What began as a young teen’s hobby for videographing has evolved into a growing business that that literally brings personal simchas to life with every viewing.
Colorado born Yosef Shidler has had a video camera in his hand for more than half his life, first using home movie camcorders and moving up to professional and expensive equipment.
“It is always a thrill to be able to capture a moment in time,” explained Shidler, today a resident of Crown Heights and owner of CJ Studios.
“It gives people who were at the event an opportunity to relive the experience and those weren’t in attendance the ability to feel as if they were there.”
After toying with video filming for many years, Shidler made the decision to turn his work, previously done under the pseudonym Cool Jew, to a profitable career. And he already created a following of satisfied customers.
“He really captured the essence of my simcha,” said Yudi Holtzberg, who hired CJ Studios to film his son’s Bar Mitzvah. “I admit to having been a little skeptical hiring someone who was relatively new but Baruch Hashem, I couldn’t have possibly made a better choice.”
One of the video services that draws customers is the quick turnaround time.
“Not only do work exclusively in High Definition video, which yields a crystal clear product, but we provide raw video footage to our clients within 72 hours,” said Shidler.
“Customers have the ability to relive their simcha just hours after the event as well as providing them with the opportunity to work with our editors, telling them which portions of the video they want highlighted and placing requests for video style and music.”
He said a full edited video can be ready by 6 to 7 weeks – an uncommon speed in the simcha industry.
“We had an a-capella at my son’s Bar Mitzvah and I was very impressed with Yosef’s creativity, which highlighted the many aspects of the simcha so well that when you watch it you feel like you are really there,” said Yossi Goldstein.
Candid and often entertaining interviews with the baalei simcha are another unique feature CJ Studios offers, as the stars of the day share their thoughts and feelings about this milestone event in their lives.
Shidler says he includes a second videographer in the general affordable pricing package at no additional charge.
“With one video crew you are faced with a difficult dilemma,” explained Shidler. “Which one is more important? The chosson dancing with his father? Or the kallah dancing with her mother? How can you possibly capture both with only one videographer?”
For Shidler himself, being present at a client’s simcha is about being able to capture the essence of a once in a lifetime event, in a way that never interferes with the affair.
“There are moments in life where there are no do-overs and it is my job to get everything right the first time around, because when it comes to a simcha, there are no second chances. Every affair I attend becomes my simcha too and I will do whatever it takes to work with both my clients and my video editor to transform the raw footage I shoot into a one of a kind masterpiece that will be treasured by family members.”
While CJ Studios works with many photographers, Shidler particularly enjoys teaming up with veteran photographer Eli Robinson to capture milestone moments, both live and still.
“Eli and I are like minded so we work very well together,” said Shidler. “At many simchos, Eli doesn’t leave the hall until they are about to turn off the lights while so many photographers leave after the second dance. More importantly, he is genuinely warm and open and the nicest guy I have ever met in this field, making him a joy to work with.”
For Robinson, photographing a simcha is an opportunity to let his skills as a photojournalist speak for themselves.
“I look to capture the moments that the subjects create themselves so that their attitude and energy is evident in every picture,” explained Robinson. “There isn’t a moment missed, from the kids playing, to getting chocolate on their face, to capturing the reactions of the mothers when they see their kids dancing. Every image tells a story and it is my job to capture that as well as the accompanying emotion.”
Robinson uses three point lighting to enhance his subjects and edits his high resolution photos using the latest photo enhancement software to make the most out of each image, cropping photos as needed, adding visual effects and often creating several new photographs from different portions of the same picture.
Both Shidler and Robinson recognize that when they are hired for a job, they are being entrusted with the most important moments in their clients’ lives.
“It bothers me that there are people who treat this as nothing more than a job,” said Shidler, who often stays late to shoot every moment of an event. “I am not here to work nine to five. I am here to capture a simcha so that my clients can relive those magical moments for years to come.”
CJ Studios is available for weddings and Bar Mitzvah please call 718.781.6405 or email [email protected]
Congrats man, made it in a mans world!
I always believed in you, but here you are at the top of COL!
We have had Yosef at 2 of our simchas and have recommended him to friends What a great man to work with. He has fantastic ideas and you never know he is there. His work is simply awsome.
he isnt a photographer 🙂 he is a videoographer
photographer in the world
Yossi is excellent. I have worked with him a number of times and he does a great job. Keep it up
hey yossi is the best videographer i have ever met and i am proud to be his sister-in-law… you the best
I know Yossi for quite sometime now, i can come to the conclusion that he is a master in his talent, he has a sharp eye, and a feeling to preserve a precious moment, i recommend him without reservation for all occasions, Hatzlacha, ShiaHD
Shidler your making it big!
such a proud wife to see all these ppl talking about yossi 🙂 !!
Working with Yosef was a true pleasure, do it again any time!
Great work, honest mentch!
from the start you only gave us great feelings! thank you!
Yosef, over the year I know you, you just keep on bringing your professional level up! its amazing, keep on going!
good friend of yosef, kol hakavod!
i had yosef at my bar mitzvah, and was shocked when i received my video and pictures just a week after woulds,
yosef you really put a smile on my face!!!
thanks!
Yosef, you are truly the BEST! 🙂
One of the best photographers I have ever met.
Please contact usCJ we will help that a bar mitzvah should not be $8k we can help make it alot less! We wanna help you save!
Will he travel out of NY?
We used Yosef Shidler and CJ Studios for our wedding and we couldn’t be happier! He was so fast and professional and truly wanted to give us the best product at an affordable price. I plan to hire CJ Studios for all of our simchas!
hire him, he’s a mentsch 🙂
so true! simcha’s are so expensive these days, just for a simple bar mitzvah you put out 8,000 !!!
U guys were great and patient I was very impressed and can’t wiat to see video and pictures ! Good luck !!!! Cs berns
go yossi!!
The local video guy was busy, so 2nd best yosef shidler, i was very skeptical but in the end really pleased! would deffintly reccomd
JOSEPH!! SERIOUSLY U ROCK!
i saw him @ a wedding and alot of video guys leave early , like in middle of 2nd dance, but he stayed til lights were off! good stuff
our son just got married last week and wow we were so shocked with the turn around shidler gave us was fantastic
You Rock!!!!!
one thing I can say you cant beat his price and quality!!! We had an amazing experince
its true, we got our youtube links within 72 hours, it was amazing @ sheva brachas to re-see our wedding! thank you!
yosef was my councelor in pre-misvata, he was even doing videos back then!
best bar mitzvah video! deffintly highly reccomended!
go YOSEF!
the cooljew has made it to the top
personal video shidler did for me, very personal and intimate piece! just what i asked for.
from across the world i called him, came to my service right away, beautiful videos
gr8 article cooljew!!!
I have seen some of his work and its stunning!
We want the Chumos song lol.