Spent Sunday afternoon helping a colleague tape Living Along the River: A Concert of River Songs at the Academy of Music in downtown Northampton. The concert was to benefit the Connecticut River Watershed Council.
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New Thank You
Got a sweet note from Shay and Juliana. They were married last August at Harrington Farm in Princeton, MA. Here’s the note:
“Thank you for all your hard work! The wedding video is absolutely phenomenal! It is so wonderful to be able to relive those unforgettable moments!”
A Great Reason to Transfer Your Home Videos
I recently transferred some old 8mm films to DVD for a client. Some of her film reels had suffered water damage. Here is a picture of one of the damaged reels. Much of the reel was covered with a white mold and brown mildew.
We clean all of our client’s reels with a special cleaner made just for film. It really takes care of most of the dirt and hair that accumulates, but her film was severely damaged. Below are some stills from her damaged film after cleaning.
Best to get your films transferred sooner rather than later, and avoid losing any precious memories!
Thank You Note
Lately received a thank you note from Sara and Billy, who were married at the Most Holy Redeemer Church in Hadley, MA. Their reception was at the Sheraton Springfield.
“1 word—Fantastic! We love it! Thank you so much for all your work and amazing talent! It is wonderful that there are extra copies for our families! Great Christmas Gift! We truly enjoyed and loved seeing the finished product. We got so many laughs and saw so much we had no idea of. This video will be a continuous reminder of what an amazing day we had. Again I can’t thank you enough for the wonderful work you did with our wedding video. I will certainly recommend you to any couple planning a wedding.”
New Year’s Eve Wedding
On New Year’s Eve, I was in Longmeadow, MA for Meaghan and Tom’s wedding. They were married at St. Mary’s Church with the reception at the Longmeadow Country Club. A bit of snow throughout the day made for a beautiful setting, and I got home in time for the New Year’s countdown with visiting friends from Virginia!
Hartsbrook School Video Online
Today I’m uploading the Hartsbrook School’s enrollment videos to Vimeo.com. There are three, one for the early childhood program, one for the elementary school, and one for the high school.
Hartsbrook High School Enrollment Video from Tom Klitus on Vimeo.
Amherst College
On Saturday, I was in Amherst for Krista and Aaron’s wedding. The ceremony was at the Johnson Chapel on the Amherst College campus, with the reception at the Lewis-Sebring Commons, also on the campus.
Great idea: turning their wedding program into a fan, so guests could keep cool!
Got to work with some new (for me) vendors there. Becky Kusek was a great photographer to work with. You’ll see great work on her website—I especially like her nighttime exposures using streetlamps and marquees. Dana Collins was the DJ and kept the party moving. And Erica Kates was the wedding planner who kept everything running smoothly.
Waterford Wedding
On Friday I was in Waterford, CT for Emily and Bryan’s wedding. All events took place at the Eolia Mansion in Harkness Memorial State Park. It’s a beautiful location, overlooking Long Island Sound, with extensive grounds.
It was one of those days we’ve had most of June, threatening rain. After a brief shower while the bride was putting on her gown in an upstairs room, the weather cleared and the decision was made to go ahead with the ceremony outdoors as planned.
The rain held off until the reception began, followed by clearing, and a rainbow appeared over the Sound. (Which always makes the photographers and videographer happy!)
Longmeadow Wedding
Saturday I was in Longmeadow, MA for Kristen and Greg’s wedding. They were married at St. Mary’s Church and had their reception at the Longmeadow Country Club. I’ll post some stills when I get them uploaded.
I like shooting at St. Mary’s. The long center aisle and the balcony give a lot of options for covering the procession and recessional. The Country Club has a lot of beautiful spots for outdoor photos, and the main house is broken up into several rooms for cocktails and dinner, with an outside tented patio for dancing.
South Hadley Wedding
On Saturday, I was in three towns for Amy and Chris’s wedding. We started in Easthampton, MA for some quick shots at the bride’s parent’s house. Then on to All Saints Episcopal Church in South Hadley. It was packed with guests—it was standing room only, and on what felt like the only hot day in June! After some formal photos at the church, we ended up at Oak Ridge Country Club in Feeding Hills.
Williamstown Wedding
On Saturday, I was in Williamstown, MA for Jess and Michael’s wedding. They are both Williams College alums, and were married at the Williams College Chapel. The reception was just up the street at the Williams Inn.
We had great weather and were able to do some shots in some of their favorite places around campus.
Lenox Wedding
On Sunday, I was in Lenox for Arian and Aaron’s wedding. They were married at Cranwell Resort on a beautiful May day. The ceremony was outdoors on the beautiful lawn. Everything was so enjoyable, from the ketubah signing to the reception toasts. There wasn’t a moment where people weren’t smiling and laughing.
The Cranwell staff, under the direction of Samantha Talora, was superb, as usual!
Sports Recruiting Video
On Saturday, I was at the New Haven Track & Field Center, shooting a recruiting video for two runners, a brother and sister. Sports recruiting videos are often used to give a college coach their first impression of a high school athlete. They are more commonly used in basketball, soccer, baseball, or football recruiting.
I taped each athlete running a 1600m race, and they each won their heat! What’s usually done next is adding graphics & text, like a short bio or list of accomplishments. Freeze frames and graphic arrows can be used to highlight a player, so the coach knows who they’re supposed to be watching.
With scholarship money hanging in the balance, recruiting videos are becoming a common investment for potential college athletes.
Pearl Bridal Boutique
I was dropping off my taxes at my accountant’s office in Holyoke’s Open Square. As described in their website, Open Square is a new mixed-use urban community in the heart of Holyoke’s Historic Canal District.
As we were discussing weddings, my accountant suggested that I stop in to the Pearl Bridal Boutique in the next building. I hadn’t been there before, so I stopped in and met Ryan, the owner, and explained a little about my business. As for the boutique, it’s very stylish and hip looking, set in a renovated factory building with a lot of brickwork and natural light.
As Ryan put it to me in an e-mail: “We too are trying to do something different. We like to be thought of as a specialty bridal boutique. Meaning that you will find designers and accessories not found anywhere else. Brides are able to sit back, relax, and be pampered in a private loft style setting. They feel like they are in a couture salon in Boston or NY, but are here in W.Mass.”
Chuppah
I love when these connections happen!
I e-mailed a prospective bride a few months ago, and she recently responded. She was watching the “Ron & Jen” wedding video on my website, and absolutely loved their chuppah. She e-mailed me to find out where they they got it. I e-mailed Jen, who explained that she made it herself, but had blogged about the experience and sent me the link. Actually, Jen reposted the very detailed information onto her newest blog, Willow Street Creative, and the prospective bride was very thankful. It’s a must-see!
Jen is an amazingly talented illustrator and artisan who crafted a lot of her wedding accessories. Her blog is filled with detailed descriptions of her handmade wedding items and with great wedding advice, all accompanied by photos. Ron and Jen were married at the Lyman Estate in Waltham, MA.