Rites of Passage Events

Let's take a wedding as an example. Two families are joining. At a wedding reception, it's fun to provide a projected slide show that spotlights the couple but also shows each as children, and with family members and friends. I've done several of these for children and relatives. In the case of a wedding, I suggest approximately 250 pictures, carefully organized to keep everyone's attention, e.g., five pictures of bride as young child, five pictures of groom as young child, five pictures of couple, etc. The couple selects their favorite appropriate music for a sound track.

Putting together this type of slide show is not as simple as throwing 125 or 235 snapshots in a box and assuming someone is going to charge $.25 each to digitize, organize and orchestrate for presentation. Photo by photo, each ought to be recomposed (cropped for improved composition), color-corrected, red eye-removed and receive other quick restoration.

A memorable slide show also might show some attention to audience. For instance, a wake service might focus on the life of the deceased; an anniversary might focus on the history of a couple's lifetime together (dating, marriage, work, progeny, later life, etc.) in chronological order; or a marriage, that involves a coupling of individuals, but also a coupling of families and their complexities, in an order that maintains audience interest.

The audience at a marriage reception is broad, and a show works best with a focus on the couple, but with some regular sequence such as couple each as children, couple recently, couple with family, couple as children, couple together, couple with friends. Creating such is quick and mechanical, but also loving, time consuming.

Click here for a sample of a short Internet or Rehearsal Dinner slide show.

Here's a sample wedding music video focusing on parents of the bride.