Little Lion Man: Alex Turns Two

When I'm not creating wedding films, I exercise my camera by taking photos of adorable people. It gets me interacting with the best people out there. Like Alex. He knows the names of more animals than I can fathom and has one of the most tender hearts of the young'uns.

This also goes to show you the beauty of what you can do in your own home. We took all of Alex's photos in the dining room with light from the patio door. It was perfect! I'm also particularly fond of Alex's geeky chemistry blocks. If you look closely, you can see why any kid needs a set of their own. Hint hint, Santa Claus.

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Videographer

1. Who does the filming and editing?
You want to know that the work you see online is done by the person/people who will be covering your wedding. You love the work you see for a reason, so the people who created it should be the ones making the work you'll love most of all. Since I'm an "oldest" child and suffer from bouts of control-freakedness, I film solo as much as I can. Editing is a very detailed process that is only done by me. It's my baby.

2. What equipment do you bring with you?
This will influence your experience watching your final film and your experience while being filmed on your wedding day.

Audio. My #1. Every videographer needs a good game plan and have a "Hail Mary" tucked away if needed. How are the things said during your ceremony and reception recorded (do they mic the groom, your officiant, etc.)? How do they work around wind noise for outdoor ceremonies? I work with two wireless lapel mics for the ceremony, one on the groom, the other on the officiant and record to a device separate from my camera. For any given situation, I have no less than three audio sources.

Light. Receptions are notoriously dark and can make capturing scenes in high-quality difficult. Your videographer should either have an amazing camera capable of high-sensitivity in low-light situations (and know how to utilize available light) or will have an on-board camera light. These lights tend to shine like spotlights, so think about how you (and your guests) will feel about those "beam me up, Scotty" moments. I'm a fan of using natural light, mostly because I like to be forgotten about, and use a camera with amazing low-light sensitivity.

Camera stabilization. Unless you're in the mood for a Jason Bourne fight scene-style film, ask your videographer how they stabilize their camera. Some cameras have built-in image stabilization. Videographers who shoot with DSLRs tend to use monopods, tripods, and other equipment. A videographer who also has ideas for why they use certain equipment for certain shots approaches your wedding for the story it will tell. I bring a monopod and tripod with me and rarely shoot without either. The monopod also helps distinguish me from your photographer, though I still have guests pose for photos for me.

3. How do you put together your longer pieces?
Do the trailers you see online reflect the approach your videographer takes to their longer films? Will your story be told in chronological order or will elements from your day be mixed in at various times? For example, I like to pick out key elements from the toasts and ceremony to weave throughout my films. These elements create a whole new underlying storyline that makes each film unique.

4. Why did you get started in wedding videography?
This isn't a technical question, but I love being asked by couples because it helps open dialogue between all of us. You get a feel for the level of passion your potential videographer has for the work they do when they share their story. Maybe it's just me who enjoys this question because I enjoy the look of surprise on my couple's faces when I tell them my background.

I could talk about wedding videography all day, so if you have questions feel free to get in touch. Or even anything to add or take away from this list. I enjoy being involved in the behind-the-scenes wedding day festivities! You can find me living on Twitter (@lzeidner) during the day and flying by Facebook at night.

Things Overheard

Tell me that doesn't inspire you to do more in your relationship? Because I hear these phrases repeatedly during editing rounds - and I mean I'll go over the same phrase 20 times or more - those words sink from my mind into my heart. It's those words that make me ever grateful for the marriage I do have and the husband God has placed in my life.

To my couples out there: After 8 years of marriage so far, I can assure you that these words spoken from the altar are tried and true. Going through the hard things together and being each other's biggest fan and advocate, deepen the bond you have.

I'd love to hear the tidbits that you've picked up so far. We can inspire and encourage each other!

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.