So, I've gotten spoiled recently because I work quite frequently with several of the same photographers in the area. They always are easy to get in contact with and more than happy to send me some images to use on my DVD covers. Well, it may have back fired this time. I shot with a photog I haven't ever met before and now I can't get her to get back with me about getting some images. Lesson learned! I'll take a few of my own from now on... But any of you guys have any advice on how to design the dvd covers in this situation? I have pulled stills from the video before, but it never turns out as nice. But I may have no other options...

Suggestions??

Thanks!

Cole

I always tell my couples that if their photographer takes a picture they really love then they can send it to me and I'll use that but they rarely do so I lift a still from the footage - HD is sufficient resolution for a 300dpi disc face print.

I keep thinking about taking a few stills of the couple on the day but I never seem to remember to do so with everything else I have to remember!

Pete

PixelMixer is a really good plug-in for Photoshop but not sure if it`s still available! I use it all the time to design my DVD Cases & Discs.

Yeah, It's hard to remember that on top of everything else going on!

But I think I'll start trying to at least get a still of rings, dress, and/or location so I'll have a little something to work with.

Cole,

You could do a collage for the disk cover if the images are not high enough resolution to use by themselves. And yep, that's the reason I never ever ever will depend on a photographer to take my own artwork.

Good call, Steven!

Whip out a small NEX camera to take a picture if you don't want to do a screengrab. Just buy yourself a NEX 3 or 5 which go for peanuts on ebay and keep it in the bag to take out at some stage for a quick shot.

Here is one from a 60d... Just manipulate in photshop

Whip out a small NEX camera to take a picture if you don't want to do a screengrab. Just buy yourself a NEX 3 or 5 which go for peanuts on ebay and keep it in the bag to take out at some stage for a quick shot.

... or an EM10 with its IBIS, which is great for film.

Ultimately, I've shot two weddings and shot stills at the same time... if anything, I got some great shots, but I was frustrated by this as I should have captured film of this moment, as stills don't help!

After taking stills from my latest film, I'm happy with the quality for a DVD cover. When you consider that professional prints don't necessarily come out brilliantly anyways. I outsourced my last product and the print was darker than expected.

The photogs I work with always used to make promises to send me a few pics of the couple to use on the DVD covers but I have yet to find any that actually send me a pic so quite a while back I resorted to taking my own. At least that way I know I have decent stills to work with and don't need to rely on the photog to send me images. I have even had photogs who have taken pics of me in action and have said they would send them to me but that never materialised either.

Best to be self sufficient!! At least that way you know you have everything you need and don't have to sit and wait for a photog to send you pics or have to rely on frame grabs

Chris

Most couples I'm finding are getting their photos in digital hi-res (along with albums) from their photographers. So I just always put it in the hands of the couples. If they are able and inclined to do so, they will send me their favorite photos taken by the photographer with the photographer's consent. It works 95% of the time. If not, my own still frames.

I agree with what Peter Rush said!

Also, I have had this situation and had to just go the PS route as others have said.

But yes, for future reference, if your camera you are using to film is not a DSLR, then bring a small camera as others have said and snap a photo of them.

I use a DSLR so that is what I do now if I film a wedding without my company doing the photography as well.


The photogs I work with always used to make promises to send me a few pics of the couple to use on the DVD covers but I have yet to find any that actually send me a pic so quite a while back I resorted to taking my own. At least that way I know I have decent stills to work with and don't need to rely on the photog to send me images. I have even had photogs who have taken pics of me in action and have said they would send them to me but that never materialised either.

Best to be self sufficient!! At least that way you know you have everything you need and don't have to sit and wait for a photog to send you pics or have to rely on frame grabs

Chris

Yep! You know it!

I'd say 95% of the time photographers have been great about giving me their 5 or 6 best photos of the couple, which is usually what I ask for. Then I work around that in the designs.

For the other 5% it's usually me having to get creative. Normally, I'll contact the bride or mother of the bride and see what the status is on the images. If the photographer has given them an online like, I'll usually go there and download some for myself.

There was one instance where I could not get the photographer to give me any shots, and I didn't take any myself. It's not like he refused per se'... just never responded to any of my requests. I had to get super creative on that one.

Anyways, now I always bring my D90 and 17-55 and 70-200 and try to get some shots either before the ceremony or right after. Usually tagging along behind the photographer taking the same shots they are taking.

I just remembered when I asked a photographer for photos to make the cover and he told me no and said "I hope you understand." Uh, what is there to understand? lol.

ah, the joy of shooting with a 4K camera :) I have 2 options to get great frames for my dvd-covers, I either shoot with my gh4 or ax100, I increase the shutter so I won't get any motionblur and I just extract frames afterwards in post, the resolution is more then plenty to fill an entire dvdcover and the detail is comparable with a regular photo.

Or I shoot with my rx10 but use it to shoot pictures in raw in between, it's a bit of a hassle as I have to switch between video and photo all the time while with my 4K camera I can just concentrate on the content and worry about photos later in post, the difference of shooting video in 4K or shooting a picture in raw is quite substantial. I can manipulate those raw pictures much further the 4k frames, especially in high contrast scenes where I can get a lot detail back out apparently blown out skies and underexposed shadows.

I always ask the couple to send me a few photos to be used in DVD inserts, labels and menu design. They did hire a professional photographer for their big day. Then on the design, I will put a foot note like "Photo courtesy XYZ Photography Studio" something like that.

Sometimes I manipulated the image too :)

I give the bride and groom copy in a boxed presentation case but for extra copies I have had a design printed in bulk and I overlay the names and date - I only use a photo for the disc itself