Q: How many photos should I send?

A: With our wedding video packages, you supply up to 25 photos (including an opening photo), and an invitation and/or reception notice (27). With our Family Video Album you supply up to 75 photos as well as two titles. Extra photos are $2 each. Extra titles as well as photos/documents with special needs (e.g. too big to fit on the 8.75" x 14.5" scanner, books, framed pictures) or special instructions (e.g. "Hold longer") are charged an additional $7.00 each.

Q: Should I supply music? How much?

A: You may supply music with our wedding projects, or we can make a selection(s). Including invitation, the average running time is 3 minutes. With our Family Video Album we will use a commercial studio soundtrack, or you may prepare a cd-r (consult your DJ about recording your own cd's) that we will copy to the videotape at no extra charge (full payment is made when the photos are delivered). 50 photos @ 5 seconds each with 2 titles will run about 265 seconds or 4 min. 30 sec.

The actual formula for the total time of the project is: TotalTime = ((Duration-TransitionTime)*NumberofPics)+1. By default then, at 6 seconds each with a 1 second transition between each pic, 10 pics last for 51 seconds. Add a little extra time to hold titles and special requests like zooming, panning, or holding longer. Remember too many songs start very quietly and often end early.

A note on wedding music: Be careful to clearly point out on the production form or CD which tunes to use, and be sure to include a CD in the case! Our wedding editors cannot interrupt the editing process to try to contact you so if this happens we will substitute something appropriate.

Q: Should I mark the photos in any way?

A: Use a ballpoint pen or post-its and number them on the back from 1 up. If you want to insert a pic in between others later, just number it 14.5, 14.7 etc. Of course you'll send them in order, but the numbers are vital if one falls from its place.

Do not use a fountain pen or felt-marker! The not-quite-dry ink permanently mars the picture beneath.

Use Post-Its to help me. e.g.:

Sixth birthday party: Presumably that's you in front of the cake way over on the right. But is that person way over on the left important enough to zoom out and include? Normally I'd center on you and that might cut them out.

Large school photographs: A note on the back could explain photo #11 is to be this person in closeup with perhaps an arrow pointing to the subject or a clear description. Use a magnifying glass to see if zooming is even possible without losing all focus.

A picture of a tiny little you in front of a great big Eiffel Tower: I might zoom way in on you or way out depending on my feeling at the time. Let me know if that landmark is important to you if you want it included (or not).

Graduation pics with the tiny captions at the bottom: do you want me to zoom on you or way out so we might be able to read the caption? And I'll assume the person handing you the diploma is unimportant unless you say otherwise.

I need to lay these face-down and flat on the scanner glass lined up with the edge, so post-its should usually go on the back with the edges of the picture unobstructed.

Q: What types of titles should I use?

A: Generally, keep it short, as these must be displayed and read from a very low-resolution tv screen. At the beginning address the basic subject i.e. "Happy 50th Anniversary", "In Loving Memory...". At the end a "thank you" works nice. I have a few I can recommend, or try browsing through some greeting cards.

There are two types: Full screen and Subtitles. One is presented on screen by itself, and subtitles are placed over a pic. Put a marker between pics for a full title (numbered!), and a note on the back of the pic with its number and the text for a subtitle.

Q: How should the childhood photos for the weddings be arranged?

A: I recommend 10 bride, 10 groom, and 5 together. Best would be bride, groom, bride, groom, etc. However, in practice this is difficult as the ages must be similar. More common is all bride, then all groom, then together. More shots of the couple together will do if there's a lack of balance in the availability of childhood pics.

You may also use a title in place of a pic (@$7.50). Just insert an index card with the title and place number. e.g.: #1 - Title 'Jane Doe 1965' - followed by Jane's pics #2 to #9 then maybe #10 - Title 'John Smith 1960' - followed by John's pics. Opening titles for weddings are specified on your production form (item 1), usually just your names over a good picture.

Q: Which photos should I avoid? Is it okay to send this itty-bitty pic? Are slides okay?

A: Small pix are easy to scan. The 8x10's are harder, but still okay. Ultimately, I'll judge - if it comes out of the scanner looking bad, I'll leave it out and call if there's time or include a note why. Some reasons for rejection:

Overexposed: Happens with cheap flash cameras in dark places. Worse with white people, the faces scan as white blurs. If you look white in the picture rather than flesh-colored, you'll look even whiter after scanning. I can darken, but I can't add flesh tones.

Out of focus: A pic that looks even slightly blurry will, when expanded to the size of a tv screen, look much worse.

Red-eye: again, a flash problem. No amount of tweaking in software corrects this very well. Note: when you're taking a flash snapshot, have the subject look several inches *away* from the camera/flash to avoid red-eye. A pro will never ask you to "look at the camera!" (though some cameras have special flashes that minimize the effect).

Another note: Remember the aspect ratio of tv. It's wider than it is tall, 4:3 is the ratio. If you ever have to decide between two pics and one is taller than wider, choose the wider one as it won't have blank borders on the sides when seen on a tv.

Slides must first be converted to prints (not on an inkjet printer - they can't be scanned) or submitted on disk or via email.

Q: Can you crop off this person standing next to me? This photo has the word PROOF stamped across it - can you remove that? This photo of myself would look great composited next to my mom and grandmom in this other photo - can it be done?

A: I enjoy a challenge. For simple projects it's $7.00 per photo. Send your idea and if it looks difficult I'll call you to discuss price. We can't actually 'crop' as we must still fill a tv screen, so we must 'matte' (block off). If they're standing right next to you and we matte off the sides it can end up very skinny on-screen and can leave disembodied hands or hair in the picture. Sometimes it's better to just center on you.

Q: May I speed up some photos or have more than one on-screen together?

A: Playback speed is variable, but must be set individually @$7.50 per. And multiple pics are possible - I can composite them together with a nice background ($7.50) which will work even if they are different sizes (resizing them in software is easy). Just include a rough sketch of your preferred layout (remember: the tv screen is four times wide by three times tall!).

Q: Will I get these photos back? Can I get them back before my wedding?

A: Absolutely. I take personal charge of this material when it arrives at our studio, and carefully store it until it is picked up (or shipped). All the current carriers (U.S.P.S., FedEx, UPS, etc.) are very reliable, but you can drop them off in person if you'd rather. Call first to make sure someone will be in to receive them. If I get them at least 3 weeks before your date, and you include a note to call you when I'm finished scanning, you'll be able to pick them up in plenty of time for your wedding.

Q: I've scanned my own photos. Can you use them?

A: Usually, and you can send them via email or on cdrom. Filenames must be numbered with leading zeros. Email for further instructions.

Q: How long will it take?

A: Depends on the time of year and how many other projects we have, but usually a week. Wedding pics must be received no later than three weeks before the wedding date as per the wedding contract.