add comment
( 4 views )
Do you use film or digital camera equipment?
We exclusively use digital camera equipment, we do not use film. Thankfully, professional digital camera technology has achieved a resolution that is at least as good as, if not better than film. There are many pros and some cons to using a fully digital workflow, however, the pros far outweigh any cons that might exist. One of the primary reasons for using digital is that in the widely varied lighting conditions encountered during a wedding event, the photographer no longer needs to carry and load a different film stock for daylight, incandescent light and low light conditions. While some may think that a digital workflow costs less to implement than film, (no need to buy film anymore) in reality, digital can be much more expensive. There is a high cost associated with the equipment itself as well as the computer hardware and software required to process the images. Also, digital technology requires re-investment at far more frequent intervals than film ever did. And in the end, the images still need to be printed at a traditional lab, just like film.
Do you shoot in color or black and white?
Actually we shoot both. Because we shoot digital, we have the luxury of making this choice even after the photo has been taken. We might choose to make an image black and white because the natural light in the shot might not make for pleasing skin tones. In other cases, the color might be a distraction. Sometimes the lack of color in an image draws you closer to the emotion of the shot. Other times black and white can render an image with a more timeless or classic look. Conversely, some images really pop with highly saturated colors.
How many pictures do you shoot?
On average, over the course of a ten-hour wedding day, with two photographers, we will end up with an average of 500 images. We may actually shoot more than that, but once we remove images wherein people have their eyes closed or some other hiccup, we arrive closer to the actual number.
Do you use flash?
If we could shoot without flash from here to eternity, we would. We absolutely love natural light. However, we will certainly encounter, over the course of your wedding day, natural lighting conditions that are beyond the capability of any camera system. Cameras see about 1/8th the ambient light range that our eyes see. In these situations, we must use flash to ensure that we don’t miss capturing a significant moment. However, we have developed techniques that minimize the “deer in the headlights” effect you see from most point-and-shoot cameras. Rest assured, if we do use flash, it was necessary, and the result will be pleasing to your eye.
What if your camera equipment fails to operate?
We’d love to tell you that this will never happen, but camera equipment is not failsafe. However, on your wedding day, you need not worry because we always carry at least two cameras per photographer. In addition, we regularly inspect and test our equipment thoroughly and prior to arrival. We use more than five memory cards per camera and would never consider putting an entire event on one card. Because we have two photographers on site at your wedding, we are just about assured end-to-end coverage. We also have a robust backup and archive system designed to protect the digital images once we return to the studio.
What type of albums do you offer?
Our main albums are basically available in two styles, flush-mount or matted. Flush-mount albums are available in 10x10, 10x14 and 12x12 sizes, while the matted is available in a 10x14 size. We also offer a 10x10 lay-flat coffee table album and a 10x7 matted album, both of which are typically purchased as a Parent album. Please give us a call to arrange for a personal viewing at our studio; at such time we can discuss pricing and layout options.
What do I get and when? When is payment due?
Typically, within 3-4 weeks of your wedding day your proofs will be ready to post online. Through our online print ordering service, you and your friends and family will be able to view and purchase any of the images in a variety of sizes and also assign your favorites photos for album use. Next we will prepare a digital presentation of our vision for your album design. This interactive presentation will allow you to visualize your album design and layout and to share it with your friends and family. We prefer to work closely with you to attempt to finalize your album design within a few weeks of your seeing our presentation. You will of course have the option of adding or deleting pages or images at any time prior to finalizing your order. Once your album design is finalized, we will place your order. It usually takes up to three months for us to receive your albums and prepare them for delivery. As far as payment is concerned, you can book us for your wedding day with a retainer payable by cash, check or credit card.
What are your prices?
Our video services average $2295. Our photography services start at $3499. For more detailed descriptions and pricing please call us to arrange for a personal visit. Our off-season reduced rates are in effect from November 15 thru May 15.
Do you travel for destination weddings?
The straight answer is sometimes, yes, we do travel. We are however very selective in choosing to accept a travel assignment. More often than not, destination weddings require us to block out three days from our calendar and typically during peak season. We may prefer to serve three clients over three days rather then block out all for just one. This does not mean that if the circumstances are right that we wouldn’t accept a travel assignment.
Do you shoot family portraits and group shots on our wedding day?
Absolutely, yes. However, we prefer to work out ahead of time what is essential, prior to your wedding day. We also prefer that a non-bridal party member be designated to help us gather required family members to the shoot and to help us keep things moving. We prefer to not spend more than five minutes on each group shot and not more than 35-40 minutes total. Efficiency and a bit of forethought is the key to success. We want you and your guests to return the party as much as you do.
Why do I need photography and video coverage?
Most will agree that photography is essential and we couldn’t disagree, however not everyone agrees that video is important as well. It’s not a matter of need; it’s a matter of desire. You might not feel the desire today, but trust us, someday you will regret not having your wedding day documented and preserved on video. While photography excels at capturing a fleeting moment and causes us to wonder and imagine the circumstances surrounding that moment, video displays everything that happened before and after the moment, with all of its intimate details. The best argument for video is that a photograph cannot recreate you speaking your vows, or your father saying his toast. These moments are once-in-a-lifetime events that should be preserved for all generations to witness as they occurred. Also, “wedding videos” are not what they used to be, especially if you book our services. With Bliss Productions gone are the days of shaky camera movement, super-bright lights, tacky transitions and overdone graphics. Our video presentations are more like feature films. Also, because we deliver your video on DVD, you can jump from scene to scene with intuitive menus and no longer have to sit through portions of the day that you’ve seen 100 times. On the other hand, if you wish to view a scene you absolutely love, you can jump right to it, and if you want, watch it 1000 times, because the picture quality on DVD’s will never degrade like VHS.
We exclusively use digital camera equipment, we do not use film. Thankfully, professional digital camera technology has achieved a resolution that is at least as good as, if not better than film. There are many pros and some cons to using a fully digital workflow, however, the pros far outweigh any cons that might exist. One of the primary reasons for using digital is that in the widely varied lighting conditions encountered during a wedding event, the photographer no longer needs to carry and load a different film stock for daylight, incandescent light and low light conditions. While some may think that a digital workflow costs less to implement than film, (no need to buy film anymore) in reality, digital can be much more expensive. There is a high cost associated with the equipment itself as well as the computer hardware and software required to process the images. Also, digital technology requires re-investment at far more frequent intervals than film ever did. And in the end, the images still need to be printed at a traditional lab, just like film.
Do you shoot in color or black and white?
Actually we shoot both. Because we shoot digital, we have the luxury of making this choice even after the photo has been taken. We might choose to make an image black and white because the natural light in the shot might not make for pleasing skin tones. In other cases, the color might be a distraction. Sometimes the lack of color in an image draws you closer to the emotion of the shot. Other times black and white can render an image with a more timeless or classic look. Conversely, some images really pop with highly saturated colors.
How many pictures do you shoot?
On average, over the course of a ten-hour wedding day, with two photographers, we will end up with an average of 500 images. We may actually shoot more than that, but once we remove images wherein people have their eyes closed or some other hiccup, we arrive closer to the actual number.
Do you use flash?
If we could shoot without flash from here to eternity, we would. We absolutely love natural light. However, we will certainly encounter, over the course of your wedding day, natural lighting conditions that are beyond the capability of any camera system. Cameras see about 1/8th the ambient light range that our eyes see. In these situations, we must use flash to ensure that we don’t miss capturing a significant moment. However, we have developed techniques that minimize the “deer in the headlights” effect you see from most point-and-shoot cameras. Rest assured, if we do use flash, it was necessary, and the result will be pleasing to your eye.
What if your camera equipment fails to operate?
We’d love to tell you that this will never happen, but camera equipment is not failsafe. However, on your wedding day, you need not worry because we always carry at least two cameras per photographer. In addition, we regularly inspect and test our equipment thoroughly and prior to arrival. We use more than five memory cards per camera and would never consider putting an entire event on one card. Because we have two photographers on site at your wedding, we are just about assured end-to-end coverage. We also have a robust backup and archive system designed to protect the digital images once we return to the studio.
What type of albums do you offer?
Our main albums are basically available in two styles, flush-mount or matted. Flush-mount albums are available in 10x10, 10x14 and 12x12 sizes, while the matted is available in a 10x14 size. We also offer a 10x10 lay-flat coffee table album and a 10x7 matted album, both of which are typically purchased as a Parent album. Please give us a call to arrange for a personal viewing at our studio; at such time we can discuss pricing and layout options.
What do I get and when? When is payment due?
Typically, within 3-4 weeks of your wedding day your proofs will be ready to post online. Through our online print ordering service, you and your friends and family will be able to view and purchase any of the images in a variety of sizes and also assign your favorites photos for album use. Next we will prepare a digital presentation of our vision for your album design. This interactive presentation will allow you to visualize your album design and layout and to share it with your friends and family. We prefer to work closely with you to attempt to finalize your album design within a few weeks of your seeing our presentation. You will of course have the option of adding or deleting pages or images at any time prior to finalizing your order. Once your album design is finalized, we will place your order. It usually takes up to three months for us to receive your albums and prepare them for delivery. As far as payment is concerned, you can book us for your wedding day with a retainer payable by cash, check or credit card.
What are your prices?
Our video services average $2295. Our photography services start at $3499. For more detailed descriptions and pricing please call us to arrange for a personal visit. Our off-season reduced rates are in effect from November 15 thru May 15.
Do you travel for destination weddings?
The straight answer is sometimes, yes, we do travel. We are however very selective in choosing to accept a travel assignment. More often than not, destination weddings require us to block out three days from our calendar and typically during peak season. We may prefer to serve three clients over three days rather then block out all for just one. This does not mean that if the circumstances are right that we wouldn’t accept a travel assignment.
Do you shoot family portraits and group shots on our wedding day?
Absolutely, yes. However, we prefer to work out ahead of time what is essential, prior to your wedding day. We also prefer that a non-bridal party member be designated to help us gather required family members to the shoot and to help us keep things moving. We prefer to not spend more than five minutes on each group shot and not more than 35-40 minutes total. Efficiency and a bit of forethought is the key to success. We want you and your guests to return the party as much as you do.
Why do I need photography and video coverage?
Most will agree that photography is essential and we couldn’t disagree, however not everyone agrees that video is important as well. It’s not a matter of need; it’s a matter of desire. You might not feel the desire today, but trust us, someday you will regret not having your wedding day documented and preserved on video. While photography excels at capturing a fleeting moment and causes us to wonder and imagine the circumstances surrounding that moment, video displays everything that happened before and after the moment, with all of its intimate details. The best argument for video is that a photograph cannot recreate you speaking your vows, or your father saying his toast. These moments are once-in-a-lifetime events that should be preserved for all generations to witness as they occurred. Also, “wedding videos” are not what they used to be, especially if you book our services. With Bliss Productions gone are the days of shaky camera movement, super-bright lights, tacky transitions and overdone graphics. Our video presentations are more like feature films. Also, because we deliver your video on DVD, you can jump from scene to scene with intuitive menus and no longer have to sit through portions of the day that you’ve seen 100 times. On the other hand, if you wish to view a scene you absolutely love, you can jump right to it, and if you want, watch it 1000 times, because the picture quality on DVD’s will never degrade like VHS.
add comment
( 4 views )
It is difficult to put a philosophy into words because so much of your experience with Bliss Productions is intangible and on an emotional level. Sure, we technically capture fleeting, once-in-a-lifetime moments with photography and video cameras; and we process these moments and deliver them in albums, online and on DVD’s. But what are we really doing? We’d like to think that we are telling a story, your story, with photos and motion pictures.
If we approach each wedding day as if it is a story, we are sure to capture every meaningful event, intimate detail and candid moment. We believe it is our job to faithfully represent, in photos and motion pictures, all of the scripted and unscripted events of your wedding day. It is our mission to create a keepsake of memories that you will cherish for generations; a heartfelt and consistent reminder to you and your family of your special day.
With this in mind, we have carefully selected equipment and software that does not hinder our creative ability and at the same time enhances our technical ability. We have invested significantly in our capturing and processing technology and have spent countless hours researching the best solutions. The payoff for all of us is a consistent and reliable workflow that we can trust, with backup and archive procedures that protect our collective investment.
Beyond our tools are our people. While the two work together in harmony, this is not by chance. Our photographers, videographers, editors and our administrative resources all share a common desire to be the best at what they do. We regularly attend seminars, read books, manuals, trade magazines and browse online forums in order to stay informed and on the cutting-edge of our market. We pride ourselves in keeping up with the latest trends and preserving the timeless traditions. We also understand the difference between a passing fad and a real breakthrough. In the end, nothing can replace the professional and personal experience we each bring to the table. You will notice a consistent level of professionalism throughout Bliss Productions and this is not by accident. With this foundation in place, we can focus on how we present ourselves to you, our client.
Our core values center around honesty, sincerity and a passion for creating the best images you’ve ever seen. You will find in us a genuine desire and a lighthearted approach. You will not experience arrogance, egotism, indifference or aggression. On your wedding day, you can expect us to be timely, discrete, personal, unobtrusive and relaxed. Our approach to shooting is again centered on storytelling. We choose not to define our style with the industry buzz-word of the moment. Our style is more of a mix of styles than any one particular method. Our intent is to be unscripted, spontaneous, artistic and creative. However, there is a time and place (and purpose) for traditional and posed.
We also love to use a photojournalistic approach which literally translates into “camera-unaware” subjects, which most people recognize as “candid”. There are times where this approach yields truly spontaneous results, however, there are also times when this approach is limiting. Purist photojournalism requires that there be no interaction between the subject and the photographer. This method would essentially mean that, throughout your wedding day, we never speak to you or give you guidance and direction. While this might seem like a nice way to get your photographer to be unobtrusive, it can be disastrous. There are simply times where a slight movement camera-left or camera-right could make or break an image. How would you feel if all of the images of you putting on your dress have a live television screen in the background? We will never dictate, demand, yell, curse or otherwise berate you with direction. We may, at times, give you subtle direction and it is always your option to say no. Understand that we will usually have the best perspective because we see your world as the camera lens sees it. We may suggest locations and times for picture taking, particularly for posed or group shots. Our experience is of great value in determining the best solution. Not every location is ideal, in fact, most locations are not ideal. For example, a beachfront setting at any time other than within one hour of sunrise or sunset is problematic. A windy beachfront at any time is problematic.
You can expect us to have experience with all types of ceremonies, (Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, non-denominational, etc.) and all types of locations (beachfront, indoor, outdoor, church, temple). You can expect our work to look natural with little or no artificial light whenever possible. You can expect to see real emotion in our images like joy, sadness, love and passion. You can expect a fresh mix of artistic, contemporary, classic, elegant, glamorous, posed, traditional, avant garde, candid, humorous and romantic images. We will accomplish this using a variety of techniques, methods and lenses, including wide-angle fisheye, long telephoto lenses and everything in-between. The bottom line is when we focus on the story, the story shows us where to focus.
Our final presentation to you, whether a motion-picture DVD or a beautifully crafted album, is always created with the utmost attention to detail and with a personal flair. It is our hope that our business will grow through the highest level of satisfaction for our clients. The essence of all that we do revolves around pleasing you and your family and exceeding your expectations. We hope to make a personal connection with you and to provide you with a collection of memories that you will never be able to forget.
If we approach each wedding day as if it is a story, we are sure to capture every meaningful event, intimate detail and candid moment. We believe it is our job to faithfully represent, in photos and motion pictures, all of the scripted and unscripted events of your wedding day. It is our mission to create a keepsake of memories that you will cherish for generations; a heartfelt and consistent reminder to you and your family of your special day.
With this in mind, we have carefully selected equipment and software that does not hinder our creative ability and at the same time enhances our technical ability. We have invested significantly in our capturing and processing technology and have spent countless hours researching the best solutions. The payoff for all of us is a consistent and reliable workflow that we can trust, with backup and archive procedures that protect our collective investment.
Beyond our tools are our people. While the two work together in harmony, this is not by chance. Our photographers, videographers, editors and our administrative resources all share a common desire to be the best at what they do. We regularly attend seminars, read books, manuals, trade magazines and browse online forums in order to stay informed and on the cutting-edge of our market. We pride ourselves in keeping up with the latest trends and preserving the timeless traditions. We also understand the difference between a passing fad and a real breakthrough. In the end, nothing can replace the professional and personal experience we each bring to the table. You will notice a consistent level of professionalism throughout Bliss Productions and this is not by accident. With this foundation in place, we can focus on how we present ourselves to you, our client.
Our core values center around honesty, sincerity and a passion for creating the best images you’ve ever seen. You will find in us a genuine desire and a lighthearted approach. You will not experience arrogance, egotism, indifference or aggression. On your wedding day, you can expect us to be timely, discrete, personal, unobtrusive and relaxed. Our approach to shooting is again centered on storytelling. We choose not to define our style with the industry buzz-word of the moment. Our style is more of a mix of styles than any one particular method. Our intent is to be unscripted, spontaneous, artistic and creative. However, there is a time and place (and purpose) for traditional and posed.
We also love to use a photojournalistic approach which literally translates into “camera-unaware” subjects, which most people recognize as “candid”. There are times where this approach yields truly spontaneous results, however, there are also times when this approach is limiting. Purist photojournalism requires that there be no interaction between the subject and the photographer. This method would essentially mean that, throughout your wedding day, we never speak to you or give you guidance and direction. While this might seem like a nice way to get your photographer to be unobtrusive, it can be disastrous. There are simply times where a slight movement camera-left or camera-right could make or break an image. How would you feel if all of the images of you putting on your dress have a live television screen in the background? We will never dictate, demand, yell, curse or otherwise berate you with direction. We may, at times, give you subtle direction and it is always your option to say no. Understand that we will usually have the best perspective because we see your world as the camera lens sees it. We may suggest locations and times for picture taking, particularly for posed or group shots. Our experience is of great value in determining the best solution. Not every location is ideal, in fact, most locations are not ideal. For example, a beachfront setting at any time other than within one hour of sunrise or sunset is problematic. A windy beachfront at any time is problematic.
You can expect us to have experience with all types of ceremonies, (Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, non-denominational, etc.) and all types of locations (beachfront, indoor, outdoor, church, temple). You can expect our work to look natural with little or no artificial light whenever possible. You can expect to see real emotion in our images like joy, sadness, love and passion. You can expect a fresh mix of artistic, contemporary, classic, elegant, glamorous, posed, traditional, avant garde, candid, humorous and romantic images. We will accomplish this using a variety of techniques, methods and lenses, including wide-angle fisheye, long telephoto lenses and everything in-between. The bottom line is when we focus on the story, the story shows us where to focus.
Our final presentation to you, whether a motion-picture DVD or a beautifully crafted album, is always created with the utmost attention to detail and with a personal flair. It is our hope that our business will grow through the highest level of satisfaction for our clients. The essence of all that we do revolves around pleasing you and your family and exceeding your expectations. We hope to make a personal connection with you and to provide you with a collection of memories that you will never be able to forget.
add comment
( 4 views )
Calendar