Little Guy Productions

Little Guy Productions Wedding Reel

2011-08-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

You know that old story about the shoemaker who made shoes for everyone but his own family? That's kind of how I was feeling when I noticed my Wedding Demo Reel was three years old.

So, I decided to bring the reel up to date using our latest captured High Definition footage!

A very special thanks to our brides and grooms that helped make this footage look awesome. In no particular order, thank you:

- Lauren and Dennis

- Lauren and James

- Tara and John

- Arietti and Alex

- Jennifer and Cory

- Natalis and William

- Elizabeth and Eric

- The Dude in the Chicken Suit

and last, but not least, my beautiful wife Kristen!

Enjoy:

Charity Week Roundup

2011-08-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

The past week and a half have been pretty busy for us on the charity front.

We filmed the Neighborhood Cruisers annual charity car show "Cruisin for Kids" on August 6th. Next, I headed down to Times Square on the 10th to document the third annual Pertussis Awareness Day for the March of Dimes. Rounding out the week, Kristen and I filmed and photoged the Awards Ceremony at Gennaro's Restaurant as the Neighborhood Cruisers handed out the proceeds to this year's families.

Getting ready to film the opening ceremonies.

On August 6th, at North Rockland High School, the Neighborhood Cruisers held their tenth annual "Cruisin for Kids" charity car show. The money raised at this event is given to three local families who are in need of help, due to the rising cost of medical care and the financial burden that comes with having a child with special needs.

It was at this event that we met Evan Sugrue, an eight year old who suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Evan has a smile that can light up a room and a sense of determination that is contagious and admirable. More on Evan later.

Early Thursday morning (apparently there's also a 4 in the morning, I thought it only happened in the afternoon) I headed into New York City to document the third annual "Pertussis Awareness Day". I spent the day with my favorite medical director, Dr. Alan Fleischman (March of Dimes) and NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, as the two stars preached the importance of making sure adults got their TDAP booster shot, to avoid transmitting Pertussis to a newborn child.

Perri Tussis, in the flesh, err.. fuzz.

I have to admit, selfishly, the reason I wanted to film this event had to do with the fact that I got to meet one of my personal heroes.

Not Jeff Gordon, but the one and only Perri Tussis. Perri is the Sounds of Pertussis campaign mascot. He's a huge Twinkie with those fuzzy bacteria things on it's side.

If you look up awesome in the dictionary, Perri's portrait shows up.

Finishing up "Charity Week", Kristen and I headed over to Gennaro's Restaurant to film and Photog the Neighborhood Cruisers check presentation ceremony. This year, the families were presented with checks for $7,000 (each). The Cruisers were disappointed that, due to the current economy, they couldn't give more.

In my humble opinion, $7,000 in any type of economy is a blessing, so I don't think they have anything to worry about.

While at the Cruise Night, I got to meet Matthew Brown, a photojournalist for the Rockland Journal News and LoHud.com. We talked shop for a while and Matthew took some great photos of the event, which you can see here.

Matthew also snapped a photo of Evan and I, as we went over how to operate the Panasonic HMC-150 HD Video Camera. Like I said earlier, Evan has the ability to melt anyone's heart. I was instantly drawn to Evan's curious nature and his amazing spirit.

A very special thanks to my wonderful wife and co-owner of Little Guy Productions, Kristen Lima. Kristen took some great shots at "Cruisin for Kids" and at the Cruise Night.

Wedding Flash Mob

2011-07-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

I just finished editing what Kristen and I have dubbed our first "Wedding Flash Mob". During Natalis and William's most excellent wedding reception, we saw a group dance slowly develop right before our lenses.

We were able to shoot with two HD Cameras; the Sony EX-3 and the Panasonic HMC-150, and this is what we came up with:

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Let us know what you think!

Kelly and Eric Wedding

2011-07-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Kelly and Eric on their big day!

Kelly and Eric were married at the The Manor in West Orange, NJ.

No, we didn't film or photograph this wedding, but it was definitely nice to see how the other half lives during a wedding and reception.

But that didn't stop me from bringing along the trusty Canon Rebel T2i! I put the new lens to good use for the first time at a wedding and I think we got some great shots!

Let us know what you think!

Stormin 30 Rock

2011-06-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

We headed down to 30 Rock this morning to film the March of Dimes and Farmers Insurance volunteers as they promoted Farmers' "Be a Hero for Babies Day".

I went down with my trusty Panasonic HMC-150 and got some great footage of Al Roker interviewing one of the Farmers agents.

Check out some photos from this morning's shoot!

It's not the size of the camera, it's how you use it!

Farmers and Friends

Al Roker and your friendly Farmers Agent

Photographing the 4th of July

2011-06-28T11:06:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple of tips and tricks (gathered from our favorite web resources) on how to get some really interesting photos this 4th of July Weekend!

Long Exposure Photography Using Steel Wool

Source: Learnmyshot.com

Author: Evan Sharboneau

In this great tutorial provided by the fine folks at Learnmyshot.com, Evan Sharboneau shows you how to get some really cool photos using steel wool, a whisk, a steel cable, a tripod, and some long exposure time.

This neat little trick also reminds us how important it is to shoot with a tripod this weekend, as a shaky hand gets some pretty crappy firework photos.

Darren Rowse, over at Digital Photography School gives some great pointers on how to get that perfect firework photograph. Some tips (but not limited to)

1. Use a tripod (common theme here)

2. Use a remote release

3. Make sure you're using the right aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings on your camera.

Here's a little firework video that we shot, last year, in Margate, NJ of the local firework display.

GPS for the iPhone

2011-06-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Every good photographer or videographer needs a trusty GPS device if they want to get to their shoot on time. But sometimes the price tag may cause you to look the other way when shopping for a GPS unit.

Just check out your local Best Buy for some eye popping GPS prices:

1. Garmin Zumo 665 - $849.99

2. Garmin nuvi 3790 - $399.99

3. Tom Tom Go - $299.95

4. Magellan Road Mate - $249.99

5. Tom Tom Via - $229.99

Those are some big dollar signs for a photographer or videographer.

We went looking for a most cost effective alternative to the GPS units available on the market, and found two excellent solutions via the iPhone.

GPS Drive -by MotionX

Price - $0.99

This was the first GPS app that we purchased (for $2.99) and we love it. It has a voice guidance system, and for $0.99 you can download and install different voices (Our favorite is The Cougar). This version gives you free traffic updates.

They have a great FAQ page on their website if you're having trouble getting the app up and running, but that's unlikely to be a problem. After downloading the app (over wi-fi, it's kind of large) we were on the road before I could get my old Garmin powered on.

The GPS also has a screen to help you look for shopping, restaurants, gas stations, or parking lots, and it integrates with your address book located on your iPhone.

Overall, the app has been great. The only issue we've encountered with the app, is a loss of GPS signal in New York City, but for those of you who have used a GPS in NYC, you know that's not an odd occurance.

Waze - by Waze Inc.

Price - Free

If you're feeling adventurous or travel the same route every day, then Waze is a GPS for you! Waze describes itself as a Social Media GPS device, as in, it's users can edit maps, suggest alternate routes, and even lend a hand in the real time traffic reporting system.

Is there a car stopped on the side of the road? Report it with two simple clicks on your iPhone. Waze saves your current location and sends out a message to local Waze users about the stalled vehicle. Major accident on your way to work? You'll know about it as soon as you get in your car, and you can plan your alternate route accordingly.

Waze is also a fun app. It rewards you for updating traffic conditions, weather conditions, or accidents with a point based ranking system. If you find yourself on a road less traveled, your icon turns into a Pacman like character and begins to eat little road pebbles, earning you points.

You can join groups (folks you travel the same route with) for even more personalized updates. You can ping other Waze users as they appear on your GPS map. Waze even has the ability to connect with your Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare accounts.

Waze also has voice guidance, which makes the free price tag that much better.

If you're looking for a professional GPS app, stick with MotionX. That being said, I love my Waze App and use it all the time.

The Fly

2011-06-28T06:24:00.000-07:00

We're reaching back into the archives for a oldie but goodie!

This was part of Little Guy Productions' one minute video series titled "Escape From the Basement". It chronicled my day to day life working in a basement (clever name title, we know) at the A/V department we've all come to know and love.

During the Summer time, the basement (for whatever reason) becomes infested with massive black flies. I spend a good portion of my morning fighting off the winged beasts from hell, guarding my bagel with one hand, while editing videos with the other.

Here's a short film about my struggles with "The Fly"

Let us know what you think!

Last Wedding Dance Song

2011-06-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

Everyone is always concerned about what their first dance as husband and wife should be, but how many people actually put some thought into what the last dance of the evening should be?

The last dance of the night is a perfect way to cap off a night of partying and goof ole fashioned hootenanny fun, so think carefully about how you're sending your guests (and yourself) off into the sunset.

Here's a list of songs that we think are perfect ways to end the night.

The Piano Man; Billy Joel

We've said it once, we'll say it again; "At Lauren and Dennis' weddings, we filmed one of the coolest ways to end a wedding". Group sing along! Everyone knows and loves this little diddy by one of our generation's greatest ivory tickler. Check it out.

New York, New York; Frank Sinatra

Perfect for those die hard Yankee fans or couples who generally like New York. Might not be the best choice of song for, say, a wedding in Minnesota or Texas, but we liked it so much that we used it for our last wedding song. Also gets bonus points for the sing along factor and, if you have the Bob Shepherd "Good Night and Drive Home Safely" audio clip, you get extra bonus points from your Yankee loving father-in-law. Classy.

(I've Had) The Time of My Life; Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

Classic last song for a wedding, great way to end the night, song says it all. And for a newer, fresher version of this song, check out the Black Eyed Peas verision.

Natalis and William's Wedding

2011-06-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

We filmed Natalis and William's wedding at St. Peter's Church in Haverstraw and then their reception at Patriot Hills in Stony Point, and boy, did we have a blast.

Another Full HD Wedding, Natalis and William booked us a week out of their wedding, and we were honored to share in their big day.

Watch the highlight video below, and you'll see that Natalis and William were having way too much fun with their wedding photos and celebration! The two are a really sweet couple, and there's no denying that they're head over heels in love with each other!

Spinning the tunes at the reception was none other than the DJ Company, and they kept the guests rocking and salsaing all night long! It's always a pleasure to work with our pals over at the DJ Company, because we know that we're going to be walking away from the reception with a ton of great dancing footage!

So sit back, relax and take a couple minutes out of your busy day to watch Natalis and William's Wedding Highlight Video!

If You Build It They Will Shoot

2011-06-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Big things are happening in the wonderful world of Audio Visual these days. We broke down an edit room that was running on equipment designed by the ancient Egyptians, and began the long painful process of turning it into a....

Doctor's Office?

With the coming of the summer months, so to comes the request for more Education and Health Promotion videos from the folks at the March of Dimes.

So, being the resourceful little producers that we are, we begged, borrowed, and invoiced our way into designing a semi-functional doctor's office.

We were able to acquire an exam table through a Craigslist ad and had an old ultrasound machine donated to us through a medical supply company in Garnerville. Thanks to the wonderful set design and art direction help we received from Ken Larson (Gaga, Garnerville) we were able to add a bunch of Doctor's Office looking props (sink, cabinets, artwork, medical equipment) to the walls.

Here are a couple of photos of the new set:

200 Pound Exam Table, fully functional with stirrups.

It almost looks too professional.....

300 Pound Ultrasound Machine

No the sink doesn't work, and no you can't ask how I know that.

I'll finally get to figure out what the hell this thing is actually used for.

Every doctor's office comes equipped with over $$18,000 worth of cameras, right?

Neighborhood Cruisers

2011-06-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, after I got off work at the March of Dimes, I headed over to Gennaro's Restaurant in Stony Point (off 9W).

Every Monday night during the summer, the Neighborhood Cruisers hold a little car show at Gennaro's, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to test out my new Canon Zoom 70-200mm lens.

I was doing my normal random shooting of these beautiful classic cars when I noticed a kid hop onto one of the Cruiser's motorcycles. I got the following photo:

The boy on the bike is Evan Sugrue. At 15 months Evan was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. He has spastic diplegia, as well as a global developmental delay. He is also diagnosed with thrombocythemia which is when the platelet count is too high and can cause clotting abnormalities. Evan has had many surgeries and receives occupational and speech therapy. He does not let his disability keep him from playing outside with his friends.

Evan is one of the recipients of this year's Cruisin for Kids benefit. Evan has a smile a mile wide and lit up the car show the moment he showed up.

If you're a local resident of Rockland or Westchester, you should consider visiting the Cruisers at their annual car show at the end of the summer (August 6, at North Rockland High School).

For more information about the Cruisers, visit their website at www.neighborhoodcruisers.org or check them out on Facebook or Youtube.

Kodak Printer Sale

2011-05-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

Looking for a new printer to start churning out all those great photos you're taking with that new Digital Camera?

Kodak is offering a limited time sale in its Kodak ESP 3250 All-in-One Printer for only $69.99 ($30 off).

Print specifications
Print speed	borderless KODAK Lab Quality 4 × 6 in. photos in as little as 29 seconds[1]; documents up to 30 pages per minute in black and 29 pages per minute in color[2]
Print sizes	standard-size borderless photos up to 8.5 × 11 in. (US letter size), 210 × 297 mm (A4 size); standard-size documents up to 8.5 × 14 in. (legal size)
Supported Memory Card Formats	print without a computer using memory card slot—Secure Digital (SD)/Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), MINI SD, Multimedia Card (MMC), MEMORY STICK (MS)/MEMORY STICK PRO (PRO)
Paper capacity	holds a maximum of 100 sheets (20 lbs) or 20 sheets photo paper (minimum paper size 4 x 6 in. to a maximum paper size 8.5 x 14 in.
Display	1.5 in. LCD (color)
Ink Cartridge	KODAK Black Ink Cartridge (10 Series), KODAK Color Ink Cartridge (10 Series)
Scan and copy specifications
Scanning	CIS optical scanner, 1200 DPI at 24 bit; scan multiple pictures simultaneously and software will create separate image files automatically; scan documents and photos up to 8.5 × 11.7 in.; scan and edit your documents with optical character recognition[3];
Copying	copy speed 30/29 cpm (black-color) one-touch color copy without a computer; copy documents or photos with one button; 20–400% scaling or fit to page and make up to 99 copies at a time

Mother's Day Gifts With a Cause

2011-05-05T04:36:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a Mother's Day gift that isn't so Tech Heavy as the gadgets highlighted in this week's Tech Tuesday, try some of these offers that come with a good cause attached:

Tiny Prints:
This Mother’s Day, Tiny Prints has created a Mother’s Day card collection and special offer. They will donate 10% to the March of Dimes for any card that is purchased through tinyprints.com/marchofdimes. In addition, 10% will be donated with the purchase of a card from the special March of Dimes collection.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Not every gift has to be wrapped in a box. You can make a donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in honor of your mother (or grandmother) and help find the cure for breast cancer. Sometimes, donations are the kindest gifts of all.

Moroccanoil Mother's Day Beach Bag
Moroccanoil will be donating $15,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in honor of Mother's Day. You can purchase their Beach Bag, which includes Shampoo, conditioner, oil treatment and paddle brush, beautifully packaged in a reusable and eco-friendly Moroccanoil® bag with a pink handle.

Shop the Cause
Shop the Cause is a project of Women Thrive Worldwide, a non-profit that fosters economic opportunity for women living in poverty worlwide. Women in poor countries face unequal barriers that keep them from lifting their families out of poverty. Women Thrive advocates for policies that give women the opportunities they need to overcome these barriers - opportunities such as fair wages and working conditions, access to credit, property rights, and protection against violence. Opportunities that help them create beautiful products and feed their children.

Treehugger
Looking to Go-Green for Mom this Mother's Day? Check out some Green Gift Ideas from the folks over at Treehugger.com. From flower ideas to cards printed on recycled paper, they've got everything you need to put a smile on Mom's face while keeping the planet happy.

Pregnant Flash Mob

2011-05-04T02:56:00.000-07:00

Continuing our week long salute to Moms:

Pregnant?

Fan of Justin Beiber?

Love Flash Mobs?

Well, you're going to love this video. The folks over at BecomingMomSpa.com put together a Pregnant Flash Mob in honor of the March of Dimes. Here's the info:

These expecting women (and one expecting Dad) gathered at Kings Island on April 30, 2011 to dance for dimes... the March of Dimes, that is.

Becoming Mom is donating a dime to the March of Dimes for every YouTube viewing of this video... so you can contribute simply by sharing with family and friends.

Money donated to the March of dimes helps fund research to eliminate birth defects and helps moms have full term, healthy pregnancies.

If you wish to contribute more, go to www.becomingmomspa.com/flashmob

Tech Tuesday: Mother's Day Tech Gifts

2011-05-03T04:27:00.000-07:00

Continuing with our week long celebration of Mom, we decided to take a look at some of the techie items that Mom has on her Mother's Day Wish List.

B&H Photo Video is offering up quite the assortment of Mother's Day Deals, and we approve of this one;

Canon Powershot A3300 Digital Camera

For a price tag that hovers around the $250 mark, this little camera packs a punch. Armed with 16 megapixel resolution and a video option that captures 720p moving images, you're Mom is minutes away from opening up her own Production Studio.

If you buy the camera through B&H, you get a fashionable bag to hold the camera and they'll even throw in a 4GB memory card. Order this week and shipping is free.

If you're worried about the learning curve that Mom's going to have to go through to learn how to use her new camera, don't. The Canon Powershot A3300 has a built in "Smile Detection" system that auto focuses on your subject and a SMART Auto setting that lets the camera decide what's the best setting to use in any given light situation.

Pandigital Photo Frame

These Digital Photo Frames were the craze a few years ago. Expensive and technically difficult to operate (at first), as with all new technology, the prices are finally dropping down to reasonable levels. The Pandigital Photo Frame, with a mail in rebate through B&H, will only cost you $40.

This seven inch photo frame comes with 1 GB of internal memory (6,000 photographs) and has the ability to play back photos from most memory cards (5-1 card reader) and USB sticks. There's a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connect option on the Pandigital Photo Frame as well.

Acquiring photos from your computer is as simple as connecting the Frame to your home computer via USB cable and then preforming a little drag-n-drop action that'll get your photos up and running on the Pandigital Photo Frame in no time at all.

Month in Review: April 2011

2011-05-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

April was an insanely busy month (aren't they all) for us here at Little Guy Productions.

We finally finished up all of our weddings from 2010. Normally, I would have been done a little bit sooner, but that whole "marrying my best friend" kind of shifted my priorities a bit.

I apologize for that, I promise I won't let it happen again.

Ray, Dr. Howse, Myself, and Doug.

Next up, on what turned out to be a very unusual April Fool's Day, I was awarded the "Employee of the Month" at the March of Dimes. I know, I thought it was some sick April Fool's Day Prank too, but until I got the free lunch and sick parking space, I wasn't convinced either.

The best part about the whole "Employee of the Month" award? The plaque they gave me read "for HER dedication and support to the March of Dimes".

We were down at the NBC Today Show filming a March of Dimes rally to support March for Babies, their biggest fund raising event.

April also means March for Babies month, which also means I'll be shoved into a small plane and sent somewhere in the continental Untied States to film a March for Babies event. This year, I had the privilege of documenting the great Dallas, TX March for Babies with the help of the folks at Abernethy Media Professionals. Between filming Kelly Clarkson and interviewing local ambassador families (and getting them to cry on camera) I got to experience a mini-tornado and an epic flight home (almost lost my cookies).

In the wedding world of Little Guy Productions, we were hired to film a couple's first dance, which also happened to use the same song as our first dance. Kristen was a champ, as she battled the anger sharks throughout the entire dance.

We also pondered the idea of filming the "Worst Wedding Ever".

On the Tech side of things, Little Guy Productions:
- Reviewed USB Microphones
- Showed you how to Pimp Your iPad
- Showed you how to keep your iPad upright and personable

May is shaping up to be a promising month, so look forward to the following:

- Times Square Video Shoot
- Holocaust Memorial Service Documentary Shoot
- "Minute to Win It" Promotional Shoot for the DJ Company
- Start of a Year Long Documentary Project about a local softball team.

Tech Tuesday: Pimp My iPad Part II

2011-04-26T05:23:00.000-07:00

Last week, we wrote a Tech Tuesday article about ways to "Pimp Your iPad". We told you about a couple of accessories that helped make the most out of your iPad.

This week, we'll discuss different products you can purchase to help keep your iPad in place;

iPad 2 Stands/Holders

One of the biggest wishes we've heard about the iPad 2 is for a decent stand to be developed for a more user friendly viewing environment. Here are a couple of suggestions:

The Mobile Holder by LUXA2 - $59.99

LUXA2 H4, is an e-book holder made of solid aluminum with a sleek and chic design tailor-made for the Apple iPad and other e-book readers. With firm and strong bottom, 6 supporting arms with rubber pins, and silicone pad design, it is the best holder to read, browse and play with iPad.

Elago P2 Stand - List Price $49.99

For those of you who are used to the design of the Mac Monitors, you might want to look into the Elago P2 Stand for the iPad. Its aluminum design mirrors the Mac Monitors and even has a space to run power cables to your iPad. The list price is $49.99, but can be found on Amazon for $29.99.

The one downside, unlike the Mobile Holder, is the inability to hold the iPad on its side, horizontally, which would eliminate the ability to comfortably watch full screen video. If you're using the device as a business machine, without needing the video function, then make sure you purchase the wireless keyboard that works with the iPad 2.

Little Guy Productions Goes to Dallas

2011-04-25T04:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a short film to help you get through those Monday work blues:

We shot last weekend (April 16th) in Dallas at the local March for Babies walking event.

NBC Today Show

2011-04-22T03:42:00.000-07:00

Continuing what seems to be Non-Profit Week here at Little Guy Productions:

On Wednesday, I took my trusty Canon Rebel T2i and my Panasonic HMC150 down to the NBC Today Show Plaza to film a crowd of March of Dimes volunteers looking to spread the word about their biggest fund raising event; March for Babies.

The March of Dimes National Ambassador Family was in attendance, and Nikki Fleming (mom to 2011 Ambassador Lauren) got a hold of Al Roker and delivered a March for Babies plug that rocked the Plaza.

Here are a couple of photos we took at the event.

Smile!

Group Shot!

Kmart Rocking the "This is How We Roll" t-shirts

Nikki Fleming Giving Al Roker the 411 on MFB

Corbin Snacking on Liz's Hat

Hello from Dallas Part IV

2011-04-21T04:23:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was in Dallas, Texas on a film shoot for the March of Dimes. I kept a little running journal of my time spent on the shoot:

Hello from Dallas Part: IV - PERSEVERANCE

Just a few things you might have heard, if you were wearing the fourth film crew walkie-talkie during the Dallas March for Babies.

Me: I lost the sound guy.

Me: My batteries just died. Turd Burger...

Walker “Did someone lose a binder?”
Me: Yes, do you have it?
Walker: No, it’s back there.
Me: Where?
Walker: Good luck!

Me: Does anyone know if they removed the dead dog from our backup interview location? I think we need to move the crew over there.

Me: You can totally jump that curb.
Sensible Driver Justin: Chris, that’s a stream, and it’s about 2 feet deep.
Me: Hey, it’s not like it’s your golf cart...

Me: I lost Kelly Clarkson, again.

Me (to a crowd): Who wants to be in a movie?
Lady in Crowd: Who are you?
Me: I’m the director of the movie we’re shooting
Lady: Are you a famous director?
Me: Have you heard of the movie “Despicable Me”?
Lady (eyes light up): Oh my God, yes!
Me: Well I saw it in a movie theater once.

Me: (SCREAMING) Who want’s to be on TV?
Lady: What channel are you from?
Me; Uh....four?
Lady: Four what?
Me: (GULPING) Ummm...Fox 4?
Lady: Great! Are we going to be on the news tonight?
Me: I probably wouldn’t bet on it.

Russell (Cameraman): LOOK OUT! (Light fixture knocked over by gust of wind, almost beheading a March of Dimes staff woman).

Russell: Well, the car battery just died.

Interview Subject #6 (two minutes after the interview was done): Right before the interview, I unplugged the mic that was attached to my back, were you still able to hear me?

So kids, what did we learn here today? That no matter how much time you spend pre-planning your shoot the day before, nothing will ever go according to plan.

And that’s why I love doing what I do.

Hello from Dallas Part III

2011-04-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was in Dallas, Texas on a film shoot for the March of Dimes. I kept a little running journal of my time spent on the shoot:

Hello from Dallas: Part III - HOPE

It’s currently 4:45am. I have to be up in fifteen minutes.

It’s pitch black outside. I haven’t been up this early since, well, Thursday morning.

There’s something really great and energizing being out in the field, working on a film.

Sitting in a basement, at the same desk, staring at the same walls can cause a disconnect from the world, or in my case, the reason why I’m doing my job.

There’s nothing quite like seeing 35,000 people come together to celebrate, to grieve, to remember, to hope. 35,000 people all putting aside their lives for a few hours for a good cause.

I was out on the walk route, when I had a mini epiphany, which may have been induced by the lack of water or the Texas heat.

I realized that, all those hours cutting together a video, sitting in meetings, or running wires for a powerpoint or video presentation there is something much bigger, much greater than what’s happening in the walls at 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue.

I met some extraordinary people at the walk today, and I got to sit down and talk to a couple of them.

I met with a group of women who have all lost a child. Their stories were heartbreaking, but despite all they’ve been through, they’re learning to heal, to cope, to lean on each other when a sympathetic ear or shoulder is needed.

It made me realize the work that we do is important.

Even if it means getting up before God.

Hello from Dallas Part II

2011-04-19T04:54:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was in Dallas, Texas on a film shoot for the March of Dimes. I kept a little running journal of my time spent on the shoot:

Hello from Dallas: Part II - WHOOPS

We woke up this morning to head over to the park to do our pre-shoot site run through.

This task was something I could never understand the value of doing. No matter how hard I try, the next day I never remember where I’m supposed to stop the truck and set up the tripod, and the massive 35,000 person crowd never cooperates with our predetermined path of travel.

We shot around the White Rock Lake Park on a golf cart, and I had my trusty Rebel T2i to remember exactly where I needed to stop the next day.

Or, that was the plan, had the batteries not died early Saturday morning.

Hello from Dallas Part I

2011-04-18T06:41:00.001-07:00

Last week, I was in Dallas, Texas on a film shoot for the March of Dimes. I kept a little running journal of my time spent on the shoot:

Hello from Dallas: Part I - FEAR

I was recently shipped out to Dallas, Texas to film a 35,000 person walk for the March of Dimes. This is my fifth time out on a walk film shoot, but only the second time that I’ve been in charge of my own crew.

A few years back, my boss had gone to the same event. He suggested that I use the crew he booked the last time he was out; Abernethy Media Professionals, or AMP for short.

I took my mentor’s advice and wound up with the same shooter that he had hired; Russell Blair.

We landed in Dallas around 2pm and began our pre-scout day rituals of finding a Lowes to purchase a ladder for the photographer, pick up a giant case of water and goodies, and then head to the hotel to crash for the evening.

Thursday night was uneventful, until the tornado ripped through town.

No big deal.

Just a thunder strike that made me jump six feet out of my bed.

And hail balls.

Those were fun, falling back asleep to the sweet sound of pelting against my bedroom window.

Which was on the 11th floor, so the high winds added a nice touch to my already heightened sense of mortality.

Good first day.

Wedding Wednesday: First Dance

2011-04-13T05:09:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we were asked to film a couple's first dance. They had gotten dance lessons through The DJ Company and were looking to show off what they learned.

The reception was held at the Overlook Lodge in Bear Mountain, and they danced to "Smile" by Uncle Kracker.

Needless to say, my assistant camera woman was throwing a hissy fit before the reception started, because honestly, "Smile" was our wedding song and no one else should use it for their own.

So, without further delay, here's the video from the wedding reception:

Tech Tuesday: Pimp My iPad

2011-04-12T05:25:00.000-07:00

With the not so distant release of the first generation iPad and the recent release of the iPad 2, we've decided to sift through the endless accessories that are on the market, and break down which ones you need and which ones you can live without.

Apple Digital AV Adapter - $39.00 Apple Store

Apple Digital AV Adapter

If you're like a recent wave of iPad users who have begun to replace their television service providers (Cablevision, Dish, DirectTV, etc) with your portable entertainment device, you might want to look into purchasing Apple's Digital AV Adapter. This little device allows you to connect your HD television (via HDMI cable) to your iPad. What's neat about the little adapter is it's two port functionality. One port connects to the television, while the other port allows for simultaneous charging of your iPad, thus eliminating a power failure right when Meredith goes to kiss McDreamy.

Or whatever you're watching these days. Don't judge me.

Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit - $29.00 Apple Store
Let's say that you're my father-in-law and are about to take a trip to Italy. Let's also say you have a pretty bitchin' Nikon camera. Add in the fact that you're interested in downloading photos to your shinny new iPad2 during those long bus rides you'll be taking through your Italian journey. What say me? I say get the iPad Camera Connection Kit which allows a USB or SD Card hookup to your iPad for doing such things.

iGo Stowaway Bluetooth iPad Keyboard $149 - $265 Multiple Vendors

This Bluetooth keyboard is sleek and sexy looking and it comes with a built in stand for your iPad. The iGo Stowaway is missing a couple of keys, so typing might be a little challenging in the beginning. The price tag is a little shocking, especially if you've just laid down a ton of dough for the iPad, so if you're looking to save a couple of dollars check out the Apple Version of this product:

Apple Wireless Keyboard

Apple Wireless Keyboard - $69.00 Apple Store

Bluetooth isn't just limited to your desktop or laptop anymore. Thanks to the instillation of Bluetooth technology into the iPad, you can ditch the old iPad Keyboard and all the tangled wires that came with it. The Apple Wireless Keyboard helps keep your desk neat and tidy, but we've come to miss the number pad that most apple keyboards have.

Pogo iPad Stylus - $8.99 Amazon

Pogo iPad Stylus

Tired of constantly wiping off fingerprints from your iPad's display? You might find the Pogo iPad Stylus a handy way to maneuver around your iPad without leaving any trace evidence on the screen. This Stylus is generally sturdier than other versions that you can find on the market, and as a bonus, the folks at Pogo made this version a little more sensitive. If you're a painter that loves to use the iPad as a canvas, the amount of pressure placed on the Stylus will reflect in the brush strokes on your iPad.

Have an accessory for your iPad that you just can't live without? Leave a comment below and let us (and the world) know about it!

Steadicam Dance is Finished

2011-04-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

Right before going to bed last night, I realized that come Monday, I didn't have anything new for the blog this week.

That's when Videographer-to-the-Stars Bruce Cullen sent me an email, letting Kristen and I know that the soon to be famous "Steadicam Dance" is officially edited and ready to go!

Here's an excerpt from Bruce's email:

The Steadicam Dance official video is finished!

In the next week or two it will also be on Grace Ormonde's
weddingstylemagazine.com site, under all the New England listings for
Cinematography.

Thanks again for your participation and enthusiasm.
Chris... 13% of the shots on the edited video are from you. Thanks!

So, without further delay, here's the "Steadicam Dance" and another chance to brag about "My Wife The Model".

Wedding Wednesday: Worst Wedding Ever

2011-04-06T04:33:00.000-07:00

Whenever we film a wedding with a two camera setup, Kristen usually stays on the tripod while I tend to go hand held for the duration of the special dances. Usually, whenever there's a lot of action on the dance floor, I'll also go off tripod and follow wherever the crowd takes me.

That got me to think, what happens if the bride and groom select some of the longest songs known to man as their special dances?

So, I decided to put together a list of songs, with a few criteria in mind. (1) Song has to be make sense for a wedding song. Something like Jimi Hendrix's Voodo Chile wouldn't make the cut, because I can't imagine someone choosing it for their first dance (unless the bride and groom are huge Hendrix Fans)

Here is a list of Little Guy Productions' nightmare "special dances".....

First Dance: Crush, by Dave Matthews Band - RT: 8:09
This song is a double edged sword for me. First off, based on the fact that I can't stand Dave Matthews or his band, this song would kill me or put me to sleep (not necessarily in that order). Add to that the length (not too shabby at eight minutes long) and we're starting to feel a bit of pain in the upper shoulder area.

Honorable Mention:
Hey Jude, The Beatles - RT 7:11,
Bed of Roses, Bon Jovi - RT: 6:34

Father/Daughter Dance: American Pie, by Don McLean - RT: 8:32

American Pie might be tops on the list of songs that Fathers and Daughters sing together. Do I have proof, scientific information, or extensive research on that statement? No, but for those of you who knew me as a waiter/bartender at Annie's, you'd know that this song was constantly on the jukebox, so I'm basing my expertise solely on that alone.

Honorable Mention:
Conviction of the Heart, Kenny Loggins - RT: 6:52,
Visions of Johanna, Bob Dylan - RT: 7:31

So, we're sixteen minutes into the reception and Little Guy Productions cameras are still rolling, when the DJ spins the next song:

Mother/Son Dance: A Song for Mama, Boyz II Men - RT: 5:03

It's not as long as our first two songs, but five minutes on the dance floor could seem like an eternity (especially when you're holding a nine pound camera with about three pounds of accessories).

Honorable Mention:
I Hope You Dance, Lee Ann Womack - RT: 4:58. This song, by timing standards isn't that long, but if you actually listen to it, it feels like it goes on forever.
Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Middler - RT: 4:53. I just want to cry when I hear this song, and not because it's touching.

So now that the three main special dances are over, what if the Bride and Groom picked extraordinarily long songs for their dance sets? Normally, most songs last about three minutes, which gives us an opportunity to rest the camera every once and a while, so here's a couple of songs that will make this Worst Wedding Ever, take another turn for the worse:

Dance Sets
(We have filmed at a wedding where these songs have been played in some form at least once, so the list is legit)

Jessica, The Allman Brothers Band - RT: 7:30
Freebird, Lynyrd Skinner - RT: 9:10
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer, George Thorogood - RT: 8:28
Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen - RT: 5:55
Won't Get Fooled Again, The Who - RT: 8:32
Disco Inferno, The Trammps - RT: 10:53
Captain Jack, Billy Joel - RT: 7:16
Hotel California, The Eagles - RT: 6:30
I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Creedence Clearwater Revival - RT: 11:04
Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Meatloaf - RT: 8:28
Thriller, Michael Jackson - RT 5:57

And finally, as the last song of the evening, I present to you:

The End, The Doors - RT: 11:39

If you take just that list of songs, you have exactly two hours of music, but have only played fifteen songs. An average wedding reception lasts four hours, three hours minus the hour allotted for salad, pasta, and your main course.

Take away an hour for introductions, cake cutting, garter and bouquet toss and table side photos, and you've only listened to fifteen songs your entire wedding.

And that, my friends, is the Worst Wedding Little Guy Productions would ever have to film.

Tech Tuesday: USB Microphone Review

2011-04-05T02:46:00.000-07:00

Every once and a while I'm asked to do some voice over work. For those of you who have to hear my voice on a constant basis, I'm pretty sure you're finding that hard to believe.

Hey, there's a demand out there for audio tracks narrated by a guy who sounds eerily similar to Kermit the Frog.

As much as Kristen hates my voice over "voice", (she says it sounds too serious) I tend to enjoy it because it reminds me of my time as a DJ on my college radio station.

I needed to find a microphone that would do three things:
     - Fit into my budget
     - Not take up too much of my time
     - Sound really good.

I found that in the Snowball Mic, created by the company "Blue Microphones". The Snowball mic is a small USB powered Mic that works perfectly with my audio editing software (Soundtrack Pro) and provides a really clean sound that's unusual for a USB Mic.

My original Voice Over setup included a analog mixer, a shitty karaoke mic, 20 feet of cables, and had to be run through a digital converter box to get into my computer. So, I was a little shocked when the Snowball Mic showed up looking like a lawn ornament with a USB cable.

Here's an example of one of the Voice Over tracks I created using the Snowball Mic:

The creators of the Snowball Mic have now come out with two new USB Microphones: the Yeti and the Yeti Pro.

These old school looking Mics both have USB controls and the Yeti Pro offers a XLR output.

Both the Yeti and the Yeti Pro offer four switchable pickup patterns, which is great, because you're not having to purchase four different mics, just one will do!
     - Stereo (vocals, choir, instruments)
     - Cardioid (podcast, voice over, vocals, instruments)
     - Omnidirectional (conference calls, field recordings, events/orchestras)
     - Biodirectional (interviews, instruments, vocal duets)

Here are the Computer Operating Specs you need in order to run the Yeti Mics:

PC: Windows 7, Windows Vista, XP Home Edition or XP Professional
USB 2.0 High Speed; 256 MB RAM (minimum)
Macintosh: Mac OSX ( 10.6.4 or higher )
USB 2.0 High Speed; 256 MB RAM (minimum)

Month in Review: March 2011

2011-04-01T01:39:00.001-07:00

March seemed to fly by faster than you can say "Little Guy Productions is the coolest video company and I wish I had them film my wedding, and I probably should have booked Nick Carter Photography and had the DJ Company Spinning tunes at my wedding which should have been held at the Casa Mia Manor House".

Rock on.

We filmed our first wedding of 2011, Cory and Jennifer tied the knot at the Villa Barone Hilltop Manor. It was our first fully High Definition Video wedding shoot and also the first time we used on-camera lighting.

Tom and Julia got married, but decided to have Little Guy Productions co-owner Chris stand at the alter behind Tom instead of a camera. I somehow managed to get through the entire ceremony without my beloved Panasonics.

That's right, I said co-owner of Little Guy Productions. My tax man informed me that after marrying Kristen, she technically owns half of LGP. That's good, because I was beginning to think that LGP needed a woman's touch.

"Super Steadicam Videographer" to the Stars Bruce Cullen released a couple of behind the scenes videos that featured Kristen in her wedding dress, making her modeling debut. We also saw the Drunk Dude trying to mimic the Steadicam girls, a hilarious video documenting one man's attempt to reach Youtube Stardom.

The DJ Company released their shocking tell all White Paper titled "Seven Things Your Disc Jockey Doesn't Want You to Know". It covers all the do's and dont's when searching for a DJ for your special day.

All in all, March was a blast for us. We're looking forward to an exciting April as well, here are a couple of upcoming Little Guy Productions Highlights:

- Headed to Dallas to direct a crew for a March for Babies shoot.
- Release of Our Corporate Client Survey
- Softball (Modsquad and Bombsquad) Season Begins
- Dream Images Release of "The Steadicam Dance"
- Recycling Plant High Def Video Shoot

Advertising Survey

2011-03-31T01:26:00.000-07:00

I recently created a survey that is aimed to analyze local businesses and their advertising practices.

If you are a local business owner, know a business owner, or are in a position to make recomendations regarding your business' or company's advertising practices, I'd appreciate you taking five minutes to fill out or pass along the survey. (Click the image to start the survey process)

Thank You!

Wedding Wednesday: Tom and Julia

2011-03-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

Not every wedding we go to we film, sometimes we're in them!

For instance, Tom and Julia's wedding. Tom is one of my best friends; we graduated from Quinnipiac together and were roommates for three years. So when Tom asked me to be in his wedding party, I obviously said yes.

So that left Kristen all by her lonesome at the wedding. She offered to take photos throughout the ceremony and the reception.

I put together this little slideshow using iPhoto and the pictures that Kristen took with the Canon Rebel T2i.

You'll have to excuse the music, Youtube wouldn't let me embed the video with the song I originally had in the video, and replaced it with the following.

Tech Tuesday: Zoom H4n Handy Mobile Recorder

2011-03-29T04:30:00.000-07:00

Last January, on a film shoot for the March of Dimes, I had the opportunity to photograph and interview golf legend Arnold Palmer.

I was all set to pack my trusty Sony EX-3 Camera and load it up with a Sennheiser shotgun mic, packed a couple of Sennheiser wireless mic units with the Tram50 mic attachments, and my golf clubs and head on down to Florida to get the job done.

Only one problem, the client insisted that we don't use "big, official looking" cameras.

I hemmed and I hawed about the value of capturing a once in a lifetime opportunity with the right equipment, but the client insisted that I use that "little camera" she saw me shooting with a few months earlier.

The Canon Rebel T2i.

I had been using the T2i to capture some video of a conference that I was running A/V at in Ft. Lauderdale, with the intention to create a goofy highlight video to be played on the last day.

I was able to get my hands on a Canon 5D, so better video quality than the Rebel T2i helped calm my nerves a bit. I still had to find a proper way to record audio, as the built in mics on the 5D and the T2i suck.

A fellow videographer in Chicago, JJ Kim of Orange Video Productions, had used the Zoom H4n Handy Mobile 4-Track Recorder for a shoot he did for the March of Dimes, and we were pleased with the result.

I ordered a Zoom H4n from B&H and did some quick tests with it before I headed down to Orlando.

The Zoom H4n was perfect for what I needed. It has two microphones sticking out of the top of the device and two XLR inputs at the bottom. The H4n records to SD cards as .wav files, so drag and drop editing allowed me to edit the piece by the time my plane landed back in New York.

I was able to attach the Sennheiser shotgun to the top of the Canon 5D with a shock mount and ran a 5 foot XLR cable into the H4n, which was comfortably resting in my back pocket.

The whole setup was awkward and, without a proper slate, it took me a little while to match up the audio to the video, but that's not the Zoom H4n's fault.

B&H lists the Zoom H4n at $299.00, a little pricey but worth it in the end. I'm hoping we find a need to use this device again, hopefully sometime in the near future.

My Wife the Model

2011-03-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

What do Howard Stern and I have in common?

Big nose? Possibly.

Love of Sirius Satellite Radio? Yes, but his love may be influenced by a paycheck.

Both of us are married to models? BINGO!

Kristen made her modeling debut in the soon to be famous "Steadicam Video". What first started out as a commercial shoot is turning into a full blown, behind the scenes, documentary in the works.

For those of you who need a quick refresh, Bruce Cullen of Dream Images (our wedding videographer), decided to put together a video to highlight his company's use of Steadicams for wedding videography.

He invited Kristen and my cousin Liz to get back into their wedding dresses and model for the cameras. World famous photographer Nick Carter was on the scene snapping photos as was his lovely wife Joy, who was quick with a brush, applying makeup where needed.

Bruce invited me to bring a camera and shoot some behind the scenes footage, and I gladly accepted because it gave me the opportunity to get some work in with the Panasonic HMC150 before the wedding season kicked into high gear.

My cousin Eric, master chef to the stars, became a PA for the day, thanklessly lugging around all of my camera crap.

So, without further delay, here are a couple of clips that highlight the day's events:

The Steadicam Girls:

Behind the Scenes of the Steadicam Video

And the Photo Slideshow featuring Nick Carter's photographic genious

Tech Tuesday: On Camera Lighting

2011-03-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

I never used to be a fan of videographers who flipped the high beams on when filming a wedding. I can remember being at a friend's wedding and being very aware of the videographer's location at all times.

One of the best compliments Little Guy Productions gets is the statement "we didn't even know you were there." We pride ourselves on not being the center of attention, and carefully filming without you noticing.

That being said, as we move into the brave new world of High Definition shooting, I had to break down and pick up some lights for the Panasonic HVX and the Panasonic HMC-150.

From my trusty friends at B&H Photo Video, here's what I picked up.

For the HVX I went with the VariZoom S-2010P Dimmable On Camera Light. The "P" in the light's name stands for "Panasonic" meaning there's a battery adapter that will work with your pre-existing Panasonic Battery. Very handy if you've got a couple of extra batts lying

around.

The VariZoom S-2010P costs $319.99 and has a 40 Watt output at 5600K. The description on the B&H site says the light comes with 4 barn doors, but we beg to differ. There are two legitimate barn doors and two "fake barn doors". We're assuming that the filters can be used as the remaining two barn doors, but then you can't use your filters.

The TorchLED is a bitchin' little light; it came fully charged and ready to roll with three "sippy cup looking" filters that attach at the front of the light. Its internal battery charges through DC, and it boasts 150 minutes of continuous lighting capabilities. Price Tag: $219.95 plus an additional $14.95 you're going to have to plop down for the shoe mount adapter, because it doesn't come standard with one.

The TorchLED emits the equivalent of a 50 Watt Light.

Both the Varizoom and the TorchLED are pretty light, which will make going hand held during the reception a little less stressful on the shoulder and back.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So we just filmed our first wedding of 2011 using the VariZoom S-2010P and the TorchLED and I'd have to say I'm pretty impressed with how the lights turned out. After testing them out with my wife/co-shooter, we initially were worried that they'd be way too bright and obnoxious.

But after the lights went down and the DJ started his light show, it almost didn't matter that we had lights on the camera. The HVX and the HMC-150 seemed to blend into the background, and after looking at the footage, I didn't see the dreaded "Cover your eyes and get that camera out of my face" shot that I was so worried about.

Battery life for both was fine. The "filters" for the TorchLED were a little awkward to install "on the go", but were fine in the end.

Cory and Jennifer Wedding Highlights

2011-03-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a big weekend for Little Guy Prodcutions; we kicked off the 2011 Wedding Season by filming Cory and Jennifer's Big Day and their wedding marked the first time that we shot everything using High Definition Cameras!

Cory and Jen were married at the Villa Barone Hilltop Manor in Mahopac, NY. The ceremony was beautiful, held under a flowered awning atop a staircase. The reception was a blast as well and the staff at the Villa Barone Hilltop Manor was awesome.

(Click 720p to view in HD)

Giovanni Photographic Artists were great people to work with and are quite talented.

Here's a link to the wonderful photos that Kristen took and we're also trying out something new using Shutterfly's Slideshow maker.

Let us know what you think!

Drunk Guy Dancing

2011-03-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

I was in the city last Sunday, helping out my amigos over at Dream Images Videography film a promotional video for their steadicams. The whole premise behind the video was to create a dance that mimicked the movement of the steadicam.

So my wonderful wife and my cousin's wife got to wear their wedding dresses again and I got to test out my new Panasonic HD Camera.

And this guy, got wasted and tried to mimic the dancers;

Wedding Wednesday

2011-03-09T05:36:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken in June of 2010 in Liberty State Park. Sarah and John chose an amazing backdrop for their wedding photos and this photo really pops. I love how the black of John's tux and the white of Sarah's dress stand out against the city skyline. The rose adds a stunning burst of color to the photo, allowing for even more separation from the background.

STATS
ISO: 100
Lens Used: EF 28-135mm
Focal Length: 135mm
f/Stop: 5.625

Tech Tuesdays: Glidetrack Hybrid

2011-03-08T05:33:00.000-08:00

There's a great new toy for all you HD DSLR Video shooters out there; the Glidetrack Hybrid. B&H Photo Video describes the Glidetrack Hybird as a Heavy Duty Mini Dolly.

Honestly, is there a cooler description than "heavy duty mini dolly'?

Don't think about it too long or your head will splode.

Retailing at $475 for the 20 inch version or up to $665 for the 78 inch version, the Glidetrack Hybrid redefines the way you're going to be using your HD DSLR.

In the following video, the makers of the Glidetrack Hybrid demonstrate the various uses of its new dolly and adds in the video that's being shot with the Canon attached to the G-Hybrid:

Glidetrack Hybrid from Glidetrack on Vimeo.

And finally, the sales pitch from the folks at Glidetrack:

New Hybrid bearings offer a combination of both sliding AND roller bearings, giving you the best of both worlds, as show above. This includes an open architecture design that uses individual greaseless self lubricating plastic bearings and liners that can quickly and easily be swapped out if required. It is easy to ensure optimal performance, as you can literally take the carriage apart, wash or blow it down, and you are ready to shoot again.

These new style Hybrid bearings offer you all the advantages of both styles of bearing without any of the disadvantages.

New style adjustable end feet that offer the users the ability to QUICKLY adjust for uneven ground, run the unit horizontally, at inclines , vertically......or even upside down!

Wedding Wednesday

2011-03-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

Talk about being in the right place at the right time. I took this photo at my cousin's wedding in September of 2010 and it's been one of my favorite photos I've taken at a wedding since I started in 2004.

The look on dad's face is a mixture of pure joy, pride, and love. This photo should be used in dictionaries next to the phrase "Daddy's Little Girl".

STATS
ISO: 1600
Lens Used: EF 28-135mm
Focal Length: 127mm
f/Stop: 5

Tech Tuesdays: The New MacBook Pro

2011-03-01T05:31:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how many times I've started an article or a review with the title "The New MacBook Pro" and then gone ahead and had to write a whole new article about Apple's latest release, just a few months later.

This time, with Apple's latest "New MacBook Pro", we've actually got something to write about. Something a little more than the usual "well, it's got a bigger screen".

Introducing the Thunderbolt Port. Sounds epic, and technically, it is.

The Thunderbolt port is supposedly twelve times faster than the Firewire 800 jack on your computer, twenty times faster than your ancient USB 2.0 port, and twice as fast as your USB 3.0 ports.

Yeah, we didn't know there was a USB 3.0 port either.

Still not convinced? The Thunderbolt port allows you (through adapters) to daisy chain your monitors, hard drives, and Ethernet ports and your computer won't take a single hit in performance along the way.

Why's that you say?

Behold, the first Macbook that has a Quad Core Processor (RE: Editors, media managers, and photo junkies; it's okay to start salivating).

Apple says they've put the Laptops through a battery of tests to improve one of it's biggest weaknesses; the battery. Apple touts the ability to sit in an internet cafe for seven hours while connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot before your battery will run out.

The new MacBook Pros come in 3 screen sizes, 13", 15", and a 17". All of the ports from the last generation of MacBook Pros are still present; one FireWire 800, two USB 2.0 (the new 17" has three), one SD card slot (which supports SDXC cards), and one Ethernet jack. The 17" model still has an ExpressCard slot (but doesn't have the SD card slot). The 15" and 17" models are both quad core, but the 13" feature dual core i5 or i7 processors.

The new MacBook Pros are already available for pre-order at B&H. Take your pick from the 13" with the dual i5 or i7 processor, the 15" with a 2 GHz or a 2.2 GHz quad core processor, or the 2.2 GHz quad core 17".

Videographers for Babies

2011-02-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

Every April, Kristen and I take part in the March of Dimes largest fundraiser "March for Babies".

You can help me in my efforts to give all babies a healthy start by sponsoring me in this year's walk!

As many of you know, I work for the March of Dimes as a Producer in the Audio Visual Department, so it goes without saying that I'd be walking and fund raising to the best of my videographer's abilities!

Normally, everyone walks six or so miles at a location that's closest to their home, but I'm one of the fortunate ones that gets to travel across the country, filming different walks throughout the months of March and April.

That's me in the back behind the audio guy, holding on for dear life.

Last year, I directed a crew in Kansas City, the year before that Cincinnati, once in the Big Apple, and another time in Boston.

Anyways, the important thing is, no matter where I'm walking, it's for a good cause; healthy babies.

Let me take a moment to brag about what the March of Dimes has been doing lately:

1. We're On the Front Lines
In local communities across the country, we're helping moms take charge of their health, and supporting families when something goes wrong. The March of Dimes also acts globally: sharing best practices in perinatal health and helping improve birth outcomes where the needs are the most urgent.

2. We're Educating Moms
We're reaching moms with information on having full-term and healthy pregnancies. Professional education and medical resources on topics like premature birth and birth defects, are helping health care providers better support their patients.

3. We're Creating Change Through Advocacy
National guidelines for newborn screening were issued to help promote consistency among states so that all babies are screened for life-threatening identifiable, but treatable, disorders regardless of where they live.

Yes, we've been busy and yes, we're not just resting on our past successes (kicked the crap out of polio, by the way). Babies across America need help and we're the organization that's best suited to do the job.

Friday Movie Review: Due Date

2011-02-25T04:10:00.000-08:00

Recently released to DVD, Due Date stars one of comedy's hottest stars in Zack Galifianakis and the always popular Robert Downey Jr.

The two polar opposites meet at an airport terminal, where they inadvertently switch luggage bags. After an incident occurs on the plane, RDJ's character Peter Highman finds himself on the no fly list and in the front seat of Ethan Tremblay's (Galifianakis) rental car, headed for Los Angeles (Hollywood).

Highman has to get back to LA, where his wife is about to give birth to their first child. Tremblay is looking for an appropriate spot to scatter his father's ashes as he works his way west to become a star in Hollywood.

Car accidents, a masturbating dog, gun shot wounds, racial humor, and the eventual accidental drinking of Tremblay's father ensue.

In my opinion, the trailer makes the film to be a tad funnier than it really is. The film is slow to begin but eventually picks up, but not to the point you'd expect out of Galifianakis's follow up to the film "The Hangover".

That being said, the writing in the film is excellent, as the two characters struggle to deal with deep seeded father issues; one having a hard time trying not to turn into his father, and the other trying to figure out how to let go.

Dark humor abound, you eventually begin to feel for RDJ's character as he struggles to get back to see the birth of his first child.
LGP Rating: 3 Out of 5 Little Guys
ROI* Rating: Rent It!

* Rent, Own, Ignore Rating

7 Things Your Disc Jockey Doesn’t Want You to Know

2011-02-24T05:23:00.000-08:00

Special Thanks to The DJ Company for guest writing this article. You'll find some really great information regarding how to go about booking a vendor for your wedding day or any other event.

DO YOUR RESEARCH
Written reviews and posts on popular wedding websites are very easy to manifest. If someone or something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do your research, ask for references. But always keep the notion in the back of your mind, “is a company really going to give me a bad reference to contact?” Simply put, when doing your research and verifying references, go with your gut; do you feel comfortable giving this person/people the responsibility of entertaining your wedding guests?

MAKE SURE YOU HIRE A PROFESSIONAL
Sounds obvious, right? Did you know that over half of the disc jockeys in the Hudson Valley have a “day job?” In fact, most of them offer a much lower cost for their service simply because this is a “hobby” for them and is the means to make a “couple of hundred bucks” over the weekend. Do you really want one of the most important days of your life in the hands of someone who does this “just for kicks?” Which refers us back to our first point, do your research and feel comfortable with the person(s) that will be entertaining your reception!

COOKIE CUTTER DJ’s
This phrase has so many meanings. Did you know that dozens of disc jockeys in the Hudson Valley have preset “playlists” and have even pre-recorded hours of music? Referring back to our first point two points (do your research and hire a professional), make sure your comfortable with your disc jockey’s musical knowledge, experience, music library & have he/she explain to you HOW they are going to customize the musical programming to best fit YOU and your guests!

WATCH OUT FOR EXTRA CHARGES
The most common way that a Disc Jockey can literally “CON” you out of couple of hundred dollars is to tack on fees, taxes, etc. (1) it is illegal for a DJ to charge you TAX. [Disc jockeys provide a service, not a product. A service is not taxable] (2) A base price may look appealing, but many disc jockeys will charge travel fees, setup fees, etc. So, do your research, hire a professional and scrutinize the details of your contract.

SOLO-OPERATORS VS. MULTI SYSTEM COMPANY
What does this mean? Basically, are you hiring a “one man company” or a company with multiple disc jockeys? The benefit to a one man company is you obviously know WHO your DJ is going to be. There are two major problems: (1) What if your dj (the only dj the company has) is sick or is somehow detained? Will a stranger you never met be showing up to your wedding day? (2) Many solo operators (not all) fall under the “I do this as a hobby” category. A multi system company (a company with more than one disc jockey) will not only allow you the opportunity to meet your entertainer, but choose the person who best fits your needs. Furthermore, in the event of an emergency, a good (multi system) company will have a backup entertainer on standby. Whether you’re looking into a solo-operator or multi-system company, be sure you ask about back equipment and staff. Do your research, hire a professional.

THE TRUTH ABOUT LIABILITY INSURANCE
This is a very useful tool for the consumer. Why? It’s not just for the protection of you and your guests! Many catering facilities mandate that all vendors carry insurance simply to help “weed out” the non-professional vendors. Those who DJ as a “hobby” tends not to bother “wasting” money on insurance and other necessary expenses. The truth is, should someone sustain an injury from a faulty piece of disc jockey equipment or what-have-you, the primary insurance policy would be that of the catering facility; but the simple fact that a company goes far enough to maintain a certificate of liability insurance, proves to the catering hall that they are professionals who take many of the necessary precautions to ensure a safe and successful event.

 IT’S NOT QUANTITY, IT’S QUALITY
Again, this phrase can have many meanings. But the bottom line is simple. Don’t be fooled by a sales pitch such as “A Spectacular Light Show with 8 Lighting Effects” or “An Amazing Sound System with 6 Speaker Surround Sound.” Make sure your entertainer explains the technology he/she uses and what it is that makes it so “spectacular” or “amazing!” Can your entertainer control the lighting to spotlight a grand entrance, create an intimate “look” or energize the dance floor? Can he or she design the sound based on your reception room’s acoustics? Do they have the necessary equipment to prevent a microphone from feedback and/or enhance the overall audio quality so that it doesn’t distort or become overbearing for guests?

The DJ Company is dedicated to providing you with premium entertainment for your wedding day. To learn more about The DJ Company, you can speak to one of our professionals and/or request a press kit by calling 845.268.2477 or e-mailing info@thedjco.net

Wedding Wednesday

2011-02-23T06:26:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite cake photos. I love how the light in the background draws your eye to the funny cake topper. The cake at this October 2010 wedding was simply beautiful. The blue flowers added (real) accented the white roses (fake) made from icing and the layering was quite impressive.

STATS
ISO: 1600
Lens Used: EF 28-135mm
Focal Length: 38mm
f/Stop: 4

Tech Tuesdays: Memory Card Class

2011-02-22T05:03:00.000-08:00

The price tags on many memory cards have recently begun to drop. These days, a 4GB SD Card can be picked up in your local drug store for a fraction of the cost for the same card sold only a couple of years ago.

With inexpensive memory cards flooding the market, photo buffs may inadvertently overlook one of the most important traits in a memory card; it's class.

Most memory cards that can be picked up in your local Staples, CVS, or Best Buy are Class 4 or Class 6 memory cards. These cards are perfect for your standard point and shoot cameras like the Canon Powershot or a Kodak Easy Share camera.

What if you're using your Canon Rebel T2i to shoot video? If you use a Class 4 or a Class 6 memory card, you're going to get some funky video if you attempt to pan, zoom, tilt, or are not one of the 0.01% of the population whose hands never shake when holding a video camera.

In the following clip taken on my honeymoon in St. Lucia, notice what happens when the camera is moved quickly (Roughly 20 seconds in). The camera being used is a Canon Rebel T2i with a Class 4 SanDisk 16 GB SD Card. If you watch the video all the way through, my wife decides to enhance the video with a little bit of post marital excitement induced dancing.

If you rewind at the point where the camera shifts, check out the top right hand portion of the video, in the blue sky area. Notice the artifacts that appear (wavy lines). The slow memory card is attempting to catch up with all the information the camera is trying to send it. A slower write speed doesn't allow for the information to be properly processed, therefor the artifacts begin to appear in times of "high information overload".

To combat this problem, use a Class 10 memory card. With write speeds up to 30 MB per second, a 16 GB Class 10 SDHC Memory Card made by SanDisk will cost you roughly $100 while the 32 GB version with the same speed will cost you closer to $200 per card.

Check out this footage that was shot with a Panasonic HMC150 Camera, using a 32 GB Class 10 SDHC Memory Card. Notice that despite all the zooming, moving, panning, and general hand held insanity, the video looks crisp, clean, and artifact free.

iPhone Wedding Apps

2011-02-21T04:21:00.000-08:00

Working on planning your wedding? There's an app for that!

We've got a list of great iPhone Wedding Apps that'll help you prepare for your big day.

Wedding 911 by The Knot

This is a great app and was very helpful when we were planning our wedding. Made by the folks from The Knot, otherwise known as the holy bible for brides to be, this app has everything from Etiquette advice to money saving ideas. There's a community based question and answer message board with the app, but be forewarned, not everyone on the app is technically a bride, so you'll run into trollers and rabble-rousers.

Current iTunes User Rating: 3 Stars
Price: Free

iWedding Deluxe - the Wedding Planner

Don't let the price scare you, especially if you're a bride that has her iPhone permanently attached to her hand. The iWedding Deluxe allows for you to create a guest list, seating arrangements with food choices, and has a section dedicated to keeping all of your important day-of information right at your fingertips. There's plenty of For the price, we would have liked to see the ability to export your guest list added to the app.

Current iTunes User rating: 4 Stars
Price: $9.99

iBride Wedding Planner

It's not the best app in the world, but it does one this extremely well; help you locate local vendors (as long as your city is in the app, it's missing major cities like New Orleans and Orlando, according to reviewers). The app is designed to act as a planner and a directory, but it clearly functions better as the later. You can browse local vendors and should be able call them directly from the app. Overall, the concept behind the app is brilliant, but it seems like it was rushed out and hasn't had an update since.

iTunes User Rating: 2 Stars
Price: Free

The Wedding Checklist

This is a pretty darn good wedding iPhone app. It's very similar to the online version of The Knot's website, giving you the ability to see tasks in advance and the ability to properly plan ahead. The description states that there's over 3770 pre-populated items (locations, minister info, photographer info, dress info, etc) and you have the ability to add your own items. This app re-defines thorough, almost to a fault. If you're not the micromanaging type, this app may be a little overwhelming.

iTunes User Rating: Not enough for Calculation
Price: $2.99

LGP Video Featured on Learn My Shot

2011-02-17T03:57:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, we helped our buddy Nick Carter film a tutorial video on how to set up elegant lighting situations when photographing a model. It was just released on the photo tutorial website, LearnMyShot.com.

The finished video runs about eleven and a half minutes and is chuck full of great information provided by Nick Carter. Nick takes his time explaining lighting techniques, the type of equipment he uses, lens information, and the camera settings he uses to capture each image.

Here's the video, if you're interested in learning a couple of Nick's tricks.

Wedding Wednesday

2011-02-16T06:18:00.000-08:00

This week's Wedding Wednesday Photo was taken in April of 2010 at Michelle and James' Wedding. The first installment in our new feature took home the Gold in the 2010 Little Guy Productions Photo Contest, receiving 44% of the 1220 votes cast.

I love this photo because it captures the pure joy that everyone hopes to experience on their wedding day.

STATS
ISO: 100
Lens Used: EF 28-135mm
Focal Length: 28mm
f/Stop: 4.375

Tech Tuesdays: Canon Rebel Update

2011-02-15T05:39:00.000-08:00

Canon announced an update to its pro-sumer Rebel Cameras the Rebel T3 and Rebel T3i. Here are the specs:

Canon Rebel T3
Megapixels: 12.2
Sensor: CMOS
Image Processor: DIGIC 4
Video Option: HD - 30p/25p fps
ISO Range: 100-6400
Viewing Screen: 2.7" LCD

Canon Rebel T3i
Megapixels: 18
Sensor: CMOS
Image Processor: DIGIC 4
Video Option: HD - 30p/24p/25p, HD 60p/50p fps, SD 30p/25p
ISO Range: 100-6400 - expandable to 12,8000 in low light situations.
Viewing Screen: 3" LCD (swivel based)

Both cameras have a 9 point auto focus system and take SD, SDHC, or SDXC memory. Remember, if you're using these cameras to shoot HD video, be sure to plunk down the couple of extra bucks to get a higher class memory card (preferably a Class 10).

Both cameras will work with Canon lenses that preceded this model, and most kits come with the stock 18-55 stock lens.

The T3i has a new feature called "Scene Intelligent Auto mode" and a "Picture Style Auto mode" that incorporates a new EOS Scene Detection System.

The T3i costs $799 (body only) and $899 (Kit) if you order through B&H Photo Video while the T3 kit costs you $599.

Both cameras are expected to arrive at B&H in March.

The Piano Man

2011-02-14T06:01:00.000-08:00

After I finished filming this video, I had to tell the bride it was by far, one of the coolest things I've ever filmed at a wedding.

At Lauren and Dennis' wedding last October, the bride and groom chose Billy Joel's "Piano Man" as their last song of the night.

Check it out!

Lauren and James Wedding Highlights

2011-02-13T12:19:00.000-08:00

Alright! Finally caught up on all the 2010 videos!

Let me offer a bit of advice to budding videographers and photographers; never book three weddings the same month that you're planning on getting married yourself!

This highlight video chronicles Lauren and James' big day, from October 2010. Song chosen was "Marry Me" by Train.

Father Daughter Dance Wedding Songs

2011-02-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

We've discussed options for picking your first dance song and songs for Mothers and Sons to dance to, but now you're going to have to find a song to dance with your father.

Again, like we said with picking a First Dance, you should first look to see if there's a song that's special to you and your dad. Maybe there was a song he sung to you when you were little or maybe its the song he danced with his mother at his own wedding (may not work in some cases).

If you're still stuck, here's a list of songs that we suggest.

Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler

Here's an all time favorite; this song is a great example of a daughter acknowledging her father for all the hard work and thankless-behind-the-scene jobs he's done for her throughout the years. If sung through the daughter, it seems like she's thanking her father for everything and wants to let him know that she wouldn't be where she was today without him.

My Girl - The Temptations

This is a great song if you're not in the mood for a serious slow dance. The beat is fun, everyone knows the lyrics, and you get bonus points for picking it if your father would, out of the blue, sing it to you as a child.

Unforgettable - Nat and Natalie Cole

There are a couple versions of this song, but you want to be on the lookout for the version that combines Nat King Cole and his daughter into one song. It's a sweet song, perfect for a slow dance with your father.

The Way You Look Tonight - Tony Bennett or Frank Sinatra

We filmed a wedding in 2010 where the bride danced with her father to this song. I had never heard this song used as a Father Daughter Dance, but when you listen to the words, it worked perfectly. You can picture your father sitting in his rocking chair, many years from now, looking back at one of the highlights of his life; dancing with his little daughter on her big day. When Tony or Frank sings the lines, "Someday when I'm awfully low when the world is cold, I will feel the glow just thinking of you and the way you look tonight."

Mother and Song Wedding Songs

2011-01-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

We've discussed options for picking your first dance song and Father Daughter Dances, but now you're going to have to find a song to dance with your mother.

Again, like we said with picking a First Dance, you should first look to see if there's a song that's special to you and your mother. Maybe there was a song she sung to you when you were little or maybe its the song she danced with her father at her own wedding (may not work in some cases).

If you're still stuck, here's a list of songs that we suggest.

Forever Young - Rod Stewart

I always thought this song is the perfect song for a mother and song wedding dance. With lines like "May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam" and "may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home", the song seems like a great way for the mother to acknowledge that her little boy is all grown up and is leaving the nest. The line" in my heart you'll always stay forever young" is a perfect way to describe how most mothers look at their sons; like the little boys they once were.

If you think this song is a little too fast paced, try the Bob Dylan version.

Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler

Another all time favorite, this song is a great example of a son acknowledging his mother for all the hard work and thankless-behind-the-scene jobs she's done for him throughout the years. If sung through the son, it seems like he's thanking his mother for everything and wants to let her know that he wouldn't be where he was today without her.

Child of Mine - Carol King

This is the song that my mother and I agreed on for our dance at my wedding. It's very sweet and is obviously sung through the eyes of the mother. Here's a Youtube video of the song, but once I get the footage from our videographer, I'll add that in it's place.

In My Life - Beatles

This is a great song about reminiscing and thinking about all those days that lead up to your big day. You could win bonus points from your Mom with this song, because chances are, she was a big Beatles fan growing up.

Or, if you're from the other side of the tracks, try the Ozzie Osbourne version of the song.

A Song for Mama - Boys II Men

Here's another great song thanking and acknowledging Mom. The song is ripe with lines that put Mom up on a pedestal like "You were always there to comfort me and no one else can be what you have been to me" or "mama you're the queen of my heart".

First Dance Songs

2011-01-16T10:36:00.000-08:00

When choosing your first dance song, it's hard to take advice from another person or a website. Usually you already have a song that you both consider special or has some meaning in your relationship.

Maybe it was a song you heard on your first date or the soundtrack from the movie you both love. Either way, remember this song should be special. Whether you hear your song on the radio or when you purchase it off iTunes to be your new iPhone ringer, you're going to want a song that'll make you smile every time you hear it.

If you still are having trouble, here's a list of songs that might help you get started.

"At Last" - Etta James

We filmed a wedding back in the early days of Little Guy Productions' existence where this song was used as a first dance. The couple had been dating for a very long time and decided to finally tie the knot. This song was a cute way to acknowledge their prolonged courtship and had a couple of people at the reception playfully giggling.

"Everything" - Michael Buble

This song has a little bit of a faster tempo to it, so if you're in the mood for a less than traditional slow dance, check this song out. It's got a lot of spunk and is very light, a perfect combination for twirls and dips.

Marry Me - Train

This song has recently become popular, thanks to the band Train's recent resurgence in the music industry. It's becoming especially popular in the wedding world, for obvious reasons. There's also a version of this song called "First Dance Mix" which features a drum beat that allows for some swaying and slow dancing, where (if you have two left feet) you may be left flailing with the original version.

Come What May - Ewan McGregor & Nicole Kidman

This song comes from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, and if you're looking for a dramatic first dance, look no further. When my wife and I were toying around with first dance songs, this was at the top of our list, but we realized that the ending called for fireworks and water fountains and sparks flying out of the centerpieces. This song is powerful and carries a very strong message of what marriage is about; loving your spouse until the end of time.

The Value of Backing Up

2011-01-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, while Little Guy Productions was located at it's Limaland Branch, the upstairs washing machine went haywire and caused a flood in the basement.

The same basement where all of our Hard Drives, camera equipment, computers, and Bobble Head Dolls were located.

Thankfully, the water stopped inches short of my old Macintosh G5 computer and all the fun little surge protectors that were lined up next to it.

Unfortunately, some of my mom's photos and reels of film were damaged in the flood, which sadly brings my "backup" mantra into the forefront of many conversations I have with my tech pals.

Today's technology is great; most cameras allow us to see photos seconds after they're taken and memory cards allow us to store over 1,500 images on a single disk. Photo albums seem to have become a thing of the past, replaced by the new tradition of passing cameras around the table to spark a "remember when" moment.

In short, those photos need to be backed up. They can't stay on that card forever.

Now you need to think about how to store them:

External Hard Drives
My favorite brand is LaCie. I've used countless other drives in the past (Mercury Drives, G-Drives, Nextor) but have and will continue to purchase LaCie. We've got a couple of options - LaCie Rugged drives are great for those on a budget, while their mega counterparts (Big Disk, Big Disk Extreme) offer you big bang for a hefty price tag. I've had the best success rate with LaCie, only having one Hard Drive crap out on me (it was a Rugged).

Outside Company
I also back up important files and some photos to an off site server, using Apple's Mobile Me program. For $100 a year, I can store 20 GB worth of information on their servers. It's not a ton of space, but it's almost fail proof. Another great company that offers consumer solutions to data backup is Carbonite. Carbonite has a flat yearly fee ($54.95) that covers unlimited data storage. If you have oodles of stuff to backup, that's not a bad deal at all.

Disks
You can always archive your stuff to CDs or DVDs, but they have a limited shelf life. If you're okay with re-burning all your Data every five years, this is probably the cheapest solution. Be mindful that cheapest, in this case, also means cheapest quality. CDs and DVDs do not take scratching, fingerprints, small breezes very well. If the CD/DVD is damaged so goes your information.

Be wary of companies that sell Gold Archiving Disks. They'll tell you that the CD/DVD is safe for archival purposes for 300 years. Here's my beef with that line of logic from a shifty salesman:

300 years?

DVD technology has only been around for 10-15 years, tops. The way technology evolves, I can't imagine they'll last as long as their predecessors (Beta, VHS). That would mean, even if by the remote chance that they do last 300 years, you're going to need to "WILL" your future families a computer that can handle reading them. Good luck with that.

Lauren and Dennis' Wedding Highlight Video

2011-01-11T10:11:00.000-08:00

Lauren and Dennis' wedding seems to have the most press on our website. We first wrote about them shortly after their wedding and again last month when highlighting the R&R Acoustic Duo folks who played at their ceremony and cocktail hour.

While the two can't seem to agree on which football team to root for (Cowboys or Giants), they both showed that they could agree on the fact that "love is all you need".

By the way, we're going to have to agree with the bride. GO COWBOYS!

Sarah and John's Wedding

2011-01-09T08:47:00.001-08:00

I've been a little tardy with updating everyone on the 2010 Weddings we've filmed, so here's one of my favorite highlight videos that I've ever edited together.

Sarah suggested using the song "Breathe Me" by the female vocalist Sia.

Part of the reason I love this video so much is the fact that Kristen and I were on the same page with the video and stills. While at Liberty Park, Kristen manned the DVX as I took the T2i and somehow, we both managed to capture identical video and stills.

The video strayed a little bit from my usual editing style; mixed in a lot of black and white, color transitions, and opacity fades.

Take a peak:

The Places We've Been

2011-01-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

Got to cross off another item on the bucket list: meet a living legend!

I just got back from sunny Orlando where I was photographing a meeting a greet between the March of Dimes National Ambassador Family and golf legend, Arnold Palmer.

Arnold Palmer served as the March of Dimes Honorary National Chairman for twenty years and was a huge supporter of the National Ambassador program. This year's Ambassador family, the Flemings and their daughter Lauren, got to chat with Mr. Palmer and tell him about Lauren's early birth and lengthy stay in the NICU.

Arnold Palmer, Lauren Fleming, her father Denzel
and the March of Dimes team.

And the Winner Is

2011-01-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Michelle and James, winners of the 2010 Little Guy Productions' Photo of the Year Contest!

The happily married duo finished with an astonishing 44% of the vote (543 total votes) thanks to a late surge of voting on New Years Eve.

The couple will receive a Canvas Print of their photo in the New Year, thanks to the wonderful work done by Husdon Valley Signs.

R&R Acoustic Duo

2010-12-22T06:20:00.000-08:00

Every once and a while we show up to a wedding and we're "wowed" by something we see. Sometimes its the lighting package that the DJ puts together, other times its the location of the ceremony.

This time, we were pleasantly surprised by the appearance of two guitarists and their picking skills.

Take a peak at the DJ Company's event enhancement option, R&R Acoustic Duo:

Guide to Picking a Videographer Part 3

2010-12-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

Here's the third installment for you newly-engaged couples looking for a videographer to capture your big day.

In Part Two of Our Guide, we talked about a videographer's Style and Approach, and what that means for you. In Part Three, we'll discuss a very important part of your selection process; Package Upgrades.

Often times, when you meet with a videographer, they'll try to up-sell you on certain package upgrades. Let's dissect the more popular options:

Chapter Indexing:
I've seen a videographer charge an extra $50 if you select this option. Let me dispell a popular myth with Chapter Indexing. This expensive upgrade option that "takes the editor extra time" (as was explained to me) is actually the difference of pressing the letter "M" on your keyboard while the wedding video is being edited. Seems a little excessive and smells a lot like someone trying to make a quick buck off of an unsuspecting customer, agreed?

How it Effects Your Video: Allows you to maneuver back and forth between pre-selected scenes during DVD playback (ex: want to skip to the vows? If the editor put a chapter marker right before the vows start, you'll be able to advance straight to the kissing scene)
How it Effects Your Wallet: Most decent humans would include this in the video, not charge you extra.

Additional Videographer:
If you want your wedding video to look more like a movie or tv show, a second camera will create that effect. Its difficult for one videographer to capture everything. Having two camera folks documenting your wedding allows for chances of human error (Aunt Nelly jumping in front of the videographer when you're walking down the aisle to get her "perfect shot") or technical error (tape change at the worst possible moment, ex: during the vows) to be greatly diminished.

How it Effects Your Video: Makes your final video look more like a movie. Your potential to capture "everything" that went on at the reception greatly increases as well.
How it Effects Your Wallet: A second videographer will tack on a couple more bucks in most cases. Don't forget, if you're having the second videographer at your reception, you'll have to pay for an additional vendor's meal.

Cases:
Once you get your video, you're going to want it to be stored in a pretty looking case, right? Some videographers offer a wide range of storage options for your video. Here are a couple:

Paper Sleeve: These are the most basic and inexpensive. If you have 5 cents lying around, you can upgrade to Paper sleeve with a cellophane window to showcase the DVD Face Art.

Jewel Case: There's two types of Jewel cases on the market these days: Slim-line and Standard. Slim-line are shoddy and break easily. Jewel cases are what CDs (remember those) where packaged in. They're nice, but have the ability to crack easily.

Amaray Cases: These cases are what you would get if you purchased a movie from Best Buy or Blockbuster. Your videographer can get creative with the ones that allow for an insert, which gives you the ability to create cover art and tie the package nicely together.

Little Guy Holiday Camera Guide

2010-12-07T11:01:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are right around the corner, so that can mean only one thing;

The 2010 Little Guy Productions Holiday Camera Guide is hot off the presses!

We're always getting asked the question "what type of camera should I buy?" So, based off of picture, budget, and ease of use here are our picks for 2010

The 2010 "So Easy My Mother Can Use It" Camera Award Goes To:

Canon Powershot A3100

This camera is perfect for the budding photographer. It has a 12.1 Megapixel Resolution which would allow you to print a photo up to 20" x 30" (great for canvas art prints). It has that cool "Face Detection" mode that's great for a beginner. It auto detects faces and correctly focuses on them to get great looking photos (never worry about fuzzy shots again). In addition, the camera has a top notch built in flash and is actually one of the best entry level cameras in terms of shooting in low light situations.

Cost: Retails for $139.95 at B&H (get the red version!)

Ease of Use: Winner of the 2010 "So Easy My Mother Can Use It" Award. It's Windows 7 ready and if you have a Mac, it works great with iPhoto's plug and play capabilities. 'Nuff said!

Value: Canon cameras rock, and for this price it's almost a no brainer. Don't forget to order memory cards (SD, SDHC, SDXC) because the camera doesn't have its own built in memory.

Added Bonus: Shoots video (files are in .avi format, so Mac users beware).
On Second Thought: Battery drains quickly when using the viewfinder. Bring lots of spares.
LGP RATING: 8 out of 10 Stars

The 2010 "Dark Horse" Camera Award Goes to:
Nikon Coolpix L110 Digital Camera

I'm never one to market Nikon Cameras, but the Coolpix is great if you want to move away from amateur hour and start to get a little serious with your photos. Like the Powershot, it's a 12.1 Megapixel camera, but it has adjustable zoom. With the Coolpix, you can move the lens, instead of your entire body, to get the perfect shot you're looking for. It also had 15 different modes to shoot in if you want to start to experiment with your shots, and a Scene Auto selector if you get a little shy.

Cost: $196 at B&H
Ease of Use: More difficult than your point and shoot, but not as advanced as the prosumer DSLRs.
Value: Great camera for taking photos. It has a built in video camera, but it seems that it was an afterthought.
Added Bonus: Shoots video, but only up to 2GB worth per clip.
On Second Thought: The flash tends to cause some user frustration, occasionally blowing out photos.

LGP RATING: 6 out of 10 Stars (7 out of 10 if you ignore the video function)

The 2010 "This Will Get You Off the Naughty List" Camera Award Goes to:
Canon EOS Rebel T1i

This is the leading camera that teeters on the edge of prosumer-professional cameras. It's a 15.1 Megapixel camera that shoot High Definition video (H.264 files). This camera takes unbelievable photos in the automatic mode, but let's be honest, if you're buying this camera, it's because you or your loved one knows a little thing or two about cameras. As all Canon Rebel cameras, interchangeable lenses come in all shapes and sizes, but with most starter packages, you'll get the basic 18-55mm lens.

Cost: Normally $749 at B&H, but there's a $100 instant rebate offer that ends Jan 8, 2011.
Ease of Use: Difficult. Please read the user manual before use, or call me about a hour training session.
Value: If you plan on using your camera religiously, I recommend spending extra and you'll wind up getting your money's worth.
Added Bonus: Pick up the Canon 430EX Speedlight Flash to bump your photos up to the next level. Built in flash sucks hard.
On Second Thought: You need to purchase high class/speed memory cards (rating 6 or above) in order for the video to look good. Class 4 works great if you're just shooting photos. Higher class memory cards cost big bucks (Class 10 32 GB - $198.99).
LGP RATING: 9 out of 10 Stars

2010 Wedding Photo Contest

2010-12-06T06:50:00.001-08:00

2010 was a year full of wonderful weddings, including our very own Little Guy Couple tying the knot!

So, in celebration of a year full of celebrations, we decided to put together a little photo competition.

We selected eight photos for you to vote on, and come December 31st at 11:59, the voting will end.

The winner of the contest will get a pretty cool prize (in our opinion) so tell your family and friends to vote early and often!

Good luck!

Guide to Picking a Videographer Part 2

2010-12-03T10:34:00.001-08:00

Here's the second installment for you newly-engaged couples who are looking for a videographer to capture your big day.

In Part One of our Guide, we talked about asking the question "What Type of Cameras Do You Use?" In Part 2, we'll talk about two important topics you should discuss with your videographer; Style & Approach.

Style:

Style is a nice way of determining how the videographer views the world through his camera lens. These days, almost anyone can pick up a camera and film a wedding, but you're obviously going to want someone that sees things a little different than say, your cousin who makes really cool looking Youtube videos.

Ask to see a sample wedding video, not just the highlights. Most often, the highlight video is a collection of the videographer's best work. You're not paying for the 3-4 minutes of the best footage shot over the course of the eight hour day, so you want to make sure that his camerawork throughout your wedding is just as good as the highlight video he's using to make his sales pitch.

Approach:

Your personality can often determine what type of videographer you're looking for. Are you and your fiance shy and not big fans of being the center of attention? Then maybe you should look for a videographer that uses a documentary approach to filming.

Are you the type of person who loves the camera? Look for a videographer who doesn't mind getting dirty on the dance floor. (I've lost count of how many time's I've been elbowed in the head by a party-goer, but it's never stopped me from getting my shot!)

Guide to Picking a Videographer Part 1

2010-12-03T07:07:00.000-08:00

You've just popped the big question and hopefully, she said yes.

If not, then you could check out this website, maybe it'll make you feel a little better.

Over the coming months, you're going to be looking at flowers, venues, more rings, and invitations. Go to one of those bridal shows and you'll most likely feel unbelievably overwhelmed.

You have to pick a DJ, you have to pick a photographer, you have to pick a florist.

That's a lot of pressure for someone who isn't familiar with the wedding industry. Thankfully, when I was in the process of planning for my own wedding to my super awesome best-friend/now wife, I knew a little something about what to look for in a videographer.

Here's Part 1 of our "Guide to Picking a Videographer"

What Type of Cameras Do You Use?

In my travels, there are three different formats of video cameras that surface in the wedding industry. 3CCD, HDV, and High Definition.

3CCD
3CCD (or charged couple devices) are great quality cameras that have three different "chips", each dedicated to measuring red, green, and blue light.

How it Effects Your Video: The three independent chips allow for the camera to intake more color information, as opposed to a single chip camera that will "crush" your colors into compressed information. Basically, your Cabernet colored bridesmaid dress will look "Cabernet", not just "red".

How it Effects Your Wallet: Standard definition packages are slowly phasing out as blu-ray players become more affordable and as HD technology begins to flood the video market, so don't let a videographer attempt to charge you through the nose for this package. The majority of these cameras shoot on miniDV or DVCam tape, which will archive much better than HD Footage.

HDV
HDV technology sounds fancy and in most cases it is. However, early forms of HDV can be referred to as the "Poor Man's High Definition". HDV was initially developed by JVC; it's early attempts at the technology failed miserably (I would know, I have one of their cameras) but it also brought about the first consumer affordable high definition cameras.

How it Effects Your Video: The picture is beautiful. HDV, however still shoots on tape, and in a technical format a little better than that of the 3CCD cameras. See, the letters HDV are misleading. In reality, HDV is closer to High-Def Like than actual HD Video. The camera records MPEG-2 audio/video files onto a tape, so there's going to be some compression involved in the shooting process.

How it Effects Your Wallet: This is a time when the question "What brand of camera do you use" is extremely important. Bruce Cullen, the videographer who we chose to shoot our wedding, uses a Canon XL H1 HDV camera. This HDV camera is a top of the line professional HDV camera that has all the bells and whistles. If your videographer answers that question with something along the lines of JVC or Sony, time to start looking at other options. These HDV cameras are probably the older line, and were designed for consumers, as mentioned earlier.

True High Definition
If money is no object and you truly want to go all out on your video; high definition cameras are the way to go. Make sure your videographer has the ability to "master" your DVD onto a high definition disc (blu-ray), otherwise, every time you watch it you'll say to yourself "wow this looks nice, I wish it was HD though...."

How it Effects Your Video: In extremely well lit areas (like your church or outdoor ceremony) the footage will look amazing. In low lit areas (like anytime during your reception) the videographer will be forced to use an "on-camera light". HD Cameras don't do well in low lit areas; they need all the help they can get. Most on camera lights are non-invasive and can do the job without lighting up the entire room. However, some can be annoying and attract a little too much attention to the videographer. Ask to see a sample of the High Definition Dance footage just to get a feel of what that light will look like.

How it Effects Your Wallet: When we met with videographers, every time I heard the lettes H&D, that familiar "BIG MONEY BIG MONEY" phrase kept running through my head. Yes, HD is expensive, but the cost for the videographer to film in HD is expensive too. Cards that the footage is shot with can range anywhere between $200 and $1,500. HD footage takes up more space on the videographer's hard drives, which means they'll have to purchase bigger drives to account for the increase in file sizes. Blu-Ray discs cost almost three times as much as regular standard definition disks and require a special burner has to be purchased separately from most computers.

Lauren and Dennis

2010-10-18T12:38:00.001-07:00

We just finished filming the last Wedding of 2010 this Saturday at the Grandview in Poughkeepsie and, sweet Jesus, what an amazing wedding.

Lauren and Dennis, who also happen to be a Cowboys and Giants fan respectively, chose an amazing place to exchange their vows. Set against the backdrop of a beautiful fall foliage speckled mountain, the two said their "I do's".

The theme of the wedding was "All You Need is Love". Lauren and Dennis has custom made napkins that had the lyrics of the famous Beatles' tune printed on the napkins used for cocktail hour and again was seen on the runner that Lauren walked down to meet her beaming groom.

The Grandview reception hall was actually a tent, but before you go turning up your nose, this was no ordinary tent. Actually, the Grandview's reception hall was by far one of the nicest venues we've filmed in quite some time.

As usual, the boys from The DJ Company got it right, keeping the tunes pumping and the crowd entertained throughout the evening. The last song, Piano Man by Billy Joel, will go down in Little Guy Productions history as one of the greatest pieces of footage we've ever shot at a wedding.

Here are a couple of shots from the old Canon Rebel;

Wedding Ideas: Great Keepsake Idea

2010-09-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

We recently filmed Arietti and Alex's wedding, which had a baseball theme.

The cake topper was a combination of a bride holding a bat while the groom held the ball in the "stretch" position as if he was looking to get a sign from the catcher.

Each table, instead of the traditional numbered arrangement, was named after a baseball stadium.

The head table was, of course, Yankee Stadium since the bride and groom were both huge Yankee fans.

When I asked Alex if there was a Citi Field or a Fenway Park, he said there was, but only because some of the guests were Mets and Red Sox fans.

Instead of having a guest book at the entrance to the reception hall, Arietti and Alex hung a Yankee uniform for guests to leave their good-wishes.

At the end of the night, the entire party formed a circle and sang (and leg kicked) Frank Sinatra's famous "New York, New York". They chose the song because it's played at the end of every Yankee victory.

Crossing Over

2010-09-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Little Guy Productions filmed a wedding at St. Francis of Assisi Church and the reception at Terrace on the Hudson (Haverstraw, NY). We were teamed up with super photographer Nick Carter, one of my favorite photographers (and humans) to work with.

Whenever we work together, Nick and I tend to examine/pick brains about latest gear/trends in the wonderful world of wedding documentation.

Nick seemed extremely interested in the Canon Rebel T2i, 5D, and 7D's ability to shoot high definition video. He was doubly impressed when I told him we were using these cameras to film corporate stuff, not just home videos anymore.

When I explained to him my eventual move to HDSLR videography, that caught his attention.

And that's when I started to sweat a little; I could see Nick's brain in gear; he's going to enter the world of wedding videography, and then I'm doomed.

I began to wonder, which is easier; a photographer moving into the world of videography, or a videographer switching from 30 frames per second to one.

I love comparison shopping.

Photo to Video:
I'd love to give Nick one of my High Definition Cameras. His creative eye is brilliant when using a still, and his understanding of light and shadows, color, composition; all would aid in a smooth transitions to the world of video.

I'd imagine it would be frustrating for a photographer to be working with a fixed lens for a length of time.

There's little margin for error as well, it's not like you can ask the priest at a wedding to go back and have the couple repeat the vows because you were changing out a tape or there was some static coming through the wireless lavs.

Sound. There's something that takes a good while to learn and master.

I figure that thinking about sound has caused me to lose at least 300 hours of quality sleep at night.

Finally, the editing process is something that the photographer would have to pick up. These days, Final Cut Pro is almost too easy to use and isn't cost prohibitive. Most photographers already own a Mac, so investing in a couple of extra hard drives won't crush the budget.

Video to Photo:
As a videographer, I'm constantly on the move, constantly tweaking shots, scanning for my next shot and trying to predict what I should be shooting next. Here's an example of what went through my head at St. Francis this weekend:

Piano guy singing...priest should be getting up to speak soon...look the flower girl is asleep; should I shoot that....probably not...Bride probably won't appreciate....Kristen is fiddling with her camera, better stay wide on this until she's calm....Priest is moving to get up....swing over to Priest in three, two, one....focus looks a little soft...crap auto focus is screwy because of the mic on the alter....switching to manual...hehehe, switching to manual, sounds like something Han Solo shouts during that Tie Fighter battle on the Milenium Falcon...speaking of ties, where the hell is that tie I had that went with this red shirt....

All in a matter of two minutes.

I don't know what I'd do with all that extra time if I were a photographer. I've seen some photographers who take two or three shots during the ceremony and then take the rest of the day off.

And they have the nerve to go up and accept communion. They've obviously broken the little known 17th commandment; Thou shall take more photos than Aunt Nelly during a Wedding Ceremony.

As a videographer, I understand the principles of shot composition; rule of thirds, predicting movement, color balance, lighting, etc.

File management and the editing process would be a tough conversion. Most videographers have a basic understanding on how to navigate their way through Photoshop, but probably not enough to make an album that'll "Wow" a client.

So, as per most of my comparison articles, I can never seem to find a clear cut winner. Switching from Photog to Videog or the reverse is probably easier to do on the production end of life. Post Production seems to present the biggest challenge.

Alexa's Story

2010-08-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

As part of our week long blog coverage of the work Little Guy Productions does with the Neighborhood Cruisers Charity Car Club, we're highlighting one of the families that was chosen as a beneficiary of this year's Cruisin' for Kids fundraiser.

Bring tissues for this one.

Alexa Castellano:
At birth her family was told Alexa had characteristics of Down syndrome. She had holes in her heart and her intestines were twisted. She needed constant treatment, surgery and is at high risk for pneumonia and infections. Alexa undergoes occupational therapy and therapy for motor skills and speech. Alexa's Mother (Anna) passed away in November 2009 from Breast Cancer. Her Father Frank is raising her on his own.

The Green Family

2010-08-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

As part of our week long blog coverage of the work Little Guy Productions does with the Neighborhood Cruisers Charity Car Club, we're highlighting one of the families that was chosen as a beneficiary of this year's Cruisin' for Kids fundraiser.

Nicole Green:
Nicole suffered early after birth; her esophagus was damaged, disrupting her basic eating skills. During feedings, liquid would travel into her lungs. She had surgery to insert a tube, but was still unable to eat. At age one, she started therapy to help teach her how to eat. Today Nicole can eat solid foods as long as it is cut to bite sized pieces. Nicole would benefit from extra therapies and loves therapeutic horseback riding and swimming. The family would love to be able to purchase a PECS (picture communication system) to aid with her communication skills.

Here's video of Nicole's parents, Denise and Ron, talking about Nicole and the help they received from the Neighborhood Cruisers.

The Seeley Family

2010-08-11T05:35:00.000-07:00

As part of our week long blog coverage of the work Little Guy Productions does with the Neighborhood Cruisers Charity Car Club, we're highlighting one of the families that was chosen as a beneficiary of this year's Cruisin' for Kids fundraiser.

Nicholas Seeley:
Nicholas has suffered severe disabilities from birth. He cannot sit up, walk or talk and is feed by a feeding tube. Nicky is unable to move on his own and the family is in need of a handicap accessible van. Nicky’s sister Allie Seeley is a North Rockland High School student.

Here's video of Nicholas' parents, Carolina and Joseph, talking about Nicholas and the help they received from the Neighborhood Cruisers.

A Whole Lot of Heart

2010-08-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

Last night at Gennaro's Restaurant in Stony Point, NY, the Neighborhood Cruisers Charity Car Club made things a little better for three local families in need.

And we were there to capture every last bit of it.
For the past five years, Little Guy Productions has been doing work for the local charity (maintaining their website, creating promotional videos, photographing events).

Their mission statement reads;

This group of car lovers goes far beyond the collection and maintenance of cars from years gone by. I can tell you that I know absolutely nothing about cars, (save the difference between a steering wheel and the four wheels I constantly have to replace).

But what I can absolutely tell you is that there isn't a better collection of people on this planet that care about their fellow man than the Neighborhood Cruisers care about their community.

This year, the Neighborhood Cruisers raised in excess of $8000 per family (there were three) in their annual Cruisin' for Kids Car Show held at North Rockland High School on July 31. Each family has felt the pressure of rising medical costs, and the Neighborhood Cruisers sought to help alleviate some of that pressure.

This week, on the Little Guy Productions Blog, I'll be highlighting some of the work we've done for the Neighborhood Cruisers and the families that they've helped.

If you're inclined to do so, you can donate to the Neighborhood Cruisers through their Causes page on Facebook.

Pro Prompter HDi for iPad

2010-04-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

So, we're sitting around the office, trying to justify purchasing Apple's latest gadget (iPad).

And almost like a sign from Steve Jobs himself, a B&H newsletter arrives hailing a new piece of hardware that almost makes the iPad purchase a done deal.

We're talking about Pro Prompter's HDi for the iPad.

In B&H's NAB Roundup newsletter, Ron Seifried introduces the HDi, a system that converts the iPad into a teleprompter:

The Pro Prompter HDi designed a secure support system made of aircraft aluminum that attaches the iPad to the base and the whole configuration attaches to the camera.

According to the Pro Propter peoples, here's what they have to say about their new toy:

Our award winning ProPrompter HD now holds the revolutionary iPad, safe and secure, goes anywhere your camera and iPad go and comes in a custom military grade case. We created mobile teleprompting in 2002 and were the first to create a professional teleprompting App for the iPhone/iPod touch along with hardware released at NAB 2009. Now our App has had 4 free updates, became an App store staff favorite and then we introduced the first remote control feature in a teleprompting app. The NEW ProPrompter HDi is the ultimate mobile teleprompter.

When paired with the iPhone or iTouch app, which acts as the control mechanism for the prompting software, the iPad morphs into a handy field teleprompting machine.
The system (via B&H) costs $894. Factor in the cost of the iPad ($499, $599, $699 for the Wi-Fi models) and you're looking at a teleprompter system that could run you (tops) $1,600.

That's a far cry from the Autocue series that run anywhere from $4,000-$6,000. And that doesn't include software costs, cabling, or control mechanisms.

In today's glorious economy, that's a price most small studios can't afford.

And it's just one more reason to get the iPad.

Helen and Bruce's Wedding

2010-04-26T11:08:00.001-07:00

April 24th, second wedding of the season and we've decided we're having way too much fun filming/photogin'/watching people celebrate their marriages.
Helen and Bruce's wedding was no exception; we got to document one of the most touching and hysterical ceremonies this past weekend.

After the two took out their reading glasses, they read to each other their vows, which they had written themselves.

Helen and Bruce are such a sweet couple, and were surrounding by some amazing family and friends.

We met Helen and Bruce through our favorite Charity Car Club; the Neighborhood Cruisers. A bunch of the Cruisers were in attendance and one even sang a Sinatra tune to Helen and Bruce.

Best line of the night (when our singer was a bit ahead of the track) "Come on Frankie, pick up the pace, will ya!"

Cool Apps for the Photoworld

2010-04-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

This may sound silly, but some of the best resources for aspiring photographers can be found in the "_______ for Dummies" series.

Whether you're a novice looking for the on switch, or a professional looking to quickly dissect the new camera you purchased, the "DSLR For Dummies" is a handy tool to have on your nightstand.

But out in the field, you're not going to be carrying around a clunky book, right? Well, as they like to say at Apple; "There's an app for that!".

Introducing the Digital SLR Photography Toolkit for Dummies. For only $0.99, you can download the app to your iPhone or iTouch and have a quick reference guide at your fingertips.

One of the coolest features in the app, is the Settings Finder. This asks you to pick the scenario you find yourself in (lets say you're trying to take a photo of the moon) and suggests what ISO, aperture, and shutter speed to use.

Astrophotography - Moonscapes - Night
Recommended Settings:
ISO: 100
Aperture: f/11
Shutter Speed: 1/125s

The app also comes with a shoot diary, which lets you record notes about the photos you're taking and a set of checklists of gear to pack, depending on what type of shoot you're going on (Wedding? Don't forget to pack a zoom lens for the ceremony. Landscapes? Make sure you bring your polarizing lens filter).

Stormin' 30 Rock

2010-04-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

April 20, 2010

Big day for the March of Dimes today; about sixty volunteers headed down to the NBC Today Show to promote the upcoming nationwide fundraiser known as March for Babies.

One of the families got a chance to speak with Al Roker and let everyone in America know that if you sign up for the walk, you're doing your best to give every baby a healthy start to life.

Never being one to be in front of the camera, I took my trusty little Sony EX-3 Camera down to 30 Rock (that's me on the right, with the white hat and $8,000+ camera).

If you're interested, you can see more of the post here. And if you clicked on the link, you probably noticed that there's a photo on the page.

That photo, came courtesy of the Sony EX-3 High Definition Camera. I was able to generate a still image from the video we shot. In years past, when we tried doing that with the old Panasonic DVX, it came out looking all crappy and pixilatededed.

That's the technical term.

Pixilatededed.

Michelle and James' Wedding

2010-04-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

April 10th kicked off the 2010 Wedding Season with a bang! We traveled down to Hamilton Square, NJ to film Michelle and James' tying of the knot, and couldn't have asked for a nicer day.

Michelle and James booked the "Triple Play Package" which consisted of Photographer Nick Carter, Entertainment by "The DJ Company" and video filmed by none other than your favorite "Little Guy Productions".

Highlights of the day included a priest that seemed to have a second career in stand up comedy, a trip to one of the most beautiful spots to take post-wedding photos, and a "most awesome" reception, thanks to DJ Ryan from the DJ Company.

Here are a couple of photos from Michelle and James' wedding:

"The Lens" is Back Home

2010-03-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

After being dropped on its head, the fine folks over at Bergen County Camera were able to put my little humpty dumpty lens back together again.

Final analysis; the aperture rings were busted.

I guess that's what happens when you drop a lens on a marble floor.

Bergen County Camera Review:

I wanted to find a "local" repair shop that I could have my Canon Lens looked at, because I didn't want to send it back to the manufacturer and find out that it was going to cost more to repair the lens than I had originally paid.

The customer service rep at Bergen County Camera told me that they'd send it to Canon (for $25 shipping) and have them take a look at it. They'd deal directly with the Canon folks (God knows how much I love talking on the phone) and they'd get back to me with a price quote for the repair.

Dealing with the repair department at Bergen County Camera turned out to be a bit of a hassle. It took about five phone calls to finally get the official "YES, PLEASE HAVE CANON REPAIR MY CAMERA" processed by the repair reps.

Other than that headache, everything was great.

I've got "The Lens" back and will be testing it out with the new Canon XTi later this evening.

Spiderman Told Me to Buy It

2010-03-26T06:05:00.001-07:00

Little Guy Productions, as its always been, has been known for its video production. But what happens when a client asks you to become the videographer and photographer for their wedding?

Well, besides hiring another shooter, it means its time to dust off and upgrade the camera gear!

First up was a major upgrade; we moved from the Canon Rebel XT to the Canon XTi. The Rebel was great for what we were using it for; capturing fun stills throughout the evening and a few professional looking shots that would be later used to create the DVD case cover inserts.
But as the great Spiderman often says "With great power comes great responsibility".

With that the power and responsibility also comes a new toy; the Canon XTi and the Canon 430EX II speedlite.Oooh...pretty! And you can dance on those things! Want them at your event? Contact Ryan at The DJ Company

This photo doesn't look nearly as good with our old Canon Rebel XT setup. The internal flash would have given the skin tones a weird redish look, so adding the 430EX II Speedlite helped. With relatively low ceilings at the Casa Mia Manor house, the light was able to bounce and light the subjects fairly well.

Joel and Shiho Wedding Highlights

2010-02-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

If you're in the Rockland County or Westchester County and are looking for a small, quiet, intimate setting for your wedding ceremony or reception, you should definitely put Castle on the Hudson on your short list of places to look.

We filmed a wedding back in 2009 at the Castle on the Hudson, which saw a small group of loved ones gather to watch Joel and Shiho exchange vows.

Take a peak at their highlight video:

Cameras You Can Take a Sledgehammer To

2010-02-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

As the title of this post may be a bit misleading, allow us to explain.

B&H just released a newsletter detailing some of the best cameras that you can use for your summertime ventures, and not have to worry about a little bit of sand clogging your iris.

Here's our list of favorite cameras, via Allen Weitz's review:

Canon PowerShot D10 ($329.95, BH Price)

We're always one to promote Canon products, as Canon is the brand of choice for all our photography needs. It has four different places for you to attach a wrist strap, which is an interesting new feature for a consumer camera.

The PowerShot D10 features a 12.1 megapixel sensor, a DIGIC 4 image processor, and a 4x 6.2 – 18.6 mm (35-105 mm equivalent) image-stabilized zoom lens. Aside from water-resistance down to 33', the PowerShot D10 is shock-proof from drops up to 4' off the ground, and is guaranteed to work in a temperature range of 14° to 105°F. For viewing images the D10 sports a 2.5", 230,000-dot LCD.

Olympus Tough-8000 ($359.95 after a $30 Instant Rebate, BH Price)

We're not normally fans of the Olympus brand, but that may be due to the fact that we've been out of the consumer photo market for about four years. This tough little bugger caught our eye, however. Check out its Tap Control Feature to be a little more amazed.

For a small camera it's rather hefty and solid to the touch. According to the folks at Olympus, the Olympus Tough-8000 is waterproof down to 33-feet (IEC60529), can be dropped onto a hard surface from a height of up to 6.6-feet (MIL-STD-810F), withstand up to 220lb of pressure, and is freeze-proof down to 14°F (MIL-STD-810F).

George and Joanne's Wedding

2010-01-19T06:17:00.000-08:00

I'm finally starting to pull my act together and get all the old highlight videos onto my new Little Guy Productions Youtube account. Last night, I found one of my favorites; George and Joanne's Wedding.

George is the famous owner of the Bombsquad, a notorious team that plays in the Rockland County Softball League. He's also the owner of Hudson Valley Sign Studio and does unbelievable design work.

Joanne, his wonderful wife is a die-hard Jets fan and the proud mother of Saddie, one of the cutest dog's you'll ever meet. They also own a cat, but we don't like to talk about that too much.

So, without further delay, here's their highlight video to the tune of Pearl Jam's latest hit, Just Breathe.