I love long weekends. And my new steamer.

I finally got to go see a movie with Marianna - without the kids. We saw What Happens in Vegas... (2008) . Funnny.

Too bad I wasnt able to have butter on my popcorn.


I'm trying to think of my 10 pounds off reward. Any ideas? Post it in the comments. Here is my top 3

• a cooler for my landrover. So my water is always cool.
• HD video camera for home
• Rent a limo and go see My Fair Lady - yea sound kinda ---ahhh feminine but I dont care.
  

Anyhow - I bought a steamer cause I absolutely hate ironing and have yet come up with a way to influence Marianna into doing it. I usually drop it off at the dry cleaner but if I forget on Monday they cannot get it back for the weekend. Of course, I end up ironing.

Test # 1

Cotton - 15 minutes with the steamer - lots of wrinkles. I tried holding it far away, then up close. I tried from the bottom.

Test #2

Linen - 3 minute -- very cool!!! The wrinkles just faded away. But the collar doesnt look sharp.

Test # 3

Old Navy - cotton blend. -- 10 minutes - sort of removed all the wrinkles but left kinda waves.

Final result - Marianna thinks I'm an idiot.

Sunday mornings

Its so nice not to have to shoot the day after 2 big weddings we shot yesterday. I joke that going to weddings is my day off because I can concentrate on being a creative person and not deal with emails, phone calls and ATT (Phone company in Florida trying to rip me off for $665- they say that I have to pay a cancellation fee based on the fact that Bell South was purchased by ATT. But in January it was waived if I sign a 1 year contract promising to use ATT for interenet and phone. So I signed up. Now it turns out they lost my fax and shut off my phone service and are again demanding I pay the penalty. After 1 hour on the phone they promise I dont have to pay if I refax the contract. And I though Bell Canada was screwed up)




Most of you may have noticed I put on a lot of weight over the past 6 months. In fact, I have put on every single pound that I had lost last year plus an additional 15. So as of May 1st I weighted 255 lbs. Oh the humanity!!

Of course, I am back to dieting. It sooo frustrating. I know I cannot eat certain foods, but its like this.

Every year for the past 4 years I lose an avg of 30 pounds. I keep it off for a few months then as soon as I get busy in September/October the weight quickly comes back. The most successful diet I tried was Dr Daniels, but it involved driving to his office every week in Scarborough. For you Florida people that is about a 45 minute drive from my studio in the center of Toronto each way. I basically lost 3 hours of work time a month. Just not possible in September when the studio has 2 bridal shows in Florida and 2 in Toronto, plus I have 4 appointments a night Monday to Thursday from 6-11pm, and 8 weddings.

Here is the latest. Since I started my "new diet" I am down to 247 - or 8 pounds. This is mostly water but its a start. Its not like I dont know exactly what I have to do, but I need help.

Here is a few things that worked for me over the last few years

• set resonable goal each week
• 30 minutes of cardo each day - shooting a wedding counts
• no pasta, rice, ice cream or chicken wings
  
• 10 glasses of water a day
• no eating after 8pm
• take a snack in the car (apple, veggies, nuts)
• reward my losses - steak, upgrade at the gym, bbq

A little change.

Super tired... Lots of shooting going on. 2-3 engagement shoots a day.

We are closing up December in South Florida. If you are sitting on the fence we only have a few more spots open for 2008.

You may have noticed I changed the back ground. This is to test how the new videos I am posting will look. Let me know what you think?




Congratulations Julia and Chris !!




Here is a precap (intro to a wedding video) for Susy and Louie

Video Test

For this test I am reviewing - encoding quality, movement artifacts and colour rendition. Please email me your comments.

Back on the wagon.

I love the movies. I like how if I'm in a pissy mood, 2 hours of watching a funny movie (or a chick flik - dont laugh I love them. Yea that is Jean - as in Jean Francois not Jean as in jeanie) will completely change my attitude.

What about you? Have you ever gone to a Rambo movie and felt a little tougher? Or, better yet a Karate movie? After Karate Kid - I waxed on and waxed off for weeks -----ohhh noo I didnt mean that the way I wrote it!!!!!

anyhow---

Wedding videos. Why do we make them? I know when I started in the business it was just that, a business. But as I spent more and more time being a part of hundreds of couples special day I came to realize that the moments we record are not just for viewing by the Bride and Groom a few months after the wedding. No no. These memories are clips of people and times past.

It's become even more obvious to me since I've become involved with FloridaHomeMovies.com, TorontoHomeMovies.com, USHomeMovies.com and MontrealHomeMovies.com. The 4 most important events that I see recorded over and over again are

• Weddings - almost every single person who brings in reels has wedding footage.
  
• Babies in the bath - seriously I could make this up. Babies love to splash too.
• Vacations - of course, makes sense that we all long for the fun times
• close ups of older relatives - this sounds spooky but I think sub conscientiously whoever is recording wants the older person to be remembered and deliberately takes the time.

So why do all the bridal show videographers spend time showing videos with a million effects and camera angles that make MTV look tame?

Over the next few months I will be featuring a number of videos. In fact, we are currently looking making this blog a much more interactive event, with submissions from both our photo and video editing teams!!



For the above photo read the names on the jerseys. OK now read it again out loud slowly 3 times. heheheehhehehheh - Their joke not mine!

Tax day - boo hoo

What do the below companies have in common?

Chanel, Bentley, Chopard, Patek, Rolex

Take the time to visit each one of these sites. This is not an exercise in apathy but in personal quality growth. I had a great conversation today with a bride and groom about expectations.

The point is this. Having only the highest expectations is like saving money. Over time your expectations will slowly lead you to a path that will provide a better standard of living for you and therefore your children will benefit.

The 5 companies above personify the idea of highest expectations.

• quality
• design
• form follows function

What does this have to do with photography? The best way I can explain is based on couples understanding that photographer with the highest expectations will NOT take bad photos on purpose. Will not compromise lighting, composition or expression for the sake of quantity.

So tired.....

I've been shooting video and photo almost everyday for the past month, plus travelling back and forth to Boca. I'm off to bed but before I go here is some cool photos from the last few days. Remember, if you click on the photo you will see a high resolution image.

Check out this new slideshow ---- sabrina and tony


And a few cool engagement pics.

I knew it!!!!!

Good Morning!!!

Last night it was so hot that I couldnt sleep. So in the middle of the night I opened a few windows on the second floor. This morning I woke to a symphony of sounds. The birds were singing, someone putting out the garbage (darn it garbage day)and a the neighbour across the street is having interlock stone put on his driveway so I hear the tractor.

Its strange that as it get closer to summer I feel my body wanting to get out of bed earlier. And when I do get up at say 5:30-6, I alway have a more productive day. Even if I just sit in the back writing my blog.

Course the first thing I did was use my new blender to make breakfast. A power breakfast smoothie with - ice, granola, yogurt, banana, flak seed, chocolate soy milk, and 4 juicy strawberries. Yum!!

I love the internet -- and my new blender

OK if I had to I could spend 365 days a year with only my laptop and the internet. Check out this funny video. Stuff like this makes me giggle.