This "photo" is a screen grab from a wedding day invite video I shot with the 5D Mark II.
No, I’m not talking about the 1993 Tony Scott-directed, Quentin Tarantino-penned movie by the same name. I’m talking about a collection of some of the coolest “love” songs in the Triple Scoop Music library. As many of you know, TSM has a library of over 5,000 songs (I originally wrote 1,000 in this blog, but I stand correced) written by award-winning writers and composers available for LEGAL use in online videos and slideshows for only $60/each. (If you’ve ever tried to secure legal rights to get a cool song for a video, you can appreciate the value of that). The team at TSM has worked with the top photographers in the wedding, portrait, and fashion worlds to choose “celebrity play lists”, or collections. I’m happy to announce that after years of talking about it with TSM, my personal collection is now live. I know I may be slightly biased, but I do believe this is the best collection I’ve heard on TSM. 
Besides having the coolest title (IMHO) and a great collection of songs, the songs picked also have a backstory. Each one in some way relates to my real life love story with Dare Dreamer Media creative director and Teen Identity Portraits photographer, my beloved wife Tasra. So, I designed the collection to be a real-life soundtrack. How cool is that?!
TIPS FOR USING THE SONGS
I wanted to pick songs that I knew fellow videographers could use for unique wedding demo reels, love stories, montages or promo videos for wedding photographers. I know it’s common practice to use copyrighted music in clients’ wedding or anniversary related videos. I’m a realist. That’s not going to change. But, as sites like Facebook, Vimeo, and YouTube get more strict at taking down videos that have copyright infringing musics (I’ve heard a number of horror stories on the videographer boards I frequent), savvy videographers and photographers will avoid the copyright police by editing demo reels and similar videos/slideshows to songs like the ones provided by TSM. Here are some usage ideas:
- Demo Reels: If you make a demo reel of your video work choose a song like Kirsten Vogelsang’s “Love Letters” to create an emotional mood piece.
- Unique Soundtracks: set yourself even more apart from your competition by offering unique soundtracks for the videos you produce. The pitch can be something like, “Why have your wedding movie sound like everybody else’s with music by Enya or Gladiator. In addition to your “must have” popular songs, we’ll mix in fantastic lyrical works that will tell YOUR unique story, but won’t sound like anyone else’s wedding movie.”
- Highlight the individual: use a song like Carmen Calhoun’s “Dare to Be” or Marieandre’s “A Girl Like Me” for a cool photog promo, engagement video/slideshow, or highlight reel about the bride.
ENTER DRAWING TO WIN A SONG FROM MY COLLECTION
Hop on over to my collection page and listen to the song list. Then come back here and leave a comment about which song you like the best and why. In one week I’ll do a drawing from the list of comments that give a fave song and reason. We’ll pick THREE winners to each get their favorite song from the collection. I think you’ll enjoy listening. Listen now.
