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.

Lord Jeffery Inn

Met with Anne and Jiuming last night about doing their wedding video. They are getting married at St. Brigid’s Church in Amherst, MA with a reception at the Lord Jeffery Inn, also in Amherst.

The question of high definition (HD) came up, and we talked about how important is it, is it worth the extra cost, what are the differences between standard def and high def. I thought Jiuming made a great point when he suggested that the video be shot using the typical technology of the day, which, in this case, would be standard definition. Your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding might have been captured on silent black-and-white film, placing it in a cultural and historical context. In the same way, shooting in standard definition now places your wedding in a specific cultural and historical context—so maybe you don’t need to fret about high def versus standard.

To be sure, I love to use the new technology, I can shoot in HD, and I enjoy HD projects, so I’m ready for the next era of wedding video, too.