Pictures from San Diego Zoo

Posted on August 30, 2013 by tearsofjoyvideo

Giraffes

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Daddy Giraffe
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Giraffe Face
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Baby Giraffe
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Giraffe Family
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Stretch
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Dinner
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Mommy Giraffe
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Down Low
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This is for all the ‘picture people’

Posted on August 30, 2013 by tearsofjoyvideo

Picture People
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I had a client a few weeks ago tell me as she brought her pictures by, that some people are picture people, and some people are not, but she was a picture person. She was excited because a family member had gifted her a video montage for her wedding. As we went through her pictures she was telling me that she was more excited about this video than preparing for her own wedding. She said she always wanted something like this done. But now she was preparing it, it was so hard to pick which pictures to use- so I helped her edit her pictures down. She was a fun client to work with as she expressed her excitement over each stage of the video coming together. She called me her picture fairy, because I made her pictures come alive. When she came to pick up her video she said she is already planning her 50^th Birthday party when I will do her video. I had to laugh because she was only 30. But this is one of so many examples of how when we create a story with pictures, movie clips and music; we touch peoples hearts, especially if you are a “Picture Person”.

I have said over and over again that it is the greatest gift you can give. But I started thinking those words can sound pretentious without knowing the evidence I have seen to back up that statement. So I thought I would share some of the personal experiences I have seen from my clients, without mentioning them by name.

Another client came to me a few years ago. She was referred to me from someone we had previously had a video done. Her parents were celebrating their 50^th anniversary and she wanted to have a video to show at the event. While going through our website she saw that we did photo books as well and decided to have a book done along with the video. The video was a big hit and she called me to order books and videos for each member of the family. She said she wanted to do one for her son and daughter too. But it was a while before we did that.

I did a couple of small jobs for her, and then about two years later she called me to do her Father-in-laws celebration of life video, as we were preparing for that her mother-in-law also suddenly died. So the family decided to do their celebration of life together. I created the video and the posters for the entry as well. When she watched the finished product for the first time she said it brought her to her knees, she was so overcome by emotion. It was the first time she had faced the grief of the loss. But she said this was a credit to me and the meaningful way I portrayed their story, bringing out the best part of each of them. She later told me the video deeply touched everyone in attendance

Finally the next year we were able to get to her daughters and sons video. She said she had always wanted to scrapbook their life, but was a working mom and didn’t have time. She had numerous pictures, but most of them were in boxes. I scanned them all and then we edited them down for the video. With her input I was able to create the story of each of her kids using their pictures and video clips. As a final touch I came to her house and had her and her ex-husband tell stories and memories of their kids and a special message at the end to each of them. The video had their home movies, their personal messages, and highlighted pictures. The book had even more pictures, but also included their artwork, cards they had written to their parents, awards they had received, and a page with a special written message to each of them. I finished the video and books in time for Christmas, and she said this gift made their Christmas as they all came together remembering the happy times of her children’s life.

This year I have started doing the same thing for another client. She has 4 children, and I am working on doing a video and book for each of them. Her kids are all spread throughout the country, and as a parent she wanted to do something to bring them together as a family and help her children always have something to remember their roots. She gave her first book and video to her youngest daughter a few months ago when they attended her graduation from college. All the family had come to it, so they all were able to watch it together. As it was the youngest child, all were apart of this video and book and the other kids enjoyed it just as much. She is planning to visit each child and give the book and video to then as we get them done, so they can each have that special moment watching their video and looking over their book for the first time. She said it was the best gift she ever gave them.

When I make these videos, and photo books, I know nothing about the person. Their pictures and the people who love them are telling their story. By the time I am done, I feel like I know them. I had a customer a couple of month’s back that created a 60^th biography video for her husband. We included home movies of his childhood and then I went to her house when he was not home and interviewed family and friends, also family members out of state sent me video clips to add in. After I was done we had a very touching video with the full story of his life. The first time he watched it was at a family party back east and she said he was deeply touched, as he laughed and cried at the stories told about him. The second birthday party held at his house she hired me to come in and take a few family shots before their party. When I first met him I shook his hand and said I know all about you, but now I get to meet you face to face. When he found out I was the one who made the video, he understood this statement.

I love creating the best gifts in people’s lives. I love hearing how they touched the person who received them. Once in a while I get to see the response myself, I get to see them cry tears of joy. I can relate to this, because we started this business by creating our own video that made us cry tears of joy. You can see from these personal experiences why I say this is the best gift you can give. Don’t let the preparation for a video shy you away from creating it. We will help you every step of the way. We have different ways you can create a story with photo books, montages, biography videos, or digital cards. Each one will tell a story, and touch someone’s heart.

Do you have a “Picture Person” in your life? Give them the best gift you could give. As they are crying tears of joy, they will thank you over and over again.

Family Pictures Tell A Story

Posted on August 29, 2013 by tearsofjoyvideo

Today in the digital age, we click our cameras (or phones) whenever we see something interesting. Some pictures may be foolish. I don’t think I have seen so many pictures of food or coffee before the establishment of social media. But still with each picture we are documenting our life.

In the days of film you were a little more careful of what you took pictures of, because when the film was out, so was your ability to take pictures. So what we choose to take pictures of had meaning. Even if your parents or grandparents were not perfect at picture taking, the things that took pictures of had meaning in their life. Here are a few pictures from my family album. Let me show how they tell a story.

My dad’s mustang
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This was my dad’s mustang convertible. He ordered in in 1964 and my mom and my dad flew to the Ford factory to get it and drove it home. This is a picture of my dad driving it for the first time. My dad loved convertibles. We had a number of them as a kid, but this was his favorite one. Can you see how this picture tells a story? Here is another one:

My sister in 50’s car seat.
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The baby in the front was my sister. Now this was probably taken to show my sister’s ride in the convertible. But what a piece of history! It shows the difference from today how car seats have changed. Did that seat have any safety features? It doesn’t look like it. Did my parents know they were documenting that history? Probably not, which means our pictures of daily life could have some significance in the future. This picture also showed that my parents were driving convertibles our entire life, which is why this next picture is a part of my personal history.

My First Car
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This is my first car. It had to be a convertible. I loved this car, even though the body was rusting away and the roof leaked, on sunny days with the roof down riding down the road as a young woman was one of my favorite memories. I eventually sold it because it wasn’t practical. But years later when I was in my 40’s I bought another convertible and I own a scooter now, which when I ride it gives me the same feeling as being in a convertible.

My second convertible
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Me driving my convertible
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Me on my Scooter
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From my parents pictures I know that my love of convertibles started at a young age. My parents history was told in the pictures. More history in my next post.

What history is told in your family pictures? Share your stories below: