SO YOU JUST GOT AN EXPENSIVE NEW DIGITAL CAMERA AND YOU FIGURE YOU COULD MAKE SOME MONEY WITH THIS PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT. YOU START SPREADING THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA OFFERING TO SHOOT WEDDINGS, BUT SINCE YOU FIGURE YOU ARE A “PROFESSIONAL” YOU CAN CHARGE MONEY FOR YOUR SERVICES. WELL, YOU BETTER SLOW DOWN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS LEARN YOUR CAMERA. HIGH END DIGITAL CAMERAS HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT FEATURES AND CAPABILITIES FOR DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. IT TAKES SOME TIME TO BECOME REALLY FAMILIAR WITH EVERYTHING. YOU ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND LIGHTING SITUATIONS FOR BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SHOOTING. YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO SHOOT FOR BACKLIGHTING AND HOW TO SET YOUR WHITE BALANCE. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO FRAME A PHOTO? THIS IS A BASIC SKILL THAT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS. YOU NEED TO LEARN ABOUT THE RULE OF THIRTY THIRDS. IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW TO SET UP YOUR SHOTS AND HOW TO POSE PEOPLE SO EVERYTHING LOOKS BALANCED. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT NOT TO SHOOT, FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY DRUNK OR SOMEONE FALLS DOWN ON THE DANCE FLOOR, OR A COUPLE TAKING PDA TOO FAR. THIS KIND OF PICTURE WILL REALLY NOT BE APPRECIATED. SAY YOU TAKE 600 PICTURES. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO EDIT YOUR PHOTOS TO MAKE EACH ONE AS PERFECT AS IT CAN BE? YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO EDIT EVERY PICTURE AND GET THEM OUT TO THE COUPLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS, IF YOU DON’T HAVE EXPERIENCE, YOU’RE GOING TO END UP WITH SOME VERY UPSET BRIDES AND IT WON’T TAKE LONG FOR WORD TO GET AROUND THAT YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING. YOUR NAME AND REPUTATION WILL BE RUINED FOREVER BEFORE YOU KNOW IT. ALL THIS INFORMATION APPLIES TO VIDEO AS WELL. IF YOU HAVE A VIDEO CAMERA, EACH OF THE THINGS I WROTE ABOUT APPLIES TO YOU! 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio,

CAN PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS SHOOT A WEDDING TOGETHER IN PEACE?

I shoot both wedding photography and video and have been doing so for over 30 years. This gives me a unique perspective on the challenges some wedding "professionals" seem to have getting their shot or their angle of the ceremony. To me this is common sense and I have never had a problem, but it seems like many photographers can't handle a videographer sharing their space. Nothing pisses me off like a photographer who comes to me as I'm setting up and telling me I can't have my camera there. Well, guess what? I can and I will. They seem to think I should shoot the wedding from off to side somewhere. That is a useless angle and I know the bride and groom aren't paying me for a side view of the ceremony. Depending on the logistics of the church or venue, I can always manage to shoot the bride and groom straight on starting with the processional. Once the bride is at the front with the groom, I turn around or switch cameras so no part of the vows, exchange of rings, unity candle, roses to the mothers or anything that happens is missed. Many photographers get all flustered when they realize I'm front and center. I suggest that maybe they should have showed up for the rehearsal. I rarely miss a rehearsal..it assures me that I will be prepared for whatever issues might come up with logistics. Once the photographer or photographers realize I'm not moving, I point out to them that if they stay right beside me, no matter where I am, they will get the same shot I'm getting. Seems simple doesn't it? They can run all around the church if they want to but I will always be right where I started so I can't possibly get in their way. Sometimes I get wedding coordinators trying to tell me how to do my job....but that's a post for another day! 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio

THERE ARE SOME WEDDING VIDEO JOBS YOU DON'T WANT!

As wedding videographers you know the wedding season is somewhat limited so of course you want to book as many weddings as possible. The more weddings you book, the more your name gets our there and the more your business grows. There are exceptions however. I'm sure you've come across certain brides and/or their family that you just don't feel good about. We recently booked a wedding for Memorial Day Weekend. We did it through the mail so of course we sent our contract, including our addendum requesting that we be included in the dinner plans, whatever they may be. (Sadly,it has become necessary to specify that we need to eat during the long day). Not only is this the right thing to do, but in my case since I am diabetic, it is a must. When we got the contract back from the mother for this particular wedding, she included a note that basically said we had a lot of nerve to ask for dinner... it was very unprofessional. She indicated that she was sure we would bring snacks and providing dinner was a ridiculous expectation. Well, that was a first. We promptly sent her deposit check and a copy of the cancelled contract back to her. There have been other brides and their families that we can just tell from the first meeting that they will be more trouble than it's worth, no matter how much money is involved. That's one of the perks of being your own boss. Sometimes you have to stand on your gut feeling and know that another opportunity will come through. Not everyone is meant to be a good match and since it's such an important and often stressful day, choose carefully. Sometimes it's not about the paycheck! J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio,440-845-2122, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio

GOOD GRIEF, GIVE US A BREAK! WEDDING TOASTS!

Hello Friends, Today I am going to talk about Wedding Toasts. I do not know how many weddings you have been to but I have been to a million of them, well not exactly a million but enough to see trends. One of the trends I see is that whoever offers the toast to the bride and groom REALLY NEEDS TO SHORTEN the toast. This is typical of the type of toasts I have heard with some, well a lot of exaggeration to make my point. Here we go... Hi, for those who do not know me my name is Josh. I have been friends with the groom all our lives. We met in the hospital nursery. He was in the bassinet next to me. We were born about an hour apart. We hit it off instantly. He needed to be fed so I joined in screaming and crying like he did so I could get fed to. The nursing staff never caught on. Our Moms became friends as well and we lived just down the street from each other so it was inevitable we remained friends all these years. An hour later, while most of the guests are sleeping the phrase comes out and make some babies as well. Everyone starts laughing and wakes up. Lets keep the toasts to about 5 minutes, fill it with a few embarrassing facts and welcome the bride to the family. Ladies do the same. Most people wont remember the long version anyway. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio

DSLR, 4K AND HD..... WHAT IS A PERSON SUPPOSED TO DO?

Ok, I'll answer that. It seems to me that DSLR which stands for digital single lens reflex, means nothing to you as the consumer but is significant to the professional. DSLR cameras come in the form of a regular professional camera body. An average person could not tell the difference if a camera is a DSLR or just a regular camera by looking at it. The difference between the DSLR and SLR or single lens reflex is that the DSLR can shoot High Definition video and the regular SLR camera cannot. One takes pictures only and the one one takes videos and pictures. There are companies out there that use nothing but DSLR to shoot video and of course there are companies that shoot video in Hi-def. The problem with the DSLR is that it is very, very expensive to rig up. I've seen these cameras go for $15,000.00 and over. Does it shoot a good video? Sure, it better for that price. The real problem is that according to more than a few sources DSLR video is extremely unreliable. Overheating and camera shut downs are common. That's the last thing you need when you're about to say your " I do's ". We have DSLR cameras. We use them only for photography, never for video. What about 4K? 4K means 4000 pixels.Obviously the idea here is to get higher resolution. 4K will be a true advancement in video. If you remember when Hi-def first came out everyone went out and bought HD tvs. The problem was there were only a handful of channels that broadcast in Hi-def.Therefor, most of the people who bought these televisions were watching their favorite programs in non-digital format. The same thing is happening right now with 4K. 4K tvs are flying off the shelves of retailers and people are finding the same problem as with Hi-def when it first came out. In order for 4K video to get the best resolution, a few things have to happen. First, the cable companies will have to upgrade their services which will mean an increase in your bill. Second, you will have to get a DVR that is capable of handling 4K. Blue-ray recorders are quickly falling off the map. The third thing you need if you're shooting a wedding video, the cameras being used must be 4K. If any one of these pieces are missing, your video or tv program will look just like it does now in Hi-def. So J&J video's position on this is to wait until all the pieces of this puzzle are put together. You will find the cost of the tv's and cameras will drop dramatically. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio,

VIDEO COMPANIES THAT CLAIMS THEY DO WEDDING VIDEOS IN FILM ARE LIARS

Every day while going on the internet, I see more and more wedding video production companies claiming that they are filming weddings. Nobody, I said nobody does wedding videos in film. Everything is done and recorded in digital on video cards, not 8, not super 8, not 35, or 70 mm films are ever used to shoot wedding videos in this day and age. The ones that claim they do are lying just to jack up their price because it sounds more professional. For the sake of argument,lets say that somebody decided to really shoot a wedding video in 70mm film. It would probably cost 250,000.00 just to film the wedding. The other thing that these sleazy video production operators claim is that they are cinematographers. I think the ASC (American Society of Cinematographers) would have something to say to these wannabes and thieves. If you have any questions for the Cleveland area, contact the Cleveland Film Commission. They run the Cleveland Film Festival and they would certainly know if any Cleveland wedding videographers are shooting in film. Trust me, they're not. Brides and grooms are constantly being ripped off by these fraudulent wedding video production companies that are claiming to shoot film. It's high time that someone speaks out about this nonsense. A professional wedding video company should charge between $700 and $1200 for a full day wedding and reception video. Make sure you see some of their work. I would also be leary of anyone who charges under $500 to shoot a wedding video. You would be better off getting a cheap video camera from Best Buy and having a friend or family member shoot your video. If you have any questions, please call J&J Video Productions at 440-845-2122. Even if you do not book with us I would be glad to answer your questions. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio,

VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANIES ARE BOOKING 2-3 YRS IN ADVANCE

I remember a day when you had to book reception halls 3 years in advance or you would not get the wedding date you wanted. Since the 1980's wedding video production companies have made their way on to the wedding scene. In the 1980's wedding videos were considered fluff. Last minute bookings were common and usually wedding video production companies were always available. That was then and this is NOW! The top rated wedding video production companies are booking 2-3 years in advance much like the reception halls did in the 1980's and still do today. My advice to you is that YOU DO WANT A WEDDING VIDEO (people swear by them) so do not mess around , book your date ASAP especially the May, June, July , August and September dates. These dates are premium dates. The last thing you need to do is WAIT. You wait with us , the date will be gone in a matter of a week. So instead of Paying $700.00 for the full boat, you will now have to pony up a minimum of $500.00 more to get the same quality wedding video we offer. Whomever you use don't play games in hoping that you will get a better deal elsewhere. You will not win that one because for every date available there are at least 4 couples that will take the date if you do not book it. Time is money and in this business time wasted will cost money. Book your vendor as fast and reasonably as possible. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio,

I DID NOT KNOW THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS OUR BUSINESS BETTER THAN WE DO!!!

Since I started this business in 1982, I have been seen working by well in excess of a quarter million people. It shouldn't surprise you that I have been approached by average people who own decent cameras. It seems that they know our job better than we do. It ranges from parents of the bride TO DRUNKEN WEDDING GUESTS!. It never ends.... If these people knew half of what they think they know, all of the wedding pros would be in deep trouble. MY advise is to LET THE PROFESSIONALS DO THEIR JOB AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! If you are that knowledgeable, then get into the business and prove it. Arm chair quarter backs, back seat drivers and now smarter than you video and photographers PLEASE go away. If you think for one second the professional is going to do what you say he should, you are sadly mistaken. I always agree and then shoot whatever I am shooting the way it should be shot no matter what, unless it is good advice, but trust me it isn't. Do they empty the looney bins on the weekends?? One has to wonder. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio,

SELFIE STICKS WTF!!!

Recently at a wedding, I came across something I have never seen before. That was a wild selfie-stick on the loose on a dance floor at a wedding reception. Yes, I know selfies are fun and apparently the selfie craze is now in full swing. Who doesn't like a selfie? But really, taking onto the dance floor at a reception?? Isn't that taking it a bit too far? The party involved was skyping this reception to some relative in a far away land. I wonder what it would be called if one of those selfie-sticks whacked some 90 year old lady in the head? Would it be considered an aggravated assault. a simple assault or another way to kill grandma...with a selfie-stick instead of a reindeer? Early one Christmas eve, Grandma got killed with a selfie-stick by some drunken bride's maid at a wedding. What is next!! 440-845-2122, wedding videos-Parma Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio,

WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DRESS FOR A WEDDING?

When a bride and groom come to meet with you in the hopes of hiring you to do their wedding video, what kind of impression are you making? What do you think their expectations are when hiring professional videographers? In 33 years in the business doing wedding videography, I have seen "professional" videographers dressed in every way you can imagine. I have seen men and women videographers dressed in jeans and t-shirts and sneakers. I've seen them wearing sloppy shirts hanging out of their pants with beat up shoes or long hippie looking skirts with sandals or sneakers. I remember one wedding video company where both the videographers were wearing black jeans and black t-shirts like that was supposed to look like some kind of uniform. They stood out like sore thumbs. At another wedding I saw a video company come dressed in Bib Overalls smeared with oil is as if they changed the oil in their car or truck. It's understandable that we need to be somewhat comfortable and able to move freely in order to do our job but it's also important to remember the occasion and the venue. The bride and groom and all their attendants and family members go to a lot of trouble to dress up and look their best. If you're presenting yourself as a professional, you should dress like a professional, especially if the wedding is taking place in a church. Sure, some weddings are much more casual and informal but that shouldn't change the way you dress since you're there to work as professionals, not grease monkeys. Make the effort to look good, it will leave a good impression on your clients and that's important when you consider many jobs come from referrals by word of mouth. It also shows that you take pride in your job as a professional wedding videographer. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio

PHOTOGRAPHERS & VIDEOGRAPHERS MUST LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER

As a bride and groom plan their wedding, there are so many things to consider. Everything from the type of service to the colors for the wedding are carefully planned. One of the most important parts of wedding planning is capturing the day to look back on and enjoy together, especially since the Wedding & Reception goes by so fast. Today's brides and grooms often choose to have both a wedding photographer and videographer to capture the day. As two professionals, they are expected to work seamlessly together without being a distraction or disturbing the ceremony. Sometimes this isn't as easy as it should be. As someone with 30 years of experience in both wedding photography and wedding videos, I can tell you that I find photographers are often at a loss when it comes to working with a videographer. Although many wedding photographers claim years of experience, based on what I see, I have to wonder. I've seen photographers bring in reflectors and slave flashes that won't do any good because they're too far away. Some photographers run around the church looking confused like they don't know what to do next. In most churches and other venues, there is plenty of room for both professionals to get good positioning and good angles. A short conversation before the service starts goes a long way to understanding how they each like to work. As the wedding videographer, I like to introduce myself to the photographer and explain my position during the wedding. If the photographer stays beside me we can both get the straight on shot. This should be common sense. Another issue I've run into is the photographer having a problem with video lights. This is mostly an issue at the reception, especially when the house lights are turned down. If the photographer knows what he's doing, he or she will know that his or her flash will override any video light. I have had so many wedding photographers ask me some real silly questions about flash and lighting. A photographer with his or her camera set up correctly will have no problems, but so often they don't have a clue. It shouldn't be necessary for the videographer to explain how it works, and there doesn't need to be any problems with two wedding professionals working together. Having worked with some world class professionals, I can tell you that the difference is obvious. I don't even know those photographers are there. We can work together beautifully and it shows. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio

GUEST BLOGGER- WEST SIDE KENNY N J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio pulls out of THE HOT LIST COMPETITION!

We invite Guests to join our blog with comments. Here is a letter I received From "Kenny". He is in no way affilated with J&J Video Productions. Anything he posts is not necessarily a refelection of J&J Video's Opinion or do we endorse it. Any comments that are made are in compliance with the CDA. Our opinion will be posted after the blog. J&J Video Productions and 3 of it’s other companies have pulled out of the competition 2 weeks before the end of the contest. City Voter Inc. runs the Cleveland Hot List and HOT LISTS and A-Lists in several cities across the United States. At the time of its departure all 3 of the companies J&J Video Productions owns were in the number 1 position. J&J Video’s management will not say why it pulled out of the contests which they would have easily won. There have been rumors of mismanagement, voter problems and manipulations. Many other top flight companies have pulled out of the competition as well. When the owner of J&J Video was asked why he pulled his companies out of the competition his only comment was “The results do not reflect the publics’ voting”. If a company the caliber of J&J Video pulls out of the competition after 4 straight wins, this does not bode well for the City Voter HOT LIST COMPETITION. I sure hope that prospective brides and grooms DO NOT Rely on the 2015 results because they in most cases will not be talking to the Best of the Best rather they will be talking to a Johnny Come Lately who has little or no experience. West Side Kenny. COMMENT BY MANAGEMENT OF J&J VIDEO PRODUCTIONS-CLEVELAND OHIO. This e-mail was received on March 22, 2015 beofre the results were published by City Voter.Com..Comment "NO COMMENT"

Photographers and Videographers Have to Work Together at a Wedding

Today most brides want to have a professional photographer and a professional videographer to capture all the activities and excitement of their wedding. Both services are an important expense for brides and grooms to consider in thier budget. Wedding photography and video, while sharing the same subject matter, are completely different in how they document the day. To the bride and groom, one is not more important than the other. In our experience, some photographers get all upset and agitated when they show up at the church on the wedding day and realize they'll have to work with 2 videographers trying to get the same shots at the same time. We always make it a point to go to the wedding rehersal to get an idea of the setup, lighting, and flow of the service. We never see photographers at the rehersals so when they show up, they act surprised that we'll be working right there with them. Videography and photography are shot in a completely different manner. When we are doing video for a wedding, we set up our cameras so we can get good, clear, close shots and sound of the entire service. There is plenty of room for the photographer to shoot right beside us, as well as move around freely to get good close shots. We usually have to explain how we work, but the photographers are often sure we are going to ruin their shots and our cameras and tripods are going to be in every photo. We even had a photographer tell us how we should shoot the entire wedding from the back of the room because that's how other videographers do it. We do not do what other video companies do. That is why we win most of the competitions we enter. With over 30 years of experience, we can assure the photographers that they will get beautiful pictures.