Klituscope Pictures Blog

Compassionate Conditioning

2012-01-04T09:47:00.002-05:00

In an effort to help you out with your New Year's resolutions, I recommend Lynne Marie Wanamaker. If you're looking for a personal fitness trainer, she's the best, especially if you feel guilty about last year's resolutions. She totally gets it, she's non-judgmental, and she really knows how to tailor a program to fit your needs.

Check out her website, Compassionate Conditioning, and contact her before you lose the nerve!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T10:41:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year and best wishes to all of our clients. More great videos to come in 2012!

Schneider Plumbing & Heating

2011-11-25T10:24:00.003-05:00

I have to recommend Schneider Plumbing & Heating of Haydenville. Bob Schneider came out and fixed our non-working boiler the day before Thanksgiving, with just a day's notice. He was prompt, explained everything, and fixed the problem in about half an hour. We were able to tidy the house and prepare our feast in comfort. And we were relieved that our guests wouldn't have to keep their coats on!

You can find his contact info on Angie's List.

Bat Mitzvah Video

2011-11-20T14:39:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, I was in Florence, MA taping Olivia's Bat Mitzvah. The service was at Beit Ahavah (they use the Florence Congregational Church), and the reception was at Mill 1 at Open Square in Holyoke.

It's always nice to return to Beit Ahavah. Rabbi Riqi Kosovske leads an inspiring service. It was my first time at Mill 1 in Holyoke, and I enjoyed videotaping in the space, which is a large, open, brick-walled room in an old factory building. Klezamir provided great music, there were games for the kids, and there was a photo corner where the kids could get pictures taken while dressed up in crazy accessories.

Amazing Designer

2011-11-03T15:26:00.004-04:00

Just finished up a quick video for an amazing Northampton designer, Jon Schluenz. Jon does fantastic interior design and artwork, and needed a video to apply for a reality design show.

Check out his website if you need interior design work and to see some of his artwork. He also recently curated an art show at Whoo Space in Northampton.

Smith College Panel

2011-10-28T13:40:00.002-04:00

I was at Smith College last night, videotaping the panel discussion Beyond the Smith Bubble:
True Stories of Life After Smith. It's part of an ongoing series under the Women's Narratives Project, and it's been very interesting.

Tapestry Health

2011-09-15T10:02:00.003-04:00

Spent the last two days videotaping interviews and other footage for a promotional video for Tapestry Health. The focus was their programs for the homeless and reentry populations in the Springfield, Massachusetts area. On Tuesday, we interviewed some counselors, participants, and Tapestry Health founder, Leslie Laurie.

I rode along with a counselor around Springfield on Wednesday, getting shots of damage from the June tornado, shooting galleries (for drugs) in the woods and by the railroad tracks, and some economically depressed neighborhoods where their clients live. It was eye-opening to see that side of the city. I was in awe of the task facing Tapestry employees, and impressed by their passion.

From their website: "Tapestry Health is a locally grown community-based provider in Western Massachusetts that offers affordable, high quality care. Our services include family planning, reproductive health exams, STI screenings, HIV counseling and testing, insurance enrollment, needle exchange, community education and outreach, medical case management, a family nutrition program, legislative advocacy, and much more."

Wedding in Longmeadow, MA

2011-07-05T10:15:00.003-04:00

I was in Longmeadow Saturday for the wedding of Brooke and Brendan. They were married at St. Mary's Church and had their reception at the Longmeadow Country Club.

It's unusual for a church to feel so cool on a hot day, but St. Mary's was very comfortable. The Country Club staff was efficient and well-organized as usual. I worked with a new (to me) photographer, Stacie Kirkwood, who is based in Framingham. Stacie has a lot of energy, great people skills, and a good eye for interesting shots. Playing at the reception was the band Moonglow, which did some nice versions of Motown songs, and Van Morrison, too.

Wedding in Brookline & Wellesley

2011-06-27T13:50:00.004-04:00

This Saturday, I had the pleasure of taping Maureen and Matt's wedding. They were married at St. Mary's Church in Brookline with a reception at Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It was my first time working with the photographers from AMW Studios. Ariel and Matt were great to work with, and I could see that they were efficient and fun in working with the bridal couple and their family and guests. Brendan Howard of Murray Hill Talent was their DJ, and he kept the party moving along effortlessly. Overall coordination was handled beautifully by Erica Jones of Events by Sharon's Daughter.

Linden Hill School Commencement

2011-06-13T16:23:00.003-04:00

Spent part of Thursday and Friday n in Northfield, MA, taping the end of year ceremonies at Linden Hill School. I believe this is my seventh year taping there. Thursday night is their awards night, where they hand out sports and academic awards. Friday morning is Prize Day, graduation for their 9th graders who are moving on to high school. This year marked their 50th anniversary. The ride up I-91 was unnerving, with a lot of lightning, heavy downpours, and two trees down on the highway.

From their website: Linden Hill School serves boys ages 9-16 of average to above average intelligence who have learning differences. The School addresses the specific needs of each boy’s learning difference in a setting that is structured and predictable, and also nurturing and family-like. The lessons of Linden Hill are intended to prepare our boys for secondary school and to facilitate their pursuit of leading productive and fulfilling adult lives.

QR Codes

2011-05-17T18:14:00.005-04:00

You've probably seen these funny looking black and white squares while out shopping or reading the newspaper. QR codes, short for Quick Response codes, are often used to give consumers more information about a product or business. Use can use a mobile device with a camera to view the code, which then links you to the information, which could be a website, video, PDF, etc.

Here's the QR code that will take you to the Klituscope Pictures website:
; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 248px;" src="http://qrcode.kaywa.com/img.php?s=8&d=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.klituscope.com" border="0" alt="" />
A client recently used QR codes to link to videos that we produced to explain how to use one of their products.

Academy of Music Concert

2010-11-10T15:15:00.003-05:00

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.

New Thank You

2010-06-24T09:03:00.002-04:00

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!"

New Ad for Film & Video Transfers

2010-03-01T18:40:00.003-05:00

We're trying out one of those ads on a restaurant placement advertising our work transferring home movies—films and videos—to DVD. It will appear at Adamo's pizzeria/restaurant in Easthampton.

Here's the ad:

Corporate Video—Great Review!

2010-02-25T21:32:00.005-05:00

Just received a great review for my work on a series of enrollment videos for the Hartsbrook School!

A Great Reason to Transfer Your Home Videos

2010-02-20T15:24:00.004-05:00

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

2010-01-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

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

2010-01-06T14:20:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-21T13:28:00.003-04:00

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

2009-07-27T08:08:00.003-04:00

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

2009-06-29T09:44:00.003-04:00

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

2009-06-29T09:30:00.002-04:00

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.

Assonet Wedding

2009-06-28T08:58:00.003-04:00

On Thursday, I was at Independence Harbor in Assonet for Ruth and Ryan's wedding. I hadn't been there before, and the facilities were so well maintained that I though it was brand-new. I was surprised later to read on their website that it's been in operation since 1976!

We were all lucky, as rain never really threatened. I'll post some video stills soon.

South Hadley Wedding

2009-06-22T10:09:00.003-04:00

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

2009-06-01T10:43:00.003-04:00

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.

Linden Hill School

2009-05-29T11:12:00.004-04:00

The last two days, I've been in Northfield, MA, taping the end of year ceremonies at Linden Hill School. I believe this is my fifth year taping there. Thursday night is their awards night, where they hand out sports and academic awards. Friday morning is Prize Day, graduation for their 9th graders who are moving on to high school.

From their website: Founded in 1961, Linden Hill School is the nation’s oldest junior boarding school for language based learning differences. Linden Hill’s highly individualized approach to crafting a learning remediation program for each student has gained Linden Hill an international reputation as a leader in language-based learning remediation for middle school boys.

Lenox Wedding

2009-05-25T11:01:00.001-04:00

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!

Bat Mitzvah

2009-05-04T11:21:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, I was in Florence, MA taping Izzy's Bat Mitzvah. The service was at Beit Ahavah (they use the Florence Congregational Church), and the reception was at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

Sports Recruiting Video

2009-02-23T23:44:00.004-05:00

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

2009-02-17T15:32:00.011-05:00

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

2009-02-12T10:41:00.004-05:00

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.

Hartsbrook Agricultural Arts

2009-01-10T00:18:00.004-05:00

Check out this sweet article in the Hampshire Daily Gazette about the Hartsbrook Agricultural Arts program. My kids have really enjoyed working with the animals there, and we've volunteered for weekend duty as a family. It's been very rewarding for all of us to have responsibility for the animals.

Happy Mother of the Bride

2008-12-16T16:36:00.003-05:00

Just sent out Allison and Eric's video. They were married at St. Mary's Church in Longmeadow, MA, with the reception at Longmeadow Country Club. Got this e-mail from the Allison's mother:

"The videos arrived today. What an absolutely wonderful job you did capturing so much detail as well as all the warm feelings. Everything is clear and beautiful and the sound is fantastic. Thank you so very much. It was worth the wait!!!!"

Gingerbread House

2008-12-12T17:19:00.003-05:00

No, we did not make this. As much as we mean to be ambitious each year, we never got around to making our own. But each year, we bid on a house (or two) at the Hartsbrook School Holiday Fair in Hadley, MA. This is what we won this year, put together by some students at the school.

Cookies

2008-12-09T16:39:00.000-05:00

My daughters and I made a traditional holiday cookie this past weekend. I don't know the "real" name of the cookie, but it's one my mom always made, and still does. I think it's a Slovak recipe.

They're a rolled pastry cookie, filled with apricot, apple, or prune butter (which sounds better if you use the Hungarian or Slovak word "lekvar"). Serve topped with powdered sugar. Yum!

First Churches Northampton

2008-11-28T18:03:00.003-05:00

Northampton regained a beautiful wedding venue when First Churches Northampton reopened after a long, 2 million dollar repair project. If you're looking for a location for your Northampton wedding, you'll want to have this on your list of places to see.

Slow Turkey

2008-11-28T17:51:00.004-05:00

Well, I tried Mark Bittman's fast-cook turkey recipe (NY Times blog). My turkey turned out fine, taste-wise, but it took almost 2 and a half hours (instead of the estimated 1 hour for my 16-pound bird) and delayed our dinner. Luckily, our guests were in no hurry and were gracious about the wait.

Wedding at St. Michael's in East Longmeadow

2008-08-11T09:29:00.003-04:00

On Friday, I was at St. Michael's Church in East Longmeadow, MA, to tape Theresa and Ben's wedding. Theresa's cousin flew in from Ireland to celebrate the wedding Mass. Though it was raining on and off most of the day, the bride and groom seemed to avoid the heaviest downpours. The reception was at La Renaissance in East Windsor, CT—a great place to accomodate a large wedding.

Totally new to me was the Photo Booth, which you can rent for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, reunions, etc. It's one of those boardwalk photo booths that take your picture four times, then spits out a strip of black and white photos. It was a huge hit! There was a steady stream of guests using it for all six hours of the reception. Guests were encouraged to leave their favorites in a basket for the bride and groom. Scissors provided.

Speakers' Bureau Demo

2008-07-21T15:17:00.003-04:00

Did a quick job last week editing together some clips for a client in Las Vegas. He was putting together a demo DVD of public speaking appearances for submission to a speakers' bureau. His producer is from Northampton, so it was convenient for her to drop in for approvals at various stages of editing.

Hotel Northampton Video, Happy Bride

2008-07-16T23:55:00.007-04:00

Why Didn't I Post This Earlier? Am I out of my mind? I received a fabulous note from a wedding client in April, but never posted it. Laura and Jeremy were married at the Abbey Chapel at Mount Holyoke College, with the reception at the Hotel Northampton, in Northampton, MA:

Dear Tom,

My husband and I are completely blown away by your work. You really captured the essence of the day. When you asked me what sort of feel I wanted the video to have, I told you "fairytale." I was so impressed by the way you added those fairytale/magical elements without it becoming cheesey or silly. You still retained the elegant/romantic quality while infusing a magical/fairytale element, and it truly is a work of art. A great example of this balance between elegance and fairytale is in the opening you created for the video. In this opening, you took shots of the outside of the chapel before people have arrived, and you allow us to hear the wind blowing, the birds chirping, and to see the trees swaying in the wind. It feels so magical and at the same time sacred, and it is such a brilliant way to begin the story. It felt like the opening to an epic romance film!

And you go on to capture so many moving moments throughout the day. We were truly impressed to find that watching the video felt like we were stepping back in time. The way you captured the walk down the aisle was just so beautiful. And the way you edit the ceremony was perfect. We feel there is nothing missing from the ceremony and yet at the same time it is certainly edited in a way so that the ceremony does not feel long.

We also love what you did with the highlights section. You really surprised me when you went from black and white to color as I walked down the aisle and changed the music from the original "A Dream is A Wish Your heart Makes" to the contemporary pop version to match the color change. That was a really inspired choice and I really love it. The highlights feel like a music video of all the best moments of the day.

I don't know if you did this on purpose, but Jeremy noticed that the first words we hear spoken in the video is Jeremy saying to the groomsmen "let's move forward" (meaning let's go into the chapel.) It is such a symbolic way to begin the video. We also love how in the opening, when you are showing the chapel and the nature around the chapel, you show two of what I think are lilies of the valley. They look like little wedding bells and there are also two of them. Again, it just seemed very symbolic.

We also loved how you used the music requests we had. The change to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" fit so perfectly with the change of mood. And we did notice how the lyrics matched different moments of the film. And we love how you used the instrumentation of "Storybook Love."

I think one of my favorite moments is the first dance between my husband and I. You really captured all of the intimacy and emotion of the moment. It was lovely to watch and to remember what we were feeling and thinking as we danced. You just struck such a perfect balance between capturing the funny and light moments and capturing the emotional and romantic moments.

We think we may want to order the raw footage just so that we have it, but we feel like you really captured everything. And the editing is so flawless, and it truly feels more like a film than a boring/long wedding video. My husband, to be honest, was fairly indifferent to the idea of a video since he is camera shy, but he has rewatched this video over and over again because he loves all of the memories and moments captured.

You were definitely one of the best investments and choices we made for that day. You far exceeded our expectations for the wedding video.

Thank you so much for making this truly a work of art. And I know that when we watch this on our 50th anniversary, we will still feel so much gratitude that we had such a wonderful artist capturing our day for us.

Sincerely,
Laura

Massachusetts Horticultural Society

2008-07-09T11:07:00.005-04:00

Located just outside Wellesley, MA, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society boasts a gorgeous setting for wedding or corporate events.

The weddings I've taped there have all been amazing events. There really isn't a bad angle for shooting outside. And I love the Hunnewell Building, where the receptions are usually held. As a videographer, I appreciate that the room stays pretty light for shooting, so I don't have to resort to adding gain, which adds grainy look to the video.

I highly recommend checking out their site if you're planning a wedding in the Boston area. They are also looking for donations to their Annual Fund, if you'd like to show your support.

Mount Holyoke College, Hotel Northampton

2008-07-07T09:22:00.007-04:00

1st Anniversary thank you from a bride's mother:

Dear Tom,
Okay, I know I already sent you an email about the wonderful job you did on my daughter's and son's-in-law video, but I just had to write again. Because they just had their first anniversary, and because we were together with relatives for the fourth of July, we played the video for everyone. They couldn't get over how truly beautiful it is. We are amazed that you took a whole day and managed to condense it into a beautiful work of art. I guess in these days, anyone can point a camera and record an event, but your artistic choices on what to film and how to edit it (I suspect the most important part of the job) made it stunning. Thank-you again.
Lorraine

(Laura and Jeremy were married at Abbey Chapel on the campus of Mount Holyoke College, with a reception at the Hotel Northampton.)

Fairmont Copley Plaza

2008-07-02T15:08:00.011-04:00

Posting some video stills from Amy and Vivek's wedding at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston in late April:

Local First

2008-07-01T11:42:00.003-04:00

Attended a meeting last night at The Northampton Brewery, the oldest operating brewpub in the Northeast. Independent business owners were gathering to hear about Pioneer Valley Local First, part of a nationwide network encouraging people to buy into their local economies and support their local businesses. The emphasis is on sustainable, environmentally-conscious ways of building strong local economies. Defintely worth checking out their website, and that of their parent organization, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE).

New Thank You

2008-06-30T11:57:00.000-04:00

Just received this e-mail from Susan and Anthony:

Hi Tom,
I have been travelling for business and was pleasantly surprised with
our video when I returned. We love it!!! Thank you so much for your
great work. It is an awesome documentation of our entire wedding and
captures exactly how we felt that day. It was so nice to watch it and
relieve it! We look forward to making it a tradition to watch it each
year on our anniversary.

The Bradley Home

2008-05-28T14:23:00.003-04:00

The Bradley Home video has been finished for a while, but now is online on their website.

Built in 1938 to serve the aged community of Central Connecticut, The Bradley Home is located in Meriden, CT. The staff were great, and the residents were amazing. Everyone we talked to couldn't stop praising the place. They have some beautiful gardens which the residents help maintain. We spent a day and a half there shooting a promotional video which they will use on their website and distribute on DVD to potential residents and their families.

Fairmont Copley Plaza

2008-04-28T21:17:00.004-04:00

Videotaped Amy and Vivek's wedding yesterday at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston. They had their Hindu ceremony in a great ballroom, with balconies all along the one side. It made for many great angles. After the ceremony, during cocktails, the ballroom was made over for the reception—they worked fast!

Another nice note

2008-04-10T20:37:00.004-04:00

Received lately from Rosanna and Joseph, married in NY last year:

"We just wanted to thank you for the beautiful DVD. We will have this wonderfully crafted memory for the rest of our lives! Thank you!"

This was the first wedding I shot with my new Canon XH A1 camera, and I was very happy with the results—the picture was very sharp, and I really enjoyed composing shots in the 16x9 format.

Thank you note

2008-03-02T10:52:00.006-05:00

Just received from Kelly and Ryan, who were married at Elms College Chapel in Chicopee, MA and had their reception at the Yankee Pedlar Inn in Holyoke:

Dear Tom,
Wow! What an amazing job you did creating our wedding video! Not only are Ryan and I thrilled with the results, you also impressed my mother and my mother-in-law! We are so happy with your work and we are certain the DVDs will get plenty of use. Thank you so much!!

Lord Jeffery Inn

2008-02-28T11:04:00.003-05:00

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.

Bridal Sale Blowout!

2008-02-19T10:25:00.004-05:00

Just heard about this bridal gown sale through the DJ Network:

Wednesday, Feb. 27th 4-9pm, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Springfield, MA (next to the Basketball Hall of Fame). All bridal gowns are on sale for $199 (originally $800-2500).

Violin Audition

2008-02-15T17:47:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday, I videotaped an audition for a violin camp. Apparently, certain camps are getting very competitive, with students expected to submit a professional-looking demo. The 13-year-old violinist sounded great, playing two very complex pieces (a little daunting for me, since I just got a violin for Christmas and I'm having trouble with "Twinkle, Twinkle").

I had done another one of these a couple of years ago for someone doing a singing demo for another camp. I love doing these just to see the talent that's hiding out here in the valley.

Bridal Show Coming Up

2008-02-11T10:43:00.000-05:00

March 9th I will have a booth at the Western New England Spring Bridal Show at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. The show will include a fashion show by Bancroft Bridals of Agawam and live wedding bands.

Look for my booth—I will be offering an iPod nano loaded with your wedding highlights to anyone who books a date with us at the show!

La Renaissance

2008-02-10T22:43:00.000-05:00

Met with Theresa and Ben in West Hartford today about producing their wedding video. They are getting married at St. Michael's in East Longmeadow, MA with a reception at La Renaissance in East Windsor, CT.

They are expecting a big crowd with 350 guests—not to worry, the La Renaissance can handle up to 800!

The Log Cabin

2008-02-09T11:16:00.000-05:00

Met with Mirella and Rich today about producing their wedding video. They are getting married at The Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA. It is located on Mt. Tom, and has spectacular views. They will be in the Southampton room, which has a huge bank of windows with a southern exposure. Their late September wedding should give them beautiful views of the autumn leaves.

The Hartsbrook School

2008-02-06T11:12:00.001-05:00

Taping today at the Hartsbrook School in Hadley, MA. Got a little bit of wet-on-wet watercolor painting in the two kindergarten classrooms. So sweet! Also, some of the kindergarteners were hauling around big wooden boards and things to make slides and pirate ships in their classroom.

Then, off to the eighth grade for a physics class. Learning about water displacement, their challenge was to shape a 8-by-8 inch sheet of aluminum foil so that it could hold the maximum number of pennies while floating in water. Looked like a lot of fun. When I left, one group had reported floating 104 pennies in their boat. Try it at home!

Costofwedding.com

2008-01-18T10:45:00.000-05:00

Have you seen this site? You can enter a zip code or city name from anywhere in the country and get a look at the average wedding cost for that area. Here are some I entered:
Hartford—$33,700
Norwalk, CT—$56,740
Boston—$40,900
Springfield, MA—$26,780
Providence—$27,940
Brattleboro—$24,480

Seven Hills Inn

2007-10-10T20:36:00.001-04:00

Was at the Seven Hills Inn in Lenox, MA last weekend, a great place for a wedding. I love shooting in the Berkshires, especially as the leaves are changing color. It was a partying/dancing crowd, with some people never leaving the dance floor and many still going strong till the last dance. The Inn has many interesting rooms and a lovely terraced lawn. There are also wooded trails around the property which I didn't get a chance to explore.

The Meeting House

2007-10-01T11:46:00.001-04:00

Spent Saturday in Tiverton, RI for Lizzi and Dean's wedding. Their ceremony and reception were at The Meeting House, a simple, farm-style building with a terrific lawn full of wonderful little nooks and some sculpture. It was a very relaxed ceremony, with the officiant in bare feet. Many guests were from the west coast, and there was definitely a California vibe going on. A great atmosphere!

Bridal Show

2007-09-28T21:17:00.000-04:00

Sunday I'll be at the Day of Elegance Bridal show at the Garden House at Look Park, in Florence, MA. The show is run by CJC Events. I'm running a special offer during the show: anyone who books with me at the show will get a custom engraved iPod nano pre-loaded with their highlights!

I haven't done a bridal show in a couple of years, so we'll see how it goes.

International Wedding

2007-09-25T17:34:00.000-04:00

I was in Connecticut last weekend to shoot an Australian-Canadian wedding. There were a lot of signs around explaining Aussie and Canadian slang, and a lot of national identity jokes, especially between Australians and New Zealanders (apparently they have a very intense rivalry). Well, the location was beautiful, and the activities and decor were masterfully orchestrated by Dixie Todd at Party Resources (in Kent, CT).

Seating cards uniquely displayed.

Ceremony by riverside.

Surprised by the flower girl!

Woo-hoo! New camera

2007-09-06T23:53:00.000-04:00

Received our new Canon XH A1 this week, and put it right to work, shooting a video for the Hartsbrook School in Hadley, MA. The A1 is capable of shooting in high definition (HD), but for this project I am using it in standard widescreen mode. After some inital tweaking with the presets, I beginning to get the images close to what I want.

Here are a couple of screen shots from today:
The High School building, Piening Hall.

Two seventh grade boys doing perspective drawing in the shadow of the Mt. Holyoke range.

Four Seasons Boston

2007-08-26T23:43:00.000-04:00

Tonight, I was at the Four Seasons in Boston with my favorite photographers, Glenn and April Livermore! Anne and Marc were the wedding couple, and they were so easy to work with, very sweet.

The Four Seasons was, well, The Four Seasons—luxurious, efficient, and AMAZING food! Anne and Marc did a fabulous planning job, everything looked so beautiful.

Here are some pics:

The cake...

The bouquet...

And a detail from the ketubah.

Chipmunk Returns

2007-08-22T20:47:00.000-04:00

A bit of chaos here yesterday, as the chipmunk who visited a few weeks ago returned. We called a wildlife control specialist, who doubted our word that a chipmunk was running around the house. Flying squirrels was his suggestion.

Well, he had to apologize after chasing the little creature around our girls' playroom. And the chipmunk gave him quite the runaround, darting among barbies, polly pockets, and countless other toys strewn about the room.

Well, "Chippy" (as our youngest daughter named it) is now removed, and things are settling back to normal, though there is a bit of Chippy mess to be cleaned up in odd corners.

Chipmunk!

2007-07-17T00:31:00.000-04:00

I'm at my desk editing last Friday when my intern, Fiona, says, "Tom, there's a chipmunk in your office." Now, I get a little freaked out by wildlife, especially when it's indoors, but I managed not to startle until I actually laid eyes on it. Yep, right there, paused on my floor—a chipmunk. I followed it through my house, opened the front door, and casually herded it outside, with Fiona's help.

About an hour later, Fiona had gone home, but the chipmunk had returned. Yes, back in my office. And since I was alone I was free to really jump when I spotted it. I though it would be a simple matter of herding out the frfont door again, but this time, the chipmunk ran into the kitchen and under the stove.

I made a system of barricades in the kitchen to force the chipmunk closer to our open back door, but it took to hiding under the refrigerator, and stayed there until the next morning. I saw it beside the fridge, so we left it alone with our barricades up and the back door open. Several checks later in the day found no further sign of chipmunk. It seemed like a good opportunity to pull out the fridge and clean all around it, vacuum the coils, etc., so I can with certainty say it isn't in the fridge anymore. We sure hope it found its way outside and is not lurking somewhere in the house, waiting to startle me a third time.

Fire Alarm

2007-07-08T23:10:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, I was at the Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley, MA. Elm Bank is the home of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, which has quite beautiful and extensive grounds. The bride and groom, Eliane and Shawn, had the ceremony and reception there. Below is a shot from the ceremony, with a grand vista!

And from the opposite angle, before the ceremony, with the Manor House in the background.

Somehow during the reception, a fire alarm was accidentally pulled, and there was 40 minutes of flashing strobes and an intermittent alarm sound. Everyone continued with the reception as best they could, and fire trucks soon responded. While the firefighters were resetting the alarm, guests were snapping away at the bride and groom in front of the fire truck, as shown below.

Aside from the alarm, the day went very well, with great weather, a beautiful bridal party, and happy guests. Who could ask for more?

Dam Poison Ivy!

2007-07-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

I was in Acushnet, MA, this week, shooting some footage for the National Marine Fisheries Service. They are documenting the Acushnet River Fish Passage Restoration project with work taking place at the Acushnet Sawmill Dam and at the Hamlin Street Dam, both in the town of Acushnet. My guide for the shoot was Steve Block, a Habitat Restoration Specialist for the NMFS. Steve did caution me about poison ivy in some overgrown areas, but I still managed to get a bit showing up on my arm a couple of days later. Hopefully, that's the extent of it. I washed all my clothes right away, and my sneakers last night, and my wife bravely applied Tecnu to my tripod today. We'll see if that takes care of it.

Of course, I have 3-4 more visits to Acushnet to document the construction, so we'll see if I can avoid it next time.

As this shot was taken, the tripod was probably sitting in the poison ivy.

Full Circle

2007-07-02T20:22:00.000-04:00

I've been playing with a new toy this week. It's a customized film transfer projector designed to do frame-by-frame transfers of 8mm and Super8 films. In between doing film transfers for clients, I've been testing it out with films from my childhood. Films that I had spliced together myself onto big reels, back when I was 13 or 14 years old. I probably haven't seen these in over 20 years. No one in my family has. They sure will make a nice Christmas presents. Here are a couple of screen captures from my home movies:

Here, my brothers and cousin tear down a gingerbread house on New Year's Eve (circa 1971).

Here I am in the yellow pajamas, between my cousin and my brother.

The film transfers are going great. We clean all the film before transferring, and the frame-by-frame transfer gives very sharp images, so it looks terrific—and it's a lot of fun to watch all the old movies. Check your attics, your closets, and your basements. Dig out those old memories. Film won't last forever—better get it transferred to DVD!

Raffle Winner

2007-06-28T11:07:00.000-04:00

I spent yesterday evening at Chandler's Restaurant in Deerfield, MA at a "Vendor Blender", where wedding professionals from all areas of the wedding industry can meet and network. It was sponsored by CJC Events—they do bridal event production and marketing, including the Western New England Bridal Shows at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, and they publish the Wedding Day Sourcebook, a monthly magazine.
It was a great evening. I got to meet a lot of vendors from the area—photographers were well represented, and I handed out a lot of demos. My big news is that I won the final prize of the night—a free table at the March 9th Western New England Bridal Show!

The Hotel Northampton

2007-06-24T01:45:00.000-04:00

Back at the Hotel Northampton again tonight, always a great place for a reception. Downtown Northampton, Massachusetts, across from the cool Calvin Theater, where many national acts pass through. And just a ten minute drive from my house!

The happy couple today was Laura and Jeremy. Got married at the Abbey Chapel on the Mount Holyoke College campus. Abbey Chapel has wonderful stone architecture and great acoustics—a real hidden gem, if you're looking for a wedding location. In years past, I had taped a couple of Mount Holyoke College concerts there, including an excellent production of Mozart's Requiem.

Pictures to come...

Mud Pies

2007-06-18T08:54:00.000-04:00

My daughters and their friends were having a baking contest this weekend. Here's a taste of their confections:

Yummy!

Jewelboxing

2007-06-12T21:10:00.000-04:00

Here's another thing that sets us apart from other videographers: our packaging. We use Coudal Partners' Jewelboxing system to deliver all of our finished videos. Here's some samples:

I think it's a beautiful, unique way of packaging our final products, whether it's corporate video, weddings, home movies, band demos, horse sale videos, dance recitals, graduations, plays, commercials. It's also just cool looking!

Boston Harbor Hotel

2007-06-07T14:21:00.000-04:00

Some places just really do it right. Boston Harbor Hotel is not only a beautiful location for a wedding, but the service is tops. Their wait staff is fabulous—total efficiency. I was shooting in the Wharf Room last Saturday, and the lighting on the tables was gorgeous.

And the cocktail hour on the balcony just outside, overlooking the harbor, as sunset approached... I can't wait to go back!

Castle Hill

2007-06-05T19:00:00.000-04:00

Last Friday I shot a wedding at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA. What a view (see photo!)

Making things even more exciting was the thunder and lightning just offshore. Luckily, the rain held off until the very end of the outdoor ceremony.

Linden Hill School

2007-05-24T10:15:00.000-04:00

The next two days, I'll be spending part of my time at Linden Hill School in Northfield, MA, taping their commencement ceremonies. Linden Hill is a middle school dedicated to helping boys with dyslexia or language-learning differences realize their full potential. Thursday night is their awards night, and Friday morning is their more formal commencement. A portion of their commencement is given over to "book awards" where faculty members get up to speak about their personal connection with two boys in the school, and present each of them with a book, specially chosen. There is never, never a dry eye in the house (camera operators included!), and the faculty members usually need to recover themselves in the middle of their speeches. It's amazing, and I've never seen anything like it.

Humorist

2007-05-23T14:20:00.000-04:00

So, what was I doing in a room of 120 women last Friday night? Rudy Wilson Galdonik, a very funny woman, was entertaining a lively crowd at the Girls' Night Out at Trinity Covenant Church in Machester, CT. I was videotaping Rudy so she could use the footage as a demo. Her humor covers a wide range of topics, including mammograms, ugly cars, cancer, raising children, religion, hiking, and dogs!

Goodsearch.com

2007-05-16T12:29:00.000-04:00

Here's a painless way to earn money for your school or favorite charity. GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-driven search engine. For each search you do, GoodSearch will donate 1 penny to your deisgnated cause. They have a handy little chart on their site which shows much could be earned annually with the right combination of people and clicks per day.

Somebody with a knack for social engineering could probably raise a lot of funds! An nice touch is a button that shows you how much your charity has raised through GoodSearch.

My favorite Connecticut wedding sites

2007-05-03T10:25:00.000-04:00

I had posted earlier about my favorite Massachusetts wedding sites. Well, I shoot a lot of weddings in Connecticut, too, and I have some favorites there:

The Branford House, owned by the University of Connecticut, is a colossal building with a spectacular view in Groton.

The Gwyn Careg Inn, very romantic, has 14 acres of manicured landscape, including a majestic enclosed stone wall Spanish Garden. In Pomfret.

The Wadsworth Mansion, in Middletown, isa beautiful mansion with lovely grounds and a long, long lawn stretching out from the terrace.

The Hill-Stead Museum, in Farmington, has hilltop views of the Litchfield hills, expansive acreage, and a gorgeous sunken garden.

The Pavilion at Rocky Neck State Park, in Niantic, is a most original building with terrific views of Long Island Sound.

My favorite Massachusetts wedding sites

2007-04-16T09:54:00.000-04:00

Someone asked me this weekend where in Massachusetts I've enjoyed shooting the most. It got me thinking about my favorite wedding sites. Here's a list, in no particular order:

The Log Cabin, terrific views from the side of Mt. Tom in Holyoke, MA. Has the added benefit of being only 5 minutes from my house!

The Gamble Mansion, at the Boston Center for Adult Education. A hidden gem across from the Public Garden, with a spectacular ballroom.

The Boston Harbor Hotel, elegance on the water.

The Cranwell Resort, Lenox, MA, a beautiful building and extensive grounds for photos. Enjoy a 60-mile view of the surrounding hills.

Elm Bank Reservation, Wellesley, MA, home of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Spectacular!

Lyman Estate, Waltham, MA, great old building (1793) with lots of room inside and out, and gorgeous landscaping.

Cough Drop Wrapper Dress

2007-04-14T08:32:00.000-04:00

My daughters get very creative with their toys, often leaving my wife and I quite astounded. They'll take a bit from this set, a bit from that, add some found materials and, presto!, they've made something you've defintely never seen before. Take, for example, this:

Keep in mind, though the photo doesn't do it justice, that this doll is only two inches high, and the wrappers aren't just pasted on, but have arm holes and it's a separate top and bottom. It was quite a surprise to walk in the bathroom and that waiting by the sink!

Dream House

2007-04-12T16:51:00.000-04:00

I occasionally get e-mails or calls from "funny video" shows looking for outrageous wedding footage. Here's something a little different for someone who wants to be on TV, from someone at ABC who likes to use a lot of exclamation points:

"I am casting a show for ABC about Newlyweds and they will compete against other couples for the chance to win a Dream House!

I know you have contact with a lot of diverse couples so if you wouldn't mind sending them info about this! That would be great! Our definition of newly married is married less than 2 years or will be married before July! If you could send them to www.abcdreamhouse.com where they can fill out an application and send it in through the website...that would be great and they will also find out information about a 5 minute video audition tape that we'd like them to also submit."

So there it is—I'll be letting my recent wedding couples know about this. Feel free to check it out if you fit the definition...

In the crouch

2007-04-11T21:05:00.000-04:00

So I'm working on a montage of photographs for Valley Women's Martial Arts' 30th Anniversary, scanning about 200 photos. Here's my favorite image from the batch:

The woman in red looks perfectly balanced and at ease—and yet ready to spring! And the woman in the upper right is not only a black belt, but also the poet laureate of Northampton. VWMA is an amazing dojo in Easthampton, MA. Owned and run by women, they hold classes in martial arts almost exclusively for women and girls. My nine-year-old has a yellow belt in their Powergirls class, and will soon be testing to add a blue stripe.

Link