Toronto Wedding Photography

As a Digital Memories Studio wedding photographer, we attend both Toronto weddings and destination weddings as hired artists aiming to capture the essence and beauty of the wedding day.

Our goal is to produce wedding photos that tell a story unique to your wedding day.

Expect a Digital Memories Studio wedding photographer to dress professionally and shoot in a photojournalistic manner.

As a Digital Memories Studio wedding photographer, we strive to capture real spontaneous moments as they happen... we don't fake moments.

Our wedding photography approach does include a traditional portrait photography session where family and bridal party members are positioned, but as a Digital Memories Studio wedding photographer we are always "on watch" for those special cadid shots that arise during this time.

Enter our website for wedding photography samples and prices.

Digital Memories Studio
Toronto Wedding Photographer and Wedding Videographer
www.DigitalMemoriesStudio.com

Toronto Wedding Videography

Digital Memories Studio believes less is more.

A Digital Memories Studio wedding videographer approachs the wedding day as documentary historians capturing the life and energy... the sights and sounds... the memories you will want to remember forever.

Our wedding videography approach is cinematic and unobtrusive. Our wedding videographers strive to capture the emotion and excitement that spontaneously happens as the wedding day unfolds.

Our wedding videos are edited with a classical film approach, emphasising the wedding, the guests, the moments... not the wedding videographer or the wedding video special effects.

Digital Memories Studio produces wedding videos that engage our viewers and reveal the wedding day in a simple and elegant fashion.

Enter our website for wedding videography samples and prices.

Digital Memories Studio
Toronto Wedding Photographer and Wedding Videographer
www.DigitalMemoriesStudio.com

Toronto Wedding Photography

Things to consider when choosing a Wedding Photographer:

There are two main categories of wedding photography... film and digital... and the "shooting styles" for each vary greatly.

Wedding Photographers (shooting digital) use SLR cameras (often canon or nikon) to capture moments and portraits throughout the day. Often these wedding photographers take several hundred photos throughout the day (500-1000) looking for that perfect moment, the perfect smile, the perfect photo.

Toronto Wedding Photographers (shooting film) use medium-format cameras (and often a 35mm camera backup) to capture moments and portraits on the wedding day. Wedding Photographers using film will often capture up to 300 photos throughout the entire wedding day.

Toronto Wedding Photographers (shooting medium-format film) can then enlarge their photos quite large without losing much quality because the film-grain is tight and can therefore be stretched quite a bit The results are beautiful.

Toronto Wedding Photographers (shooting digital) can also enlarge their photos quite large (as long as they are using a professional-level SLR) without losing much quality because of a high-pixel-density chip in the camera. Digital SLR cameras with 8 to 10 (or more) mega-pixels can enlarge photos to 16x20 or 20x24 (or larger) and the results are beautiful.

Toronto Wedding Photographers (shooting film) often pose the bride and groom for "posed" pictures because it is difficult (and nearly impossible) to get that perfect moment when you are using a medium-format camera that needs to be manually set after every picture.

Toronto Wedding Photographers (shooting digital) will take several pictures of a spontaneous moment using an automatic camera giving them a better chance to catch that "perfect moment" when it happens.

As you can see, the shooting style of wedding photographers varies depending on the type of camera used. Some couples prefer to have the majority of their photos posed and don't mind the interuption to the wedding day.

Other couples prefer to have the majority of their photos taken in a photojournalistic manner... where the wedding photographer is less obtrusive and more like a guest at the wedding... a guest who happens to be taking up to 1000 photos!

The Photojournalistic Wedding approach often provides the couple with cadid shots which tell the story of the wedding day. Many times the Photojournalistic Wedding Photographer will also pose the bride and groom and the immediate family for family portraits... but will not pose many other (if any) shots of the day.

It may be best to ask your wedding photographer what his/her approach is when taking photos. Do you want posed photos? Candid photos? Or a combination?

Digital Memories Studio
Toronto Wedding Photographer and Wedding Videographer
www.DigitalMemoriesStudio.com

Toronto Wedding Videography

There are a variety of styles when it comes to Wedding Videography.

The simplest form of style is the documentary approach. The wedding day events are capture on video and edited in a simple chronological order. Often companies use this approach and may refer to it as a "light edit".

These wedding videos can be from 1-3 hours long and are not as compelling because of the lengthy shots.

Another style of wedding videography is the "Love Style" approach. Often the videographer will interact with the guests and may even create skits... enough said.

Digital Memories Studio takes a different approach. We do not tell people what to do on their wedding day. We capture the wedding day events with a certain approach so that we remain unobtrusive. By not pushing our cameras onto your guests, we capture the spontaneous and memorable moments as they happen.

It is in the editing process where we sift through the wedding day footage to create an edited masterpiece unique to your wedding day.

The result?

You have a tasteful and elegantly edited wedding video that is compelling and emotive... the kind of wedding video you may find yourself watching over and over and over....

Our clients often describe our style as cinematic. We incorporate traditional editing techniques founded in cinema to create a wedding video that is fresh, dynamic, and exciting.

Please feel free to contact us so we can schedule an appointment with you to watch additional samples.

Digital Memories Studio
Toronto Wedding Photography and Wedding Videography
www.DigitalMemoriesStudio.com

Significant Benefits of Digital Wedding Photography

There are many benefits of shooting with a digital camera for wedding photography, for both the wedding photographer and the bride and groom.

The most significant benefit is that digital cameras allow for the wedding photographers to work in a less obtrusive manner.  The wedding day can now be enjoyed for what it is... as it is no longer about the interrupting wedding photographer that kept posing every picture.  Candid wedding photos capture the essence of the wedding day with little interruption to the wedding day events.

Another significant benefit of shooting digital wedding photography is that more photos can be taken.  Film does not need to be changed frequently as most professional digital wedding photographers can now capture anywhere from 100 to 200 wedding photos before they are required to change a flash card.  This means that more moments are captured while less time is wasted going through the process of changing film. 

Wedding photographers will also have no need to change film for shooting in black and white as all images may be converted to black and white when they are captured into the computer.

Image quality has long been thought to belong to wedding photographers that shoot with film.  However, with professional level digital cameras (upwards of 10 mega-pixels) the issue of quality has vanished.  Professional-grade digital cameras can produce a wedding photo that can be enlarged and indistinguishable from the equivalent medium-format wedding photo.  With high-level performance technology and software, computers are now capable of managing these files with no loss in quality... as both digital cameras and computers work seamlessly together.

Associated with image quality is the factor of which printing paper was used.  Professional wedding photographers printing their digital wedding photos with the identical printers used by wedding photographers printing from film will receive matching image quality. 

Some digital wedding photographers print their wedding photos with high-grade inkjet printers.  The process of ink-jet printing is still quite new and much debate lingers.  The immediate results are equal to that of standard printing methods, but longevity may still be an issue.

With all the benefits of digital wedding photography, it is astonishing that film is still being used for weddings.  Medium format cameras, when properly used, provide stunning wedding photographs, but film can no longer boast the quality issue.  The professional level digital cameras available on the market provide equal quality; film photos and digital photos are indistinguishable. 

Lastly, the process of digital photography, especially with regards to wedding photography, has taken the industry to new heights allowing wedding photographers to focus on the wedding event as an unobtrusive artist, capturing the indescribable (and often emotive) moments that happen spontaneously… the memories you will want to remember forever.

Digital Memories Studio
Toronto Wedding Photographer and Wedding Videographer
www.DigitalMemoriesStudio.com

Digital vs. Film

What's the difference?

The difference is in the approach and not the final product.

Both digital and film, when it comes to professional wedding photography, have very similar results... but the shooting styles vary greatly.

Digital wedding photographers capture spontaneous moments by taking several shots in quick succession, ensuring that the "perfect moment" will not be missed.

Wedding photographers that shoot with film are unable to shoot in quick succession because they must advance the film between shots.  Great spontaneous moments can be captured... but most film photographers pose the bride & groom rather than shoot candidly.

Digital wedding photographers can therefore be more unobtrusive because of the style of shooting... allowing for "better moments."

What kind of cameras do wedding photographers use?

The wedding photographer shooting film will use a medium-format camera... and often a 35mm camera to gather additional candid moments.

Digital wedding photographers will use either Canon or Nikon, and the camera will be at least 8.0 Mega-pixels.  The Canon 20D or the Nikon D200 are the most popular camera choices of professional wedding photographers shooting digital.

How many photos will a wedding photographer take?

Digital wedding photographers will shoot up to 1000 images in an 8-10 hour period.

Wedding photographers using film will often shoot up to 250 photos in the same amount of time.

What is better? Digital or Film?

We are Digital Memories Studio... you know where we stand. 

When looking at the functionality of each medium (digital & film) we find digital to be much more exciting. 

We find more creativity in the digital world... the cameras are quick and offer a diversity of practical uses.

Shooting film slows down the creative process and puts an emphasis on a traditional approach... this traditional approach of "posing" a spontaneous moment feels empty... often life-less.

What about quality?

When using a high-end professional digital camera, at 10 or more megapixels, the photo can be enlarged as much as it could be with a medium-format camera. Both digital and film (at the professional level) produce stunning images.

What about black and white?

Shooting with digital allows for certain stylizations to be added upon request... such as black & white.

Wedding photographers shooting film must change the film each time they want a black and white shot... so black & white is generally not available for every photo.

What is right for you?

Digital, film, candid, posed... there are many choices.  What kind of photographs do you want? Traditional poses or candid moments? 

We at Digital Memories Studio combine both styles to get the best of all approaches. Some photos are posed (often the family portraits) while the rest of the wedding day is often captured through a candid style.

The photos can be enlarged to 20x24 or you can create an album with smaller photos that visual the memories of your unique day.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us directly.  We'd be happy to discuss your options with you.

Digital Memories Studio
Toronto Wedding Photographers and Wedding Videographers
www.DigitalMemoriesStudio.com

10 Tips for a Great Wedding Ceremony

We at Digital Memories Studio have photographed and filmed from every possible angle and have seen a lot of wonderful ceremonies... here's what we've noticed:


10. Make It Your Own
A wedding ceremony that is unique and personal to the bride and groom is a priviledge to attend. There are many ways to incorporate details that express your personality. Carefully choosing the decor, programs, readings, and music in ways that represent your preferences will reflect your style and help your guests feel welcomed.

9. Think of Your Guests
Make your guests feel welcomed. Are you having an outdoor ceremony? You could leave a bottle of water on every chair for them. Which way will the sun face? Try to have the sun behind your guests so they aren't looking into it for the whole ceremony. Do you have ushers that can welcome your guests upon arrival?

8. Set the mood
Music can do this quickly. Is it possible to have your music start 20-30 minutes prior to your arrival? As your guests arrive they can immediately be enchanted with soft music... the time will drift by until suddenly the arrival of the bride... everyone will be calm and cool... except the groom, of course... no amount of music will relax him!

7. Personalized Programs
These are a great way to express your personality. Help your guests get to know more about you with tiny blurbs about all the people involved in the ceremony. You can help each family learn more about "the other side." You can briefly describe each member of the bridal party. You can explain who the people are that are doing the readings.

6. Arrive on Time
It's nice to keep that groom waiting a little bit... just to see how much he'll buckle under the pressure, but what about all your guests? Nobody will mind starting a few minutes late... but the anticipation will be building until the arrival of the bride. The key is to arrive when that anticipation has peaked, not past.

5. The Officiant
He/she can set the mood of the entire ceremony. Generally, the more you are known by this Officiant, the more he/she can offer. His/her personality can also help create a unique ocassion that is specific to each couple. Finding ways to become known to this individual can be quite beneficial... you can pick up some solid advice about relationships that work vs. relationships that fail because of the amount of involvement your Officiant often has with members of their congregation. Pre-martial sessions help unite and prepare a way for smooth communication. In turn, your Officiant will come to know you better and can then help your guests from each side of the family know more about "the person you are marrying" thus creating a personal ceremony.

4. Rehearsal
This is a great way to bring everyone together... and the fun starts here. Arrive on time and allow the Officiant to offer his (or her) expertise... s/he's done this many times. Having a rehearsal dinner can also bring your families together so that the wedding day can be more relaxed for everyone.

3. Don't Forget
What are all those things you were supposed to remember for the ceremony? That's right, write them down. Then it's just a matter of checking a list. Creating a list on the groom's behave is not a bad idea... and it's probably better to give it to the Best Man. The memory of a typical groom can become clouded in the hours prior to "the big day."

2. Photography & Videography
The ceremony is what the day is built around... it's what will join your lives' together. It can be quite nerve-racking to stand infront of so many people who are watching your every move... but this is what the rest of the day is celebrating. And 95% of everything will be forgotten within a week. The flowers, the decorations, the food... it'll all disappear. The essence of photography and videography is the gift of time-travel. Seeing an image of a moment... or watching and hearing the moments play out on video will be the only chance you have to relive that day. The gift of photos and video can be passed on to your children and grandchildren... who wouldn't want to see a professional video of their great-grandmother on her wedding day? What about a series of images that tell a unique story?

1. Enjoy Every Moment
The time will go fast... and then it will be over. Take each moment for what it is because it is the only day you will have like it. Things will never be perfect... but things can be perfect in it's own way. The guests will enjoy the day only if you enjoy it first. The joy you receive from your ceremony will reflect the joy you put into it. Plan it your way and then enjoy whatever comes.

We hope you found something beneficial from this article. If you have some tips of your own... please note them in this category.

Digital Memories Studio
Toronto Wedding Photographers and Wedding Videographers
www.DigitalMemoriesStudio.com

HOW TO HAVE A GREAT WEDDING

There is one factor that has proven to be right for every wedding we've attended... if the bride and groom enjoy their wedding, the guests will also enjoy the wedding.

It's that simple.

As wedding photographers and wedding videographers, our focus on the wedding day is to document the emotions of the bride and groom as they come together and interact with all their guests. It is an overwhelming joy to be around happy people on a wedding day. When the bride and groom are having fun, that joy spreads to all the guests. We have the wedding photos and wedding videos to prove it.

The challenge?

Something will go wrong... it's inevitable. When planning an event like a wedding with so many variables, not every detail will run as planned. The results can be stressful. However, if the bride and groom are able to enjoy themselves (despite the stress) and choose to remain positive when things go wrong, the wedding day will develop into a unique and successful event. The guests will enjoy themselves and contribute to the success of the wedding through their enjoyment.

Good times will be had by all.

As wedding photographers and wedding videographers, we can see the essence of the wedding day for what it is intended to be... love. That is why two people choose to be together. It is why your guests bother to attend. It will be the focus of a successful marriage.

Digital Memories Studio
Toronto Wedding Photographers and Wedding Videographers
www.DigitalMemoriesStudio.com

Digital Memories Studio specializes in Toronto wedding photography and videography. We are a boutique-style studio based in Toronto but provide service for any destination wedding location. Our wedding photographers and wedding videographers have a simple-elegance and an attention to detail in all aspects of production.