Doug Gordon's "Weddings with a Video Light the Easy Way" DVD...

The title, "Weddings with a Video Light the Easy Way" is (slightly) misleading, because once you start watching the DVD you will soon realize that it is much, much more. So don't look at the title ("oh, it's only about a video light") and assume that it may not be your cup of tea.

The DVD is about an hour and twenty minutes long, but because Doug Gordon moves fast and talks even faster you are really getting about 2 hours worth of instruction.

;)

One more bit of information before I actually jump into the review, have your thumb poised over your pause button because when you combine Doug's Evelyn Wood Speed talking and the depth of the content, you will want to pause, digest, rewind, and watch it again (and again).

I promise you that you will not watch this DVD straight through, there will be some pausing and rewinding going on.

The DVD starts on the beach with Doug, his class, along with his bride and groom model. This is where Doug starts his introduction of how a small battery operated video light can greatly broaden the ability of photographers to take great pictures. That is the major theme, but the first thing you notice is how windy it was that day, I'm talking gale force winds, and add to that, it was cold!

But by watching Doug instructing his class you will soon realize how to overcome these obstacles, and Doug makes it look easy.

So your watching (and learning) how to use the video light to enhance your images, your watching Doug fight the wind (and winning), but then you are also learning some new phenomenal posing techniques (hence the pause, digest, rewind, watch again).

And if that isn't enough, you are also being peppered with great bits of wisdom: question - "What is a gold reflector doing for you, what is it emulating", Answer - "it pushing in light and acting as a warming filter".

Here are a couple of screen shots from the video, in the first image you will see a shot of what it was like on the beach that day, and the second shot is what you can produce with the correct lighting and camera settings:

Pretty impressive, huh?

And if you look at her headpiece you can see just how hard the wind was blowing.

Now if the video ended here I would have been a happy guy, but it doesn't, next Doug takes you to a function hall, your typical setting for a wedding reception at any town USA.

Now Doug adds to the mix, cluttered environment (chairs, couches, tables, etc.) harsh overhead halogen lighting, and busy backgrounds that could ruin any picture.

And here in this setting Doug continues his magic of lighting, posing and what you need to do to get great reception shots.

He covers everything from when and why you should shoot in manual mode, and when to use other settings. He explains what his shutter speed, ISO and f/stop is and why. It's one thing to tell a person what the camera settings are that are being used, but it takes instruction to the next level when you explain why they are being used.

He also explains where he is metering from (wall, face, eye, etc.) and the rational behind why he chose to meter from where he did.

Doug pays attention to detail, he has no problem pulling up the wedding dress to show you the position of the brides legs.

He points out how important to look at the background of your image, what is where, and most importantly, where it should be.

Watching this video will teach you how to use a wall sconce to your advantage for lighting purposes as well as adding content to the image, "what is here and how can I use it".

By the time the DVD ends you will be singing the Doug Gordon mantra “light is everywhere”.

If knowledge is power, then this DVD will make you feel like a king.