginning to fill with 8-10 hour days of shooting for weddings. I didn't know how I was supposed to hide this from my clients or anyone else for that matter (it was still "Top Secret" news).

To pull off the "I can carry all my equipment, run to and fro, and still look like a hundred bucks" appearance, here is my advice for you other lovely early pregnancy shooters out there.

Rice cakes, Cheez-it's, granola bars, and Preggie Pops (or any type of Vitamin C drop) were my best friends that came with me EVERYWHERE. Halftime at lacrosse games consisted of me choking down whatever dry food I had and then carrying hard candy (keeping my extra batteries and compact flash cards company in my pockets) during gameplay. I nibbled and kept my pouch full - like a mouse-kangaroo.

Smile. Nod. And nibble. That was the only way to stay looking professional. I learned the hard way when out filming lacrosse one cold, rainy afternoon after filming interviews all morning (without thinking of eating lunch). I about passed out from lack of nutrition. Trying to monitor gameplay amidst seeing stars and crouching to conserve energy was not the way to go. Oh, no. I wish I had a picture to show you of me in my long winter coat, hood pulled up around my face, sickly white complexion, squatting down amidst cheering parents and trying to operate the camera with my frozen fingers. A sight for sore eyes, I'm sure!

Sometimes I felt like I brought more food than actual equipment, but that's what us momma's got to do. Filming is quite physically demanding, and a growing creature to sap all my available nutrients means I have to stay on top of things even more. I'll be sharing more tidbits I've learned from each trimester of pregnancy (and divulging my embarrassing stories) over the next few posts. It's a whole new frontier!

Nice Package

I love learning how the business world works and can get lost for days in learning about branding and marketing! This type of getting lost is a good thing, unlike the time I found myself in the California mountains at dusk...alone...and geared up like a pack mule, unable to outrun even the oldest and lamest of mountain lions. Getting lost in business learning helped me establish my branding, and once I did, everything else seemed to fall into place. Next up on the list was to tackle packaging. Just how do I relay my hopes for each couple as they watch their film and keep it consistent with my style?

Other people are incredible inspirations when they're willing to share what they've learned along the way. So I went were inspiration and free advice is readily available: the interwebs. I spent time I should have been working (or sleeping) scouring blogs and Pinterest to gather ideas on my "Nice Package" board. But, you know how that goes. Given enough time clicking through links, and I somehow found myself looking at old images of trapeze artists and looking to see if there were still any operational drive-in movie theatres in Ohio. Talk about a rabbit trail. For my color inspiration, I also spent sleeping hours visiting Design Seeds. I think I dreamt in the most vivid colors those nights.

I thought about what I want my clients to experience when they first watch their wedding film. They've waited as I chipped away at hours of footage to create just the story with them in mind. With this anticipation, I want them to open a bottle of champagne, pop some popcorn, cozy up on the sofa together, and sit under the flicker of the big screen. I would love to recreate the feeling of an old school drive-in movie for my couples, but short of building my own here in town (or renting the one remaining drive-in in Columbus - yes, folks, there is ONE left!), here's what I came up with instead:



I would like to share all the information for those interested in where I got all the parts/pieces. The popcorn is very tasty and ordered from Amish Country Popcorn (for those in central Ohio, it's also available at the Anderson's). The tins and mustard colored box are both ordered from Papermart. The ribbon and twine from dear ol' JoAnn's. Business cards were designed at home in Adobe Illustrator and ordered from Overnight Prints. All of the printed material has been designed and printed at home (including the tin labels) using extra paper from when we made our wedding invitations. The paper shavings are my way of recycling. I stain my junk mail with instant coffee, dry it in the summer sun, then shred it to oblivion using our handy paper shredder. Wrap it all up pretty with some twine, and I'm good to go for now.



Now my couples can have their popcorn and eat it too, although the idea of a small drive-in has not escaped my brain waves. I'm pretty pleased with this first round and would love any thoughts on things you've put together for your business. Remember, it's all about being inspired from each other. So please, inspire me!

Wishes in the Well: Guest Books

Steve made us a wedding webpage when we got married back in the "good ol' days". We thought we were so ahead of our times by having an online RSVP on our website. People seemed to appreciate it, or at least that's what they told us. If only we had Facebook and Twitter, we could have done so much more! If you're addicted to Social Networking sites like Twitter (like me! Please stalk me @lzeidner), you'll understand why it peaked my interest.

I recently came across this post on The Knot's blog. According to the post, Dave and Chanelle signed up for a unique Twitter account and invited their guests to sign into the account and tweet throughout the event. Friends and family could leave well wishes and also provide live updates throughout the entire night. It sounds like a good way to invite guests to participate in a unique way. I can only imagine what some of it could look like:

I'm sure it was a smashing hit for Dave and Chanelle (unlike my convoluted imaginary tweets here). There's going to be a writeup in the Fall/Winter 2012 Ohio issue of The Knot, so I'll be looking it up to see what they thought of their Twitter guest book. Other creative ideas I've seen and thought up for individualized guest books:

• Thumbprint tree - you draw the trunk and branches, and your guests leave their inky thumbprints and names as the leaves.
• Photo book - Have your guests directly write in a book filled with your engagement photos. You can find these on Shutterfly.
• Favorite book - Even better, find a favorite picture book and have your guests sign that.
• Wine corks - Probably only enough room to write their names, but then you can keep your corks in a jar or mount them in a wine cork frame.
• Typewriter - Everyone loves a good, vintage typewriter these days. Have your guests type out a short message to you and your newly minted spouse.
• Cute cards - Have your guests write on pretty paper cards and later compile them into a scrapbook.
• Audio recorder - Leave a few .mp3 recorders around and have your guests tell you how much they love you. You can even leave a list of prompts and questions.
• iPad - Wary about an audio recorder? Have your guests leave video messages via iPad.

Phew! Now that my brain is a-rollin', I'm going to keep my camera handy at future weddings and will gather guest book ideas on Pinterest. You can follow my Wishes in the Well board and also feel free to send me (via Twitter!) any creative and unusual ideas you have. The more extraordinary the better, I say. Let's do it!

Sincerely,
Leigh

Everyone Is Videogenic

Dear Brides (and Grooms if you're reading),

Have you ever dreamed of being an actress (or actor for you guys)? I think I have at one point or another, but standing in front of the camera seems to freeze any natural expression I may have. More practice in front of the camera taught me that the key to looking your best on film is:

1. Feeling awesome
2. Having a fabulous videographer

Feeling Awesome. Most reasons to be in front of the camera stem from being awesome. And you are. It's your wedding day, it's to commemorate something at which you're very, very good (and being in love counts). This is your day and there is so much to enjoy. It's the fruit of your months of planning and endless dreaming and discussion. You have reason to be confident. Plus, I guarantee you that after a few minutes of being filmed, you'll resume feeling stunning and looking natural. You may even show off for the camera a little - a pretty little wave here or the batting of the eyes there. Go ahead and try it now. I'm not looking.

Having a fabulous videographer. I couldn't resist making this plug, but even if I'm not your videographer, I hope you experience this with whomever you do have create your wedding story for you. A fine videographer will help you feel comfortable in front of the camera and give you simple direction when needed until you reach that natural comfort level, and eventually, you'll forget the camera is even there. I'll have you primp a little, let his guys give him a hard time about this being his last day of freedom, let you and your groom whisper sweet nothings in each other's ears. You can even suggest things. I love when my couples get involved! I also sense when it's best to be invisible. Like that moment your dad comes to visit you where you're getting ready and then once you and your groom run out of the ceremony to relish those first few moments of "I can't believe we just got married!". I can be very, very sneaky. What it comes down to is this: do what comes naturally and a good videographer will get the flattering shots without you even knowing it.

So to answer a recent question from a client, there are no "non-photogenic" people. It's your day to shine and your videographer's job to make you look like your beautiful, shining self. I'm not sure how others have reached that level of comfort with their photographer or videographer, but when it's my turn in front of the camera, I imagine I'm all that (and then some) and settle for denial. Camera? What camera?

Sincerely,
Leigh

Pinterestify Your Wedding

I scour current wedding blogs for video editing inspiration. Just yesterday, I came across a post where the bride used a physical mood board while planning her wedding. On these boards, brides paste actual photos and magazine clippings of flowers, hair designs, dresses, even color swatches.

I'm a Pinterest addict like the next person as seen by this picture (my "For Satisfying My Muse" board, and yes, Jason Statham has made an appearance). And so, in today's modern technological world, brides can create their mood boards with a site like Pinterest.

Instead of bringing the same fabric swatches and having the same discussions with each of your wedding vendors, bring it all to one place for them to see. Create a wedding board and fill it with your vision for your wedding day. You can even find color palettes on Design Seeds to pin to your wedding board.

Happy pinning!

Brownies, It is

The One That Got Away:

1 box Pillsbury Brownie Mix (Family Size)
1 can Pumpkin
1/2 c. applesauce
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup water (or whatever little bit will help the batter become suitable for brownie-batter-pouring consistency)

Mix with wooden spoon and pour into greased baking pan. Bake at 350°F (for glass) in a 9x13" cooking pan for 30 minutes and then some until your toothpick comes out clean.

We've been introduced to some mighty-fine vegan recipes, and there is one that stands out among the crowd: Shelly Smithberger's Pumpkin Brownies. I decided to make some myself and ended up providing both my mother and my husband with hours of endless entertainment instead. Mom had the audacity to actually pick up the brick out of the pan and knock on the counter with it to get my attention. And Steve, even with the voracious hunger that consumes him after running miles and miles, wouldn't touch them with a 10-foot pole.

I needed to fix this, and pronto! So, as you're not supposed to do with science, I changed ALL the variables and struck pure gold.

De-Cluttering

One would think 2 TERAbytes of external hard drive space would be enough storage to last well until a newer technology is incorporated. Not so, my friend. Especially when dealing with video files. I recently discovered that an average wedding will rack up at least 100 GB of raw footage and the finished product will add another 20-30 GB once exported. I was coming to the end of myself, or the end of usable space on my hard drive.

Here's a little secret, which hopefully doesn't come back to byte (get it, "byte"...ha ha ha) me in the long run. In the process of creating feature films, I do lots of rendering. These pesky, little render files add up quite significantly. So here's the secret: I went in to my Final Cut "Scratch -> Render Files" folder, highlighted all of the render folders for finished videos, clicked "Move to Trash", and automatically gained almost 400 GB of my life back. It was like coming across extra health packs in Halo. I figure if I need to access these completed projects again, I can hit render, sit back and sip my coffee, and get right back to where I started. Was this a smart move? Only time will tell...