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The New Storyteller:
Catherine Hall's Image
Narration Blends Sound and Imagery
By Margaret Lane
"Digital technology is changing the way we preserve our memories. Today's photographers can
tell stories and illustrate events in more depth than ever before," explains photographer
Catherine Hall. Hall--a pioneering artist who is developing what she calls "Image Narration"--is
owner and founder of an eponymous studio. Catherine Hall Studios specializes in both editorial
and wedding photography. Her wedding coverage allows her to serve the upper echelons of
bicoastal society, predominantly the New York metropolitan area and San Francisco Bay Area residents.
"At the moment, I position Image Narration as a special added product that complements my
in-place photography and album offering," says Hall. With her new way of storytelling, Hall has
quickly grown a following among a white glove clientele, even though she's been selective in how
and to whom she markets. "Image Narration is a newer concept that brings to life the sight,
sounds and emotions of a special time." She adds, "The market is heading in this
convergence/multimedia direction and I think it's just a matter of time before many
more photographers will embrace the additional tools and make them their own. Technology
is giving us so many more options."
Image Narration 1, 2, 3
Hall's Image Narration combines recorded audio interviews, music clips and ambient noise
with photographs, and packages them into a 10-12 minute presentation on DVD. The end result
is a rich rendition of the event and a complementary addition to what she already offers
clients. "A professionally mixed combination such as this goes way beyond slideshows engineered
to time to music," she stresses. "This is closer to a personalized mini-movie since one of the
greatest components (and a significant product differentiator) is the addition of audio
interviews. I have not observed this obvious addition in other wedding DVDs."
How is it made? "The beauty of Image Narration is that I am able to use the same images
shot from the wedding, and it's fairly easy to capture the sounds of the wedding and
surrounding site using a small portable device that records to a digital memory card,"
she states. "Aside from managing the production process, the only other real task for me
is acquiring the audio clip interviews. These interviews give the most important people in
the couple's life a chance to reflect and share what this special occasion means."
Hall has learned from experience that the best time to coordinate the audio interviews is
just prior to the wedding day. "Wedding day is simply too hectic and distracting; too far
in advance, and the excitement and emotion is not as heightened," she advises. Hall conducts
a mix of eight interviews, which generally includes the bride and groom, maid of honor,
best man and parents. She sits down one-on-one with each and poses a handful of questions:
"How did you meet? What do you love most about this man? Share something funny about their
courtship," says Hall. "Questions vary and depend on the couple. I let each interview flow
until I have between eight and 12 minutes of recording per person." Hall uses a portable
MP3 player and microphone to record the interview--pointing out that this small and
unobtrusive device makes her job that much easier and more productive than a traditional
video camera. "Interviewees are a bit more intimate and relaxed when there isn't a camera
in front on them," she mentions. "It's easier to say what they feel. My brides tell me they
don't always have a chance to talk with everyone on [their] wedding day and this is such
a wonderful memory to hear words in that person's voice."
Aside from interviews, Hall will capture the sounds of the event: glasses clinking, a
toast being given, the bride and groom greeting guests. For an occasion in Costa Rica she
went to the beach to capture the surf, and recorded the rain and morning birds. "Sound can
be very powerful and bring you back to a place," says Hall. "Image Narration is an
immersive experience that preserves in many ways."
A question that photographers will likely ask of Hall is, does she have to shoot additional
shots, plan special poses or do extra work to capture the images that will appear on the
Image Narration? The answer: No. She shoots no differently now than before she started
offering the DVDs. Just as with her wedding images destined for albums or prints, Hall
photographs a broad selection of environmental and mood images, the necessary group photos
and plenty of candids. For shooting in a photojournalistic style, she totes a Canon EOS 5D,
a Speedlite 580EX and several L Series Canon lenses.
Plotting Out the Finished Product
Following the wedding, Hall initiates image backup and does minor Photoshop editing before
considering the Image Narration flow. Since both photo and sound files are stored digitally
using common memory cards--SanDisk CompactFlash for photos and Mini Secure Digital cards
for audio--the production is easily handed off to a professional producer who begins the
build. "I shoot roughly 1500 images at an event. I go through to remove closed eyes and
such, determine favorites, do slight edits. I make a contact sheet with Photoshop and a
list of important people to include--members of family and so on. This usually equates
to about eight images that the producer will work from," says Hall.
"I rely on my professional producer to select the most poignant audio, ambient sound and
accompanying imagery to create a cinematic package," she explains. Hall's producer arranges
images chronologically and pairs interview tracks and ambient noise and music accordingly.
"The producer is given the freedom to design the DVD because she's the professional. I
receive a working copy to review and often make a few tweaks here and there."
The result is an Image Narration presentation DVD that is 12 minutes or less in length.
"We're able to spin this production around in about eight to 12 weeks, even with its degree
of complexity," she says. "When ready, I call the bride and let her know I've posted a
full-screen view of her event on my website. She receives a full screen Image Narration
Presentation on DVD and the unedited interviews."
According to Hall, Image Narrations can be viewed full screen on a computer or home
entertainment system, or watched as Quicktime movies on a computer, or online as flash
presentation. Various viewing options offer everything from high-resolution DVD presentations
of superiority quality to compressed flash presentations that can be viewed by many online.
Audio Makes It Special
Hall acknowledges that she's observed trends in the industry that indicate the market is
starting to embrace more multimedia. She gives kudos to Southern California wedding
photographer David Jay's innovative use of multimedia with video and sound. Jay has
influenced her to explore and develop Image Narration. "He's a mentor and great visionary,"
she says. He's really pushing the envelope to move the staid and expected wedding package
into the 21st century."
With firm footing as a pioneer in audio interview, Hall has come across another significant
benefit in developing Image Narrations. "Recording the interviews has allowed us to better
know our clients and their loved ones. This closeness inevitably helps with photographic
coverage," she smiles. "We're more sensitive to what's important and we've increased
intimacy. And even more profound--to the bride, these audio clips are a treasure by
themselves."
Marketing and Customer Reaction
Hall has produced Image Narration presentations for a handful of clients thus far. She's
marketing this product selectively to existing clients and is finding resonance with
couples that opt for destination weddings. "I think there are a few reasons for this,"
she notes. "One thought is that a destination wedding is often held in an exotic location
with sights, sounds, smells and culture far from our own. The medium of multimedia
captures and records more--puts the viewer in that space. It's much more immersive and
experiential." She continues, "A second reason is that not everyone can always attend
a destination wedding. The Image Narration helps those who did not attend feel like they
were present when viewing the DVD. And of course, reliving the experience is that much
more real with sound and sight."
Hall also sees brides shying away from traditional video coverage. "Couples are more
interested in preserving their wedding day naturally through photojournalistic coverage.
They rely more on the photographer to capture all parts of the wedding," she shares.
"My couples seem to love the Image Narration," she adds. "I have had several tearful
viewings by brides who get pretty emotional when they listen to the words said by loved
ones. Interviews fill a void not only with the story and words, but in the tone and
delivery and personality from that speaker." With Hall's creation of Image Narration,
she offers her couples and fellow photographers a new, innovative way of capturing the
wedding day. Hall finishes, "These are memory pieces that will be cherished and shared.
I anticipate that Image Narration will be the next step in the evolution of storytelling
for our digital age."
To learn more about Catherine Hall Studios and Image Narration, visit
www.catherinehall.net.
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