Dan Lewis' Blog

Photos Taken With My New Canon T2i

2010-04-13T05:39:00.000-07:00

I'm having a ball taking pictures (100's of 'em!) of the grandkids. This camera can take some amazing photos and once in a while I get lucky and capture something good. I'm still adjusting to the video settings on this thing though.

Our Irish Girls

Soccer Season Begins

Currently, My Favorite Model

March 2010 Update

2010-03-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

I'm currently waiting for my Canon T2i DSLR camera to arrive from UPS. This thing does amazing photos and video in full 1080P HD. I can't wait to get my hands on it and take some shots of the kids sports games. Look for something posted here in the near future. Meanwhile, here is a video I did of the last Slip n' Slide event at AJ's. This year I tried to tell a story about the event. The "How it all started" thread quickly emerged. Hope you enjoy.....

Slip N' Slide 2009 from Dan lewis on Vimeo.

The Wedding March

2009-08-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

I get many visits to this blog by those of you searching for that popular wedding procession that was shown on Good Morning America and popular on YouTube. I thank you for your visit and I wish my videos were still functional so you could view my work. You came to this site because I posted a video labeled "A fun way to introduce the wedding party". Please enjoy your visit here but I'll let you CLICK HERE for that popular YouTube video.

August 2009 Update

2009-08-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I've been absolutely terrible in updating this blog. There's just been too much going on in our lives to take the time for blogging. My editing system contracted a terrible trojan virus (that I errantly purchased by the way!) and I'm working with limited capabilities. So I'm now attempting to embed this video of my grandaughter, Taylor, that I produced several months ago. Assuming all goes well here I'll be working on a few videos to also place on the blog. Like our recent European Cruise, more soccer, the Annual Slip n' Slide, and I'm hoping to get back to my mom's biography video. Here we go:

Taylor Indoor Soccer January 2009 from Dan lewis on Vimeo.

I've Retired From the Wedding Business

2009-02-05T18:00:00.000-08:00

With my last edit I was finished with wedding video. As much as I loved filming your weddings the demands on my time was just too great. I have two beautiful grandaughters that live with me and they don't understand why I'm always on the computer. They grow up too fast to not enjoy this moment with them. I will continue to post clips on here from time to time though. They will be more of a personal level. Soon as I can get my .ftp site up again I have a video of Taylor on her indoor soccer team at PISA.

Many thanks to all who have followed this site and to those who I've had the great pleasure of filming your wedding day. I hope the videos I created are viewed by your future generations and enjoyed as much as I did in making them.

It's Been A While!

2009-01-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy in the latter part of 2008 that I hadn't realized how long it's been since I posted here. I had one of those "significant" birthdays in September and my wife surprised me with a special gift. The whole family went on a 3 day Disney Cruise, spent a few days in Disney World, and then her and I went alone on a 7 day cruise on the new Celebrity Solstice. What a great getaway! Soon as I'm done with the current project I will be posting a video of this trip. I had so much fun capturing the grandkids on video.

And speaking of capturing video-I bought a Canon HV-30 video camera for family use. This little camera gets rave reviews from professionals and I have to tell you, it is really awesome! When I hooked it up to my High-Definition TV I was amazed. So, if you are in the market for a great video cam I would highly recommend this little gem.

Elise' Birthday Photo Montage

2008-09-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

I've stated in a previous post how I love to do Photo Montages. Extracting the subject from the picture and animating or putting in 3D to make them more interesting is a lot of fun. This one is the sister of one of our wedding couples and Adam had us make this up for her recent birthday. September is such a great month. Not only is my birthday in September but so is my wife's and two of my best friends. So, Happy Birthday Elise!

FreeVideoCoding.com

Please feel free to leave us a comment.

We're Getting Published!!

2008-09-15T09:36:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited and honored to have an article written by me published in an upcoming EventDV Magazine. This magazine is for the event video trade and will be read by my peers in the industry. The content of the article draws on my 25 years in Sales Management with Fortune 1000 companies. It describes a unique business model to the event industry and while it won't interest most of my audience here on the blog, I'll post a link to the internet version of the mag when it's out.

We Think We've Heard You!

2008-08-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

I'm about to do something that many will say is downright crazy. I'm lowering my wedding video prices to $899.00. Why would I do that you say? I think what I'm hearing from clients is that they want a nice, professional videotaping of their wedding day. A video documenation. Not all the frills of the high-priced wedding video. So, we've banged our heads together and came up with some ideas on how that could be accomplished at an acceptable profit level.

I now have one simple wedding video offering: A two camera ceremony and single camera reception that documents the event as it unfolds. We will use professional equipment including a wireless system to capture clear vows. Taping begins as the ceremony begins and ends four hours later when the formal events of the reception are over. Delivery on 3 DVD's will occur shortly after your return from your honeymoon. That's it! No upsells for highlight videos, Same-Day-Edits, and Cinematic background music.

Please post your comments on this simplification of our offering. We are really interested in how this will be received.

Annual Slip n' Slide Event

2008-08-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

I've been asked to put up the Trailer for the Annual Slip n' Slide event held by our good friend AJ. It's an all day event and is an absolute blast! This year AJ has his own place so it will be interesting to see what changes that will bring to the slide. We'll be taping that one too! So, look for it in the near future.

Take a minute to watch this Movie Trailer from the last Slip n' Slide.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Chloe's Baptism

2008-07-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

In a switch from wedding videos, here is my granddaughter's baptism from Sunday July 27th. Chloe is grandkid number 6 for Karen and I and it was a great day for a family gathering afterwards. As you can see in the video Chloe was attentive and just being her beautiful self. Enjoy!

FreeVideoCoding.com

Adam and Ginger Same-Day-Edit

2008-06-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Here is the Same-Day-edit of Ginger and Adam's ceremony. This was shown after dinner at their reception. We followed the Photo Montage with the SDE. Be sure to check out the Montage below.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Ginger and Adam Photo Montage

2008-06-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Ginger and Adam had s create a Photo Montage for projection at their reception. This was shown after dinner at the Oakmont Country Club reception to great applause. We followed up with a Same-Day-Edit of their ceremony. Be sure to check that out as well. Enjoy!

FreeVideoCoding.com

We're Now Capable Of LIVE STREAMING!

2008-04-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

We're now aligned with IDoStream to provide this added service to our clientele. With live streaming you can have your event shown live on the internet as it happens. If you have guests anywhere in the world that could not make it to your event you now have an option to include them. Please inquire for pricing.

Summer 2008 Special

2008-04-16T04:43:00.000-07:00

Here's some good news for those couples who haven't decided on video yet. We're offering this summer (limited dates) a professionally videotaped wedding for just $999.00! That's right, less than a grand! This is a two camera, one operator, package with limited editing. A straight video documentation. We start taping with the procession and end after the formal events like cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc. (maximum of 4 hours total). You get 3 copies on DVD that are taped by a professional, with professional equipment, and clear audio throughout. Call today to see if your date is open!

Jessica and Stephen's Photo Montage

2008-03-01T16:00:00.001-08:00

I love to do Photo Montages because it gives me a chance to think creatively. I don't like simply taking photos and placing music under them as they scroll across your screen. I like to "bring them alive". That is, extract the subject(s) and make them 3-dimensional to the background (or vice versa). Sometimes I'll even animate them. It depends on what the photograph tells me. I study each one. Think about what the moment in time was all about and what may have happened just before or just after that single flash. A great photograph will give you that in a single frame. But our home photos just don't seem to have the same appeal. That's why I liven them up. That's why I like to do Photo Montages.

Here's one of Jessica and Stephen on their honeymoon. I'm guessing they didn't take a relative or friend on their honeymoon and therefore had a stranger take these few photos. Look at what happens when they are livened up just a little.

FreeVideoCoding.com

By all means leave a comment on what you think of this montage and photos in general. I love great photos too. And the older they are, the more interesting they become.

Even Dan can sometimes ROCK!

2008-02-25T05:36:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I like to stop what I'm doing, divert my attention, and do something totally different. It helps the creative process. It can even border on bizarre (LOL). I got to that point this past weekend and took a couple of hours to make this video of Stephen and Jessica's wedding. I heard this song last year and knew I just had to edit to it. But how in the world do you put that in a wedding video? Well, it will go in their DVD as a Bonus Track so it can be played only if they feel in the mood. Funny too! There was a recent post in the knot.com regarding the over-use of Canon in D by Pachelbel. I should send her this link.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Well, I told you I sometimes border on Bizarre.
Please let me know your comments on this video. We appreciate hearing from you.

Will You Regret Not Having a Video?

2008-02-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

A Video Created to Promote Church Activities

2008-01-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

Here is a video I created for Northway Christian Community in 2004. They wanted to show appreciation for those who volunteer their services and at the same time encourage more to participate. Let me tell you, this place has and endless amount of services available to the public. Enjoy!

FreeVideoCoding.com

Jaime and Rick Highlight Video

2007-12-16T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a highlight video of Jaime and Rick's wedding. The ceremony took place at our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Harwick PA. Would you believe I got married in that church? The reception was at the Greek Orthodox Social Hall in Oakmont. It was very hot that day especially taking the pictures at Guyasuta Park in Fox Chapel. This was my first opportunity to work with Jim Kuhn of Jim Kuhn Photography and we formed a quick and efficient team or Jaime & Rick. Please add your comments by clicking the comments button below.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Videos are temporarily down

2007-12-14T06:52:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the inconvenience. Our webmaster is looking into the situation and we should be back up and running soon.

Dan

A Movie Trailer

2007-11-10T06:34:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at a Movie Trailer. You know, those annoying things you have to watch on a DVD before you get to the feature? Well, I've seen many of my colleagues across the country put these things together and I thought it would be fun to do one. It was! I hope you enjoy it. Please leave me a comment if you thought it was fun.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Another one of those Credits Videos!

2007-10-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

As I stated before, this is a really fun piece for me to shoot and edit. Jon and Jodi were married in May and we had some fun doing this one. I think the guys especially picked up on what we were doing. Don't you? What a great way to give credit to your bridal party. Give us a comment on what you like about this kind of video.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Renee and Chad Same-Day-Edit

2007-10-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

I've been touting the Same-Day-Edit for some time and most couples don't really understand what it can do to your reception. That's understandable. You really have to witness a Same-Day-Edit to fully apprecitate it and few videographers in Pittsburgh are doing them. I'd like to show you the one I did for Renee and Chad this Saturday (October 13th). This highlight of their ceremony was edited in just 90 minutes and shown immediately following dinner at the reception. Enjoy the video, post some comments, and in a couple of days I'll show you the crowd reaction to this.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Sumedha Photo Montage

2007-09-15T07:49:00.000-07:00

We taped the High School graduation party of Sumedha on August 17, 2007. This was at Heinz Field and what a great venue for parties or weddings. Sumedha's family was so much fun to work with. And her sisters are so talented too! You'll see that in the beginning of the video. I also got to work with my friend Bob Binnie who photographed the event. Here is the photo montage we projected on all the flat panel screens and the huge screen.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a comment.

It's been a Busy Summer, To Say The Least

2007-08-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

End of Summer is usually my busiest time and this year is no exception. It's sometimes difficult to explain why a videographer gets into a large backlog of editing time and I won't attempt it here. Let's just say there are many variables to running this type of business that consumes large amounts of time. I approached this year with more thought into how I shoot a wedding to make the edit less time consuming. Having a good assistant was part of that process and my daughter has performed admirably in that role. I have also added a very powerful laptop computer to my arsenal that allows me to take editing projects with me when I travel. As some already know, I travel to help out other videographers or to shoot a wedding I've directly contracted out of town. I am currently editing the Indian Wedding from last fall. This is an immensely large project as there are approximately 30 hours of tape to edit down into a meaningful and beautiful wedding video. I can't wait to show some clips as it was very beautiful!

Did you know you can now subscribe to this blog? Subscribing means you will be notified every time a new post has been added. Just click on the little orange Icon on the left and follow the intructions on how to subscribe.

Look for more video clips in the near future. I have some very interesting things to show you.

Giving Credit to Your Bridal Party

2007-06-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

I've been having a lot of fun with this in the last year. Sometimes we get to create things that are really enjoyable to do in our work. And I just love working with the bridal party, usually after the ceremony when they're most relaxed, to give them recognition in the final wedding video. Please leave a comment telling me what you think of this idea.

FreeVideoCoding.com

Where I've Been

2007-06-12T04:51:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for a while due to the death of my sister-in-law last week. Although we knew this was coming it still puts life on hold. I will be posting some video clips in the next few days though.

Thank You-A Special Wedding Moment

2007-05-27T12:07:00.001-07:00

I'm a sensitive guy. But that's ok for a wedding videographer as it helps me to "see" those special emotional moments while fiming a wedding. Last nights wedding of Jodi and Jon has one of those moments. With the help of his friend Patrick on acoustic guitar, Jon sang this song to his new bride. Everytime I view this clip I become a big softy. Enjoy!

Please feel free to leave a comment. I'm sure Jodi & Jon will enjoy reading them.

Thinking outside the box, er, Pittsburgh.

2007-05-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

I usually mention to my clients how I continue to educate myself in the field of video and more specifically, wedding video. I attend the International conferences of the two major Wedding & Event (WEVA & 4 Ever Group) organizations and I am also active in the Pittsburgh Professional Videographers Association. I follow the work of the industry's best artist's in this field. These are the leaders that bring wedding video to a true artform. One of those that I follow is Jason Magbanua of the Philipines. He has single handedly brought the Same-Day-Edit to an art that was inconceivable a short time ago. Jason was recently honored with eight Artistic Achievement Awards at Video07' in Jacksonville, Florida. You can see his recent works by clicking on his blog link on the left. But, before you do, you absolutely have to see the highlight he did on a cell phone. That's right! A cell phone! Click here to see that. Please feel free to leave comments on this page regarding your thoughts.

Fun Way To Introduce The Bridal Party

2007-04-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

Every wedding I've either attended or filmed have introduced the wedding party the same way. Until this one! I noticed at Friday's rehearsal the dance instructor worked with the group but I didn't quite understand what was up until they were introduced at the reception on Saturday. I love it when couples make their big day a little different and give the guests a little entertainment as well. This group was fun to work with as you'll see in an upcoming credits clip and they jumped right in to the dance routines.

Please feel free to add a comment on this or any other unique wedding idea you have. And do come back soon for some more great video clips.

The Value Of Video

2007-04-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

Friends of mine, Jenny & Marco, recently won a write-in contest and this is what they wrote. It really does make a great case for wedding video and, with their permission, I am reprinting it here for your viewing.

The Value of Video
Have you ever pondered these questions?
Do I really need a video? Will I ever watch it? Is it worth budgeting for? Most brides ask themselves these questions relatively soon after their engagement. If you find yourself in the same position, make your analysis by considering what the cost of not having a video would be!
You will not have any audio from that day. Let me repeat that last statement, you will not have any audio from your entire day! If you want to know if that is an important statement, turn on your tv, and press mute. The exchange of your vows is truly the main event. Without the audio, you will have your memories. If you want to relive the day, only video can fill this desire!
Without video you will lose your unique events, funny moments, and heartfelt expressions. All of your closest family and friends are part of your wedding, their reactions and emotions are definitely worth capturing!
Every bride has a "one of a kind day", you owe it to yourself to capture it. Do your friends start their advice to you with, “at my wedding...”, if they have a video, you can watch it and relive their day.
Another thing to consider came from an email that I recently received:
“You did such a wonderful job, that watching it brought us even closer together. Of course, we both were overwhelmed and teary eyed. It gave us the opportunity to see the way we interact from afar and how much we truly do love each other.”
You will have the opportunity to view the way you treat and interact with one another on your wedding day. Can you put a value on capturing all of the nuances and love the two of you have for each other?
So consider the video with the following analysis:
Cost of Wedding Gown - $2000
Limo for the Day - $900
Flowers - $3000
Reception - $25,000
Watching this video with your daughter, while she is planning her own wedding - PRICELESS!

Heidi and Marc Wedding

2007-04-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes an edit can be difficult because some of the footage is not exactly what I would prefer. This wedding edit is just the opposite. It's difficult because the footage was so good that I don't want to discard anything! Everything was just beautiful in this wedding and it made the filming a joy. What you see here is Heidi and Marc's highlight video. I chose to do a slight "time-shift" by placing their vows over the first dance. The first dance was done so nicely due to their dancing ability that I wanted to draw the viewer further into it with the voice over.

FreeVideoCoding.com

While most of us videographers place the best clips in the Highlight video, there are many more great looking shots to complete the wedding video. I'll be sharing those in the near future so please return often.

March Happenings

2007-03-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Well, we've been really busy this month trying to get the editing backlog in better shape. There were a few very large projects at the end of last year that extended our backlog temporarily. Now that the weather is finally getting better we'll be out practicing camera techniques learned in the past year. One thing we're contemplating is to shoot all weddings this year in a widescreen format. That will depend entirely on the current equipments ability to maintain high quality. This is the first step toward going to High-Definition as the shooting technique is a little different.

My practice runs usually revolve around the grandkids. Here is a clip I made when I first purchased a Glidecam camera stabilizing device. The kids loved to come over and play in the leaves so I got some camera practice and some work out of them!

We'll be soon posting some wedding video clips again. So, stay tuned.

And The Winner Is........

2007-01-28T17:58:00.000-08:00

Amber Benjamin! Amber is the winner of our Photo Montage service offered at the bridal show, Marriott North in Cranberry township. This turned out to be a really great bridal show. Especially considering the snow fall this morning. This was my first show with Wedding Clickers and the table set-up worked nicely as my wife, Karen, and I were able to engage you more personally. Those flowers you see in the tall vase at the right received a lot of attention. Weren't they beautiful? All the decorations in our set-up was provided by A Rent and Event Center in Cheswick. Give Sara a call for your event as she is super nice people! If you didn't get our latest demo DVD please click on my website at the left and email me through the contact page. Now, I have to get back to some editing. There will be some really nice clips posted in the coming days on my current wedding. Please stop back.

Upcoming Bridal Show

2007-01-24T10:54:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy this week preparing for the Bridal Show at Marriott North in Cranberry. But I am excited at the new demos we're coming up with for this event. I'll be sure to post them after the show and I'll even include a picture of the booth. With our name change came a new logo. I have a 2' X 6' banner displaying the new logo for trade shows. A Rent and Event Center in Cheswick, PA was gracious enough to supply some of our booth decorations. They have everything! They're really nice people, too! Give them a try for your next event.

The Wedding of Nisha and Parag

2007-01-16T06:19:00.000-08:00

I'm currently editing the three day Indian wedding of Nisha and Parag which took place on Labor Day weekend. This was one of the most beautiful weddings I've had the privilege to work on. Indian weddings are rich in tradition and are very colorful (which makes for great video!). Nisha and Parag will give you an insight to each tradition here. So far, I've edited the Friday morning Henna Paint event at Nisha's parents (Harshad and Rehka Mehta) and created a highlight video. Their photographers were the husband and wife team of Cyndi and Tony Araujo, of Araujo Photography, who were very professional and great to work with. Cyndi especially has a wonderful talent in engaging the family and making them feel comfortable while Tony goes about shooting fantastic photos. And speaking of the family, I really appreciated the warmth extended by both families and the help and understanding they gave of each tradition. My next step will be the party at the Mehta home on Friday evening. You won't believe the fun that was! Look for my next post.

We'll Be At The Wedding Show!

2007-01-09T05:40:00.000-08:00

Look for us at the Cranberry Bridal Show at the Marriott on January 28th. We'll be displaying some new demo material from the 2006 weddings and our new Identity Logo. Most of our clients usually come from referrals so we don't always do bridal shows. But with all the changes to our new look, we thought this year would be a great time to show off our new stuff.

I was originally scheduled to be in Jacksonville, Florida this week for the 4 Ever Group Convention. This is a really great educational experience and a chance to meet the best of the best in wedding videography. I learned so much last year. But there has been too many obligations and our recent move, so, I had to cancel. It's my hope that I can still make the WEVA (Wedding and Event Videographers Association) convention in Las Vegas this coming August. August is just such a bad time of year to pull away though. Our local association (PPVA) is planning a regional symposium put on by the 4 Ever Group this spring. I am an officer and active member in the PPVA as I strongly believe in education in the wedding video industry. There is so much going on today in wedding video that education is essential.

Why Did Our Name Change?

2007-01-09T05:23:00.000-08:00

Our business name of Allure Video Productions was confusing to some because there is also a local photographer using a similar name. Also, our business model includes corporate work where my name is used as the identity and I need to simplify my life at tax time (like now!) by merging the two businesses. Our new website is in process and should be done soon. So, keep an eye out for that announcement. By the way, the webmaster is my son Jeff who is also a published poet. You can view some of his writings by clicking here .

My New BLOG!

2007-01-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally jumped into this blogging thing. When I started reading the blog of one of my favorite Photographers to work with, Joanne Bartone, this past year, I knew I just had to get into the fray. Joanne and I worked together on the wedding of Heidi and Marc (more on that later) last October. She was wonderful to work with and we quickly became a "team". Wow, what a great wedding that was to shoot, too! Anyway, back to my blogging. I seem to always be behind in getting my newsletter out so I decided to replace it with my very own blog. I'm always on the computer visiting other friends in the videography world so this should come as a natural.

Dan