Creating the perfect photo montage for wedding videos

Transferring slides to video
The first thing you'll need to transfer 35mm slides is a slide projector and some sort of screen. Used projectors are easy to come by and reasonably priced. Simply project the slides onto a piece of heavy paper tacked or fastened to a wall! A light gray, slightly textured paper works well as a screen, as it cuts down excessive contrast on the projected slides.

Now you need to film the slides. I know! It sounds low tech but that's the best way. Film each slide for about 6 seconds . Ensure that you have the slide perfectly centred. Be careful too to ensure that you know whether your viewfinder shows the true screen image or, as with the Canon XM and XL range, about 70%. YOu will always end up cropping some of the photo or slide - particularly if you are filming for a widescreen. To compensate for this - why not do some very slow pans or zooms to give an expensive rostrum camera feel.

Keep yourself composed!

After your picture is framed, you must set the iris for proper exposure. Use the manual iris to fade up from black at the beginning of the transfer, and fade to black when you've finished all the slides, recording black for about a minute at the end.

It's very important that you set your white balance to make sure your camera picks up true colors from the slides. Do this by simply aiming your camera at a white piece of paper and pushing the white balance button.

Finally, properly load the slides in the projector. It's best if you number slides and prints so they can be transferred in the proper order

Adjust your monitor and dim the lights. Now with each slide, you'll need to frame the image, check your focus, set your iris (and white balance, if necessary), hit the pause button to record the image for six to eight seconds, and then hit the pause button to stop recording. And index the next slide, and repeat the procedure. Remember that you have about three minutes to set up your next slide before your deck or your camcorder will "lose pause" and shut off. If that happens, hit the play switch, then go back and recue the video so you don't get a glitch between pictures.

A final note: since slides (and photos) are still images, you can enhance their look with your own careful camera moves. Try panning left to right for photos or slides of large groups; zooming in (or out) to catch selected highlights, or even tilting up to get the full view of a large, vertical structure like the Eiffel Tower. It's always best to start your move while your tape is paused; that way, you're less likely to bump or wiggle your camera, too.

Working with photos
The process for transferring photographs to video is basically the same as working with slides. Instead of a projector, though, you'll need a copystand or a simple easel to hold the photos, and a light source. This can be a simple incandescent 100-watt flood lamp, carefully aimed at the picture from one side so it doesn't reflect back into the camera lens. After white balancing your camera, simply record six to eight seconds of each picture, pause your deck or camcorder, switch pictures, compose and focus your shot, and record the next image.

Whether you're doing it for love or for money, careful pre-planning and attention to detail during your transfer session will assure a superior video product!

Final words
It is likely that if you are asked to produce a photo montage that you will reeive a mixture of large and small prints and slides. Manage expectations. Your camera can probably focus on a very small object but if you get a passport sized photo explain that it may not be possible to use this - or that it may have to be enlarged. If you do it right this can be a very effective montage for less effort than you may think.

Adding value to a photo montage
Think creatively. some consumer editing systems will give you - for example - a blue screen function. Why not interview the couple and their parents, on camera, with the photo montage in the background.. There are more great ideas for adding value to wedding videos in the book available from this website.

For a full range of products for aspiring wedding videographers go to www.contrastvideo.co.uk