Video - your input please

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speed up your rate of transitions...you want them to appear long enough to almost take in the entire photo (leave them wanting more--make them watch it again and again, not be content with once thru). And +1 on putting movement in photos & ditching that pixely fade.

If I were a potential client I probably wouldn't watch past the "getting ready" portion unless I knew the wedding peeps. It's too slow-moving. If I were watching as the b/g or their family, I would watch but really only need a once through.
 
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speed up your rate of transitions...you want them to appear long enough to almost take in the entire photo (leave them wanting more--make them watch it again and again, not be content with once thru). And +1 on putting movement in photos & ditching that pixely fade.

If I were a potential client I probably wouldn't watch past the "getting ready" portion unless I knew the wedding peeps. It's too slow-moving. If I were watching as the b/g or their family, I would watch but really only need a once through.

Thanks Val. How many seconds per slide would you recommend?
 
Thanks Val. How many seconds per slide would you recommend?
It looks like most of yours are 5-6 sec...you could do closer to 3-4. It really depends on the picture (not always the same rate). You want to change out right as you're getting to the point of just seeing the whole picture...You want to change it up as soon as a persons mind has interpreted the whole picture...they don't need to study it. It only takes our brain a couple seconds to decipher what we're looking at. That's what keeps them wanting more. That's what makes a person watch it, then watch again as they share with the next person. It ties them to it.

Also, your titles could certainly overlay pics, to be black screen really is just dead air.

As for including the introduction, if it's quick and energetic and shows personality, it can be a nice bonus. People like to hear their (new) names. The video however, does not need to be you, just the voice over a pic/video showing the b/g in an emotional or intimate or energetic moment...
 
ANYTHING I post to youtube gets silenced. Even live room sound where I'm playing tracks and with lots of people shouting over the top of it. It's frustrating.

Do you have your account set to monetize the videos?

Different copyright holders can treat it differently, so it might just be certain songs in particular. But, if Vimeo works better for you, certainly use that.
 
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I attempted to post a 40 second video of dancing instructors to facebook and FB wouldn't even post it because of the copyrighted song playing. I ended up deleting the audio and adding a drum loop with the same BPM and rhythm. They're dancing perfectly to the beat of the drum loop but it's just not the same.
 
Usually if you keep the song snipets short, y
BTW, do you guys think it would be a good idea for me to add a video clip of me, introducing the event?
Are you planning to use a stand-in? ba dum dum tsshh
 
Okay, taking the suggestions into consideration, here's another version. I got rid of the vertical shots, cut clips from 7 secs to 5 secs, changed all transitions to crossfade and a few other misc tweaks. Any better?

 
Okay, taking the suggestions into consideration, here's another version. I got rid of the vertical shots, cut clips from 7 secs to 5 secs, changed all transitions to crossfade and a few other misc tweaks. Any better?


MASSIVE improvement! That looks really good. And I didn't mention it earlier, but I love the logo intro.
 
MUCH BETTER! Now if you really want to nitpick, adjust the audio to start a little earlier so there's no audio gap between the logo audio and the start of marry me... and more importantly... trim the audio so vocals of the song start as soon as the first pic shows. Creates a much better effect for the viewer.
 
Much better!! It's not too much movement, but you need to be aware of how it is moving Some of the movement is a little fast.

Just b/c it is moving, doesn't mean it's ok. In some of the pics, it moved up to down,rather than down to up. Each pic is different, and you need to set the movement (up/down/left/right accordingly.

Also, get rid of the song. You cannot just steal someones song for your benefit. It's illegal, and while it's hard to get caught, as soon as you put it on public media, you are exposing yourself.

I know someone that had to fight a $10,000 fine. If the record label wants to collect, it's very easy for them to come after you.
 
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I agree .. getting close. Still a little too much time per shot .. maybe hack another 1-1.5 seconds off each.
 
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Okay, taking the suggestions into consideration, here's another version. I got rid of the vertical shots, cut clips from 7 secs to 5 secs, changed all transitions to crossfade and a few other misc tweaks. Any better?

Lose the labels. The viewer doesn't need to be told "getting ready, or ceremony, etc." that is all obvious from the photos. Let the slide show flow the same way the day did - without signage. Also, you have only one subject in this slide show so you don't need to introduce the couple and the date. That information would already be in the file name or description.

The image should always fill the entire frame even if it has motion. Edges make your work appear unfinished. Also, don't include poor quality shots. You a have a few that you've put in to document every action that occurred, but they reveal bad shot choices (back of the head, too far away, rotated, etc.) A shorter video of your absolute best is better than a full documentary that reveals some misses.

The dissolves are better because it allows a viewer to sustain and carry their emotion through to the next image. Avoid transitional effects unless you want to deliberately sever the emotion and transfer someone to a different place and time. Again, you have only 1 subject in this slide show - so you don't need transitions.

In general, your photography needs to evolve beyond just capturing what is happening to capturing the emotion of what is happening. It's not what people are doing or what's happening - it's how people are reacting to it that makes a truly great photo. For that you need to focus on faces - not places.
 
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People who don't know this couple may get bored with the stills and not watch that far in.

I have a very short attention span, and I got tired of nothing but still photos pretty early.

The idea is to copy Taso's approach of building a catalog of high-quality slideshows for marketing purposes.

Taso's videos have actual VIDEO footage, which I think makes them 100x more engaging to watch.

BTW, do you guys think it would be a good idea for me to add a video clip of me, introducing the event?

No offense, Taso...but I never liked the "personal" intros. But I think it's a matter of length... because it makes total sense from a marketing standpoint for you to be in the video. Perhaps for a shorter amount of time. You are not why they are watching the video.

Just my opinions.