Sad day

Today is my friend Andrew “Wedge” James’s funeral. He died the other day, at the age of just 51, of cancer. Poor Wedge. At the bottom here (the long-haired guy in the background is me):

Since I cannot be in the UK for the funeral, I video’d a short (2 minute) tribute to him, to be played there today. You can see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKFTNtrkwn8

Since most new cameras now do video, I thought you might want to see how I did this. I am not by inclination a video guy, but can put together a video, of course. And here’s how:

  • I used my Canon 7D – set to record video at 24 fps
  • I used a tripod and prefocused manually
  • I set the camera to f/5.6 and 1/30th sec in manual exposure mode.
  • I used the Modeling lights of by Bowens flashes as the lights.
  • I used iMovie on my Mac to put this together including the inserted pictures, background sounds, and transitions. This took most of the time, of course.
  • And to save time at the end, I uploaded straight to Youtube from within iMovie. This worked beautifully.

I think that while this is not as good as being there, it is a fitting way to share my recollection of Wedge. Video has its uses.

0 thoughts on “Sad day

  1. Michael,

    We watched your video yesterday at the gathering at Jenny’s pub, and it got a huge round of applause. Steely Dan, My Old School… I don’t suppose you know, but Nick Williams and I took Wedge to Rome to see Steely Dan in July. He was still well enough then (just) to enjoy it, and I’m so glad we did it. We sat there siinging along to every track (well, all the pre-Aja stuff anyway..!)

    I feel empty today, as of course does Mike (who called me at lunchtime). The party’s over, and no more Wedge – what do we do now? My thoughts today are with Simon as well, poor chap, he’ll really miss his big brother.

    Mike, I have very fond memories of you, so I hope things are well with you, and let’s not leave it another 28 years or whatever it is! I saw Charlotte yesterday for the first time in 26 years – amazing. It was such a gathering, the little man would have been justifiably proud, and I imagine the party went on into the night – we left it in the early evening, kids had to get back to do homework etc.

    I can’t tell you how much of a hole Wedge’s departure will leave in my life – he’s spent the last six or seven years with us at Christmas, and we’ll all miss him terribly.

    Lots of love, and well done again on your video, it touched a lot of people yesterday.

    Jamie (Harper)
    jharper@ntlworld.com

  2. Jamie – good God, that is so nice to hear. Yes, Wedge will be sorely missed.

    Let’s NOT make it another 28 years. One reason I am a photographer is that I am acutely aware of the moment. When the moment is over, it is over forever.

    Let’s touch base – I’ll send you an email.

    Michael

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