Erin and Ross' lakeside wedding

A traditional wedding at Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.   The ceremony was held a mile away from the reception hall in the same town, a blessing to us videographers and photographers, and the weather held out even though it was a bit on the warm side.
 
We had some beautiful scenery on the lake, which skirts the rear of the club, and did some great portrait work on their private beach.  A real laid back day, with a lot of time to get the kind of shots we prefer.

Still pulled from our HD camera

The Indian Trail Club did a great job as usual; everything from floral arrangements to cocktails were perfect and visually appealing.  In the end, it was a great party, with everyone from the DJ to the photographer being a joy to work along side.

Here is a small sample clip of the day which was shot in HD.  Enjoy!

Hilary and Alan at the Basking Ridge Country Club

Summer again!  At least that's what it felt like last weekend at one of our weddings.

This was the first time we had worked at the Basking Ridge Country Club and I have to say the experience was excellent.  Both the ceremony and reception took place at the hall, and the staff, decor and food were all dynamite.  The actual mass took place on the golf course green, making for some really nice shots, and a nearby field supplied the perfect backdrop for some our best footage during the photo session.

All in all it was a fantastic day with an interesting Scottish flavor peppered amongst the bridal party.

Enjoy the clip below; it's one of our latest HD segments shot with our new Canon T2i SLR camera.

Hilary and Alan's Prior

Photography as seen through a videographer's eye.

This past year has been really exciting for videographers willing to embrace change and ride it hard.  With the advent of HD SLR cameras (still cameras pro photographers use) videographers finally have access to the same lenses and high-end photography gear prevalent in the motion picture industry.  Not to mention all this can be achieved at a fraction of what it would have cost several years ago.  This is important, because it means we won't have to charge you an arm and a leg for our services.  Of course prices may increase, but the quality of our work will also.  You'll start to see this change when you compare the old "video" look to what we now call the "christmas look"

What does all this mean for brides?  The answer is easy: motion-picture quality productions of their day that can stand up to anything produced on television or in the theater.  Now wait a minute!  That statement is a bit over the top, right?  Not really.  For those of us willing to learn and work hard, that very same production quality can be achieved on a weekly basis.

Digital Memories has embraced this new technique, using pro HD SLR cameras, combined with pro HD video gear and lenses, to capture weddings and other events in a way that mimic the look of 35mm motion picture film.  This is a big deal to videographers such as myself.  And even though we've only just begun, I feel it's already changed our style for the better.

Keep this in mind when booking a video studio.  Are they still stuck in the old ways of lazy, tripod shooting?  Have they even tried to work with Steadycam gear and hybrid, photo/video cameras?  Are they shooting HD or using old standard cameras? All of these details can really make a difference in your end product.  Ask questions and look at more than one studio.  There are huge difference in quality depending on who you visit.

And, yes, quality does matter when it comes to video.   At least that's what I believe.

Keep an eye out for more of our work in the coming weeks.   And remember one thing... a videographer is only as good as his attitude and willingness to learn.

Thanks for reading and enjoy our site.

Stepping out of video and into HD, the bright, shiny new shoe.

Many changes have been coming down the pipeline, including the addition of this, our new Blog.  I was a little hesitant at first, but I think people hearing my voice will help loosen things up with both new and old clients alike.

I guess it's only fitting, then, that our first entry finds us finally taking the leap into HD.    With an empty wallet, yet excited heart, I am casting aside the old video ways.  A new door has opened, one which gives us access to the kind of look and technologies previously reserved for only the big boys out in Hollywood.  Now don't get me wrong, at first I was a little reluctant to completely replace my old gear and dive headfirst through this so called "new door."  After all, HD video cameras were once notorious for low light problems, and two or three years ago, few -if any- clients owned HD televisions or Blue-Ray DVD players.

Now, though, the walls have come down and HD has become the mainstay in event shooting and editing.  

With that said, the day of the "video guy" has finally ended.  You know what I'm talking about... that clown with the lunar lander-like tripod system, who wheeled around on the dance floor at your friend's wedding crushing your feet; that cheesy, unforgivable VHS tape with effects so bad, it seemed the devil himself had risen from hell to posses your VCR.

That's done.  Wrapped up and tossed away.  If you should find a piece of this still crawling around in some sleazy wedding shop, step on it and burn your clothes.   It's deadly, contagious.  And it will suck your wallet dry.

There's no excuse for bad video anymore.  No room for lazy shooters, who simply stick a camera on a tripod in order to give themselves more time to count your money.  They're out there still, though; I see them every weekend, bad hair and all.

I know what you're thinking:  I am committing high treason here.  Should I really be mocking my own area of expertise?  Regarding this, I say no.  But I love what I do and I hate seeing what some have done to hurt its image.

You see, people never forget the schmucks, those unqualified weekend-warriors who have devalued my profession and product for far too long.   They become punchlines forever, the only lasting memory from some unfortunate couple's wedding.

But I have advice when it comes to them.  RUN.  Cover your eyes and wallet and whisper a prayer.  Hide your Flip cams and i-Phones because they will explode in their presence.  I've seen it happen. 

With a relieved sigh, though, I can say there is hope.  Like all things in life, there is a changing of the guard.   A time when the new overtakes the old, when the ill fated course is set right again.

Thankfully, that time has come.

I say this not just for my industry, but for clients as well.   Money is money, right?  And... hmmm, hmmm.... forgive the weak analogy... why should you get a lemon when a nice, juicy apple is hanging just around the corner.

As lame as that sounds (you can see I was running out of steam with that one) I like to think I'm the apple.  I give a damn about what I do for a living and I want to give you the best video possible.  That's it in a nut shell.

So with this, my first blog, my first rant to both prospective and current clients alike, I hope I've given you somewhat of a glimpse of how we see things here at DMEV.  I hope it shows how serious we are about turning this video thing up on its head and giving it the good name it deserves.

In the months to come, I hope to keep this page funny, yet informative.  I want to keep you in the loop and let you know who we are and what we're all about.   No smoke, no mirrors.  And most of all, a lot less writing.  You'll hear about our weekends, our work, our complaints and laughs.  I want to lift the curtain and not just use this Blog for better word ratings on Google.

Keep watching for us in the months to come; this is only the beginning of an exciting time.