Quarum Blog: March 2009

Monday, March 30, 2009

A very unique and cool location for a bride and groom... Diana & Fab had a blast!!!

WEGZ Stadium Bar is elevating the traditional sports bar to a whole new level… With the combination of over 90 televisions, ten 10’x10’ High Definition projection screens, one massive 16’x22’ HD theatre screen and a state-of-the-art audio system, WEGZ is the next best place to be than (actually) being at the game. WEGZ has something for everyone- 23,000 square feet of sports - sex appeal – tantalizing cuisine – creative cocktails – off-track wagering – an array of interactive activities and exclusive areas which are ideal for group events. Located in Vaughan, WEGZ is Canada’s sports destination with a personality. More than sports, more than a restaurant, more than a bar… WEGZ is Canada’s ONLY Stadium Bar! http://www.wegz.com/

Friday, March 27, 2009

A classic location in the heart of the city...

Gradon Hall

Upon entering the walled court yard of Graydon Hall Manor, the true size and scope of the property inspires, while the porte-cochere welcomes guests and leads them into the mansion, offering a glimpse of the grandeur inspired by the grand staircase. The reception room hints of the garden façade inviting guests to experience the formal gardens. A 160 foot-long balustrade stone terrace wraps the length and the west side of the mansion, overlooking the cascading fountains and the formal gardens in the backdrop. The elegantly designed dining room extends from the reception room to welcome discriminating diners with plush furnishings, ornate mouldings, sunny bay windows, and charming fireplaces. After mingling, dining, and entertaining, one can retreat to the warmth and intimacy of the library, begging the company of cigar and cognac enthusiasts. visit Graydon Hall Manor. http://www.graydonhall.com/

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Here are some clips from Sylvia & J.P's wedding day...

Mondo Uomo

Mondo Uomo has served it's clients from it's Vaughan location for the past 10 years. We are conveniently located 10 minutes from Toronto Pearson Intl Airport and 20 minutes from downtown Toronto.We offer a wide selectionof men's fine clothing and carry a fine line of Designer Brands: Hugo Boss, Pal Zileri, Ermenegildo Zegna, Dolce & Gabbana, ...http://www.mondouomo.com/Quarum photo and video often work together and are located in the same wedding plaza 4040 Steeles Ave, West. unit #33

Why Do Professional Photographers Cost So Much?

Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?

In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home “photo printers”, when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time – How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8×10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?
Here’s why.
Simply put, you’re not just paying for the actual photograph, you’re paying for time and expertise in creating the image itself. First, let’s look at the actual time involved. If you don’t read this entire page, at least read this first part.
For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session- two hours of shooting- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 – 4 Gb of data)- 30 minutes to back up the files on multiple external drives plus DVD’s- 3 – 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs- 2 – 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.- For local customers, we meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $300 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.
For an eight hour wedding:
- I won’t bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least one full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour. In addition, all of the little “things” you want in the package, the album, the proofing, the prints, the parent albums, are not only expensive for the photographer to buy, but also require a lot of time by the studio to handle and produce.
Now for the expertise.
Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though our camera’s average $4,000-$5,000 for just the body, and most of our lens are in the $2,000 category, taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.
Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.
And let’s not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera – and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.
Think of it this way – the next time you pay $100 to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional to actually do the job.
What about the cheap studios at the mall?
Please don’t compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won’t come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.
The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you’ll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you’re there, you’ll also spend $200 on other things. They don’t have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.
Conclusion
We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.

Going GREEN on your wedding day!!!

Green wedding tips
Save the earth
How to add shades of green to your wedding day:
— Limit guest travel. Have the wedding in the town where most guests live; help arrange car pools.
— Have a daytime wedding, outdoors when possible.
— Choose recycled paper for invitations and place cards.
— Serve organic, locally grown food.
— Decorate with organic, locally grown flowers, fruits and veggies. Create smaller centerpieces. Choose potted plants rather than cut flowers.
— Seek out caterers who recycle materials and use linen and china instead of disposables.
— Wear vintage clothes and jewelry, or choose “green” fibers like silk or organic cotton.
— Use candles.
— Go acoustic.
— Hire a hybrid limo, or a horse and buggy.
— Pick digital over film.
— Check out businesses that claim to provide green services and see if they really do; many new companies have entered the rapidly growing market.
— Find out how much greenhouse gas your wedding will create at TerraPass.com, which offers to then “offset” the event by inviting you to invest in energy saving technologies.
— Pass it on: Show guests that an elegant event can also be light on the environment.