Harding Videography

11.5.2011

2011-11-08T21:18:00.000-08:00

10.29.2011

2011-11-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

10.22.2011

2011-11-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

10.15.2011

2011-11-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

10.1.2011

2011-11-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

9.17.2011

2011-09-25T15:40:00.002-07:00

9.10.2011

2011-09-25T15:40:00.001-07:00

9.3.2011

2011-09-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

8.20.2011

2011-09-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

John Lee Photography: Seniors

2011-09-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

8.13.2011

2011-09-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

8.6.2011

2011-08-10T23:15:00.001-07:00

7.30.2011

2011-08-10T23:14:00.000-07:00

7.23.2011

2011-08-10T23:10:00.000-07:00

7.16.2011

2011-07-24T14:27:00.001-07:00

7.15.2011

2011-07-24T14:26:00.001-07:00

7.4.2011

2011-07-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

6.18.2011

2011-06-20T12:26:00.002-07:00

6.11.2011

2011-06-20T12:26:00.001-07:00

6.4.2011

2011-06-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

5.28.2011

2011-05-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

One...

Two...

5.21.2011

2011-05-29T22:31:00.000-07:00

5.14.2011

2011-05-16T10:50:00.001-07:00

4.30.11

2011-05-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

3.19.11

2011-04-06T12:49:00.001-07:00

12.31.2010

2011-01-06T09:59:00.001-08:00

11.27.2010

2011-01-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

10.16.2010

2010-10-28T10:06:00.000-07:00

2nd Annual Josephs Diamond Dash

2010-10-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

9.25.2010

2010-09-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

9.4.2010

2010-09-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

8.28.2010

2010-09-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

7.31.2010

2010-08-24T15:00:00.001-07:00

7.31.2010

2010-08-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

7.10.2010

2010-08-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

7.10.2010

2010-07-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

7.3.2010

2010-07-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

6.26.2010

2010-07-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

6.12.2010

2010-06-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

6.5.2010

2010-06-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

RaeLynn and Brice are two if the nicest people I know and I am honored that they asked me to film their wedding. Set in my hometown of Nevada, I was really looking forward to this day and it ended up being nothing short of a beautiful wedding and a fantastic time!

Upon my arrival to the hair salon to film RaeLynn getting her hair done I was put on the phone with Brice who then told me that he didn't want his future wife to know but he wanted to do something fun for her that she could later see on the dvd. I asked what he would like to do and his response was, "I don't know. Do you have any ideas?" I figured we could come up with something. So once I arrived at the church and most photos were taken we had about thirty minutes to come up with something to do. It was time to brainstorm! I tossed around a couple ideas and we eventually ended up with what takes place at the beginning of their highlight video. Have fun watching this one!

Their photographer was Paul from Reflected Images. He was great to work with and even after introducing ourselves to one another we later realized we had already worked together. Who knows where! :) His photos are great and RaeLynn has had nothing but nice things to say about them as well.

This was the most fun I have had filming a wedding in a long time! Thanks guys!

5.30.2010

2010-06-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

5.28.2010

2010-06-10T23:55:00.000-07:00

5.21.2010

2010-05-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

I remember when Asiya and her mother found me at the Hy-Vee Bridal Show in Des Moines. They stopped by my booth, checked things out, looked at me and asked, "Have you ever filmed a traditional Indian wedding before?" I believe my response was something like... "Not yet but I would LOVE to!" I knew it would be a fun and exciting challenge and couldn't wait for my opportunity to try my hand at it for the first time.

To say that the ceremony they have is different is an understatement. Most traditional Indian weddings are 2 or sometimes 3 days long. I honestly had no idea about that. It's amazing! The way Asiya explained it to me is probably the easiest way to describe it. The first day is more like a 'reception' atmosphere. A day filled with gifts, dancing and celebrating. The second day would be the actual marriage ceremony. Different in it's own way. The bride remains separate from the groom while the marriage proposal (on paper) is reviewed by the groom. In this case it was Adeel. Adeel consented to the marriage and then the father, and officiant (and anyone else asked to join) will take the document to the bride for her to review and sign. After she signs they will then take it back to the groom and have him sign. Once he does they are officially married, even though they haven't even been in the same room as the other. Shortly after the bride comes down and another time of celebration begins. This is how it was for Asiya and Adeel. Although, I was told by their family that there are many other ways that it is done as well. It all depends on what part of India you are from. Very cool stuff! I had an amazing time and wouldn't have traded this experience for anything!

The video below is of the first day. Enjoy!!

1.30.2010

2010-02-08T22:47:00.000-08:00

11.7.2009

2010-01-10T19:21:00.000-08:00

My last wedding of 2009. Dayna and Adam met me just 2 months earlier at a bridal show and asked me to film their big day. As always, I was honored to be asked and had a great day filming and getting to know them and their friends and family. Their wedding was at the Johnston Evangelical Free Church in Johnston, Iowa. The reception was in the same building and just across the hall. Talk about convenient! The lighting in the church was superb and we did make it outside for some photo ops at a nearby farm. When all else fails just give the bride a pitchfork. It works every time!

When all was said and done the video turned out fantastic. I knew that both Dayna and Adam were fans of country music so I put some Alison Krauss with their highlight video. They also were (like myself) addicted to the tv show Lost. I just wish I could have incorporated that somehow.

(Inside joke for Lost fans)
At the end I should have had it say 'Bad Robot.'

10.31.2009

2010-01-10T18:26:00.000-08:00

I always wondered when I would get to film a wedding on Halloween. This was the year. At Simpson College in Indianola I spent the day with Darby and Tony. Not just them though. I also spent time with their gigantic wedding party. It was a great time! Although there were no ghosts or goblins running through the shots I got, I did get some amazing footage throughout the day. I suppose I could go on and on about details but what you really want to do is watch this...

I know I say this a lot about the people I work with but Darby and Tony were some of the nicest people I have met.

Did I mention that I love my job?

10.17.2009

2010-01-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

When I was approached about filming a wedding in Iowa City I was about as excited as a video guy can be. After all I did live there for about 6 years. So wedding planner and friend Cynthia Betts gave me the call and I was happy to say YES to filming the wedding of Michelle and Christian! They had their ceremony at the Sheraton and the reception at the awesome Hotel Vetro. Oh, and it was October. I mean, come on... How much cooler can it get? The leaves changing in the parks and taking photos by the tree Christian proposed at. It's too good. But I digress...

The ceremony was a very intimate setting with close family and friends. After the vows and the conversations in the receiving line everyone piled in a party bus and hit the college town for some awesome photo ops. The reception was an amazing setup that Cynthia had put together with her team. The food was delicious and I would almost dare to say the DJ, Jason Wells of Pro Sound, played the widest variety of music I have heard at a reception. Everyone had to of gotten up and danced at some point. After all, if you can resist the musical stylings of Soulja Boy and Billie Holiday, I would bet that you can't ignore the greatness of Journey.

I hope you enjoy the video!

9.26.2009

2010-01-10T17:48:00.001-08:00

At about noon on a beautiful September day I arrived at St. Francis Catholic Church in West Des Moines to film the wedding of Katie and Eric. Soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Schuldt. The photos were already underway and the ceremoney was to start about an hour and a half later. With a wedding party as big as the one they had I knew there would be some great footage from them all getting the photos taken and waiting in the wings of the church for the wedding to start. Sure enough, I was right. Everyone was so friendly and you could tell that they were a close group. The church was built in a round style which gave me even more freedom for getting the shots I wanted. The ceremony was perfect and really suited them as a couple!

Afterwards we headed off to a near by county club for some shots with the photographer. I beleive there was rain in the forcast but, as you can tell from the video, sometimes the weatherman doesn't get his way.

The reception was laid back and filled with family and friends that just wanted to get on the dancefloor and dance. So after the speeches, pop quizes from the groom's new father and cake cutting... everyone got what they wanted.

In the words of the Black Eyed Peas... I think that night was indeed a very "Good Night."

9.6.2009

2010-01-10T17:28:00.000-08:00

A wedding at the state capital? Count me in! Not only was it amazing weather outside but Cassie (the Bride) and Ben (the Groom) were awesome people to work with and film. Just steps away from where the ceremony was going to be held is the spot where all the photos were being taken so as the time to start was approaching you would see more and more family and friends show up and gather with everyone else for a pre-wedding reception of sorts. It was very cool. As far as the wedding goes... I think the video says more about it than I ever could. Enjoy!

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that it was this wedding where I met one of the coolest photographers in the world, Renee Johannesen.

8.1.2009

2009-10-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

August 1st was the day I filmed the wedding of Stephanie and Sean. It was such a great day! The day started with photos outside the church and, although I never saw the final pictures, given the scenery and wonderful people, I imagine they turned out fantastic. I know the video did! After the photos and the ceremony the couple did something I thought was very cool. They had everyone in attendance stand out on the steps in front of the church for a photo. Awesome idea! Feel free to check out some of the shots from the beginning of the day...

Now sometimes you can't fit all of the great shots of a wedding into just one Frank Sinatra song. So perhaps we should bring in Bobby Darrin to accompany us with some more. Set on Court Avenue in Des Moines, here is some great footage of Stephanie and Sean taking more photos just after the wedding. Enjoy!

7.4.2009

2009-09-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

Filmed on the 4th of July was the wedding of Maria and David Andrew. Probably one of the most extravagant weddings I have seen in a long time. Set at the home of Maria's grandfather and rightly so. He has a beautiful home right on the Glen Oaks Golf Course in Des Moines. This place was amazing! Someday I aspire to have an elevator in my house as well.

I arrived at about 9 a.m. and ended up being there for just over 13 hours that day. But I wouldn't have had it any other way. Maria and David were such a pleasure to work with! Another thing that can make or break your experience at a wedding is the photographer(s) you are with for the day. In the case of this wedding I believe everyone hit the jackpot and had the pleasure of working with Rebecca and Holleen of Blind Photography in Des Moines. They not only take amazing photos but are an absolute blast to work with! With both of them snapping photos throughout your day you simply couldn't go wrong. Not to mention that they are probably the coolest photographers around. I met them for the first time in the morning during the earlier portion of the day that was spent with the girls getting ready downstairs. Maria had a great affection for 80's music, which is awesome by the way, so there was plenty of that to be heard while hairspray was being applied. Your classic favorites mixed with the appropriate amount of Michael Jackson as this was just after his passing. It was a wonderful way to kick off the day!

At some point in the morning one of the flowergirls found a baby frog and I happend to be there when they did. As the day went on I would check back and see how things were coming. The ended up naming the frog 'Princess' and decorated her temporary home (a cup) with stickers. It was pretty cute. Now why would I tell you all that without showing it to you? That would just be wrong. Take a look!

The ceremony itself was fantastic! The setting was by the pool in the back of the house. There had been moments of rain earlier on in the day but come ceremony time it was nowhere to be seen. It's funny how that just works out most of the time. Once the ceremony was over everyone moved into the house for cocktails and conversations. While they were occupied inside the best wedding planner I know, with the help of her staff, transformed the site of the wedding into the perfect reception. Her name is Cynthia Betts. Prior to meeting her I didn't quite understand what it was that a wedding planner did. Now that I know, and have seen her work, I can't imagine someone not having one. She does an amazing job every time and is nothing short of a miracle worker!

I could go on and on about this wedding but I suppose I will just let the Highlight Video speak for itself. I hope you enjoy it!

6.27.2009

2009-09-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

Nikki & Scott

My first wedding in Tama. I showed up at about 10am and started my day filming the girls getting their hair done at the salon. From there we made it over to the church and got some great pre-wedding footage with just the couple and the wedding party as well. Nikki and Scott were a fantastic couple to work with! They were very laid back and just went with the flow of the day. The church was the perfect size. The only thing I must say was a bit interesting was the 'balcony' in the church. Also known as the two foot wide window where the balcony should be. If you look closely in the video you will see it up in the corner. It ended up working out great in the end though. Granted the attic like steps that you had to pull down from the ceiling were a bit scary. :)

Here is a video of highlights from the salon in the morning until the post wedding getaway.

5.30.2009

2009-09-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

Ashley & Damu

Here is the wedding I filmed on May 30th, 2009. To this day this wedding stands to be one of the most exciting and original I have been honored to film. Excitement was in the air! Everyone was having such a great time celebrating the couple. Never before had I been to a wedding where the friends and family displayed such an exuberance of joy for the newlyweds. To say spirits were high would be an understatement.

Going in I knew a bit about the family and the setting but what I did not know is how much they LOVED the camera! Talk about a great day to be a videographer! My first hint was when Damu and one of this groomsmen busted into song without any planning or notice. They were simply displaying some dance moves for the camera and each other in the background when Damu basically said, "...hit this harmony real quick." It was at that moment that I knew the rest of the day would have more in store for me than I had anticipated. They didn't ask me for a highlight video but I had to make one anyway. I couldn't make it too long so a lot of the great moments are left out but it definitely gives you an idea of how amazing this couple was.

Another first for me was being at a reception that transformed into a nightclub at the flick of a switch. If you watched the video you probably had a sense of what I am talking about. There were times I couldn't even walk through the dance floor. It was fantastic! So many people were in the mood to dance!

I have to give credit where it is due. The DJ that they had is one of the best I have worked with in years. His name is Raines Sackett and is the owner of Encore Entertainment in Cedar Rapids. He has an amazing setup of lights and the best song selection known to man. If you are getting married in Iowa and are looking for a DJ... Look no further. Contact Raines at EncoreEntertainmentLLC@mchsi.com or (319) 431-6323.

Ashley and Damu were a fantastic couple to work with. This was definitely a wedding I will remember for a long time to come!

5.9.2009

2009-09-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

Here it is. Blog entry number one. I figure I may as well go back to the beginning of the wedding season and start with my first wedding filmed in HD.

Courtney & Adam

It was May 9th, 2009. This was one of those weddings where everything went perfect. The location was great. The people were amazing. The weather was ridiculously nice. You couldn't have asked for anything more. You can really get a sense of the day and their amazing personalities trough their highlight video.

Courtney and Adam were a blast to work with! They even took advantage of the pre wedding interviews. It is always fun having someone tell their engagement story to you with the person they are engaged to there to help out with the lost details.

I couldn't imagine a better wedding to kick off the season with!