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Vow Renewal Interview and Q&A

Lesson 24 from: Documentary Wedding Photography: Capturing Reality

Tyler Wirken

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Lesson Info

24. Vow Renewal Interview and Q&A

Lesson Info

Vow Renewal Interview and Q&A

That was weird to watch it's got a fun though, was it it was it was interesting that was so great yeah um so weird to watch yourself like talking about your thoughts and you know what you're doing it was really fun I mean I mean that that was you know, as you see that was that was completely riel and a cz realize we could get it I was really, really, really happy with that, you know? And so now I just can't I'm so excited I cannot wait to show these people their pictures right? But but yeah so you know, you know, this is this is the one I wanted to bring them on for many reasons, but I wanted to bring them on to show to show them their photos for the first time because I think I think like watching people kind of react like that can really be helpful, especially as a photographer, you know, there's a way that you can like skype in with your clients or something when they see their pictures is kind of fun and you can kind of like, understand like, you know, what there what they're react...

ing to what they're not reacting too and you could really learn a lot, you know? And so I think it's I think it's just a really important stage too kind of you asked so much of them and access and then it's just interesting teo to be able to kind of come back together and kind of relive it it's like I want to want to do that with with angela and evan and so I know there they're probably not crazy excited about being live across the world but you know what? We're going to make it happen you know so anyway so I think I think we're good right are we ready so should we should we should we bring him on and see their pictures so anyway let's welcome angela and evan oh my god. That was weird kind of my thing here was awesome. So what's funny jim is angela made evan take off his khaki pants forty game in a way we're like triplets. How funny is that awesome they all have the same outfit on anyway. Okay, you guys ready? We dying in the back I made them I made them not I made them not able to see that video you know you're facing did you did you cheat some movement on that way then they like noticing so they have a place for me. All right, so what we're gonna do because I have a slide show a little life so you guys have to kind of maneuver somehow right so you can see it and so I have a little slide show that I made it's not every image right because uh it's just there's certain images that just don't flow with the story like some of the portrait's and stuff like that but but there there you're just not going to see them right now, right? So this is basically just you know the story of the day and kind of my my favorites of everything so yeah yeah yeah ri rick I want you guys to be able to see so if you're ready waken go for it okay wait okay part I was always makes me nervous I'm like looking right at you so if it sucks that I'm in trouble all right here you little switch over and he's a switch ah take me along see what you it's like an thing a sale of is the wrong way and what I don't say pushes you away I can't wait and wrestle with you wait it's like everything say puts me in the place take my hand just to keep me at are the, um you like the moon and right wait so way be lady teo hardy's way because dealers keep it is laddie tio you don't you wait and right for booth no who's that meaning feelings is feeling but I'm tired so sad you can do what you are with it words lose their meaning field is those feeling but I'm tired so a sedative so you can take what teo woz is their meaning feelings is feeling but I'm tired so I said it's you catch tio tio with you can give it away back to me I throw it away to sue khun dio to walk with you khun dio you ah you are my home you um I like son in moon and right for the group you ah wei sadly there's like little birds chirping in the audio at the but you couldn't hear it so I was like I like that because it was kind of the outdoors you know and like anyway so there you go guys you really are not to cry don't do it teo what haven't ugly cry your way doesn't matter way want to see the ocean yeah that was like really there wasn't really there I got a little you know, emotional there for a minute you guys for a minute yeah hope you like, you know control it just just stop teo so yeah, I mean so let's talk about it you know? I mean it's always kind of funding what kind of chat about this? But what I think is really interesting is I want to tell everybody your story you know, it's kind of like kind of like why this and you know how this came about and actually how how perfect it really wass I mean, this was like I couldn't believe it quite frankly like I put any mail out to like a whole bunch of photographers that I knew in seattle jenny, we're really wrote back and he's like I have some of that that would love to do this like one person and all that you know like what are the odds and this will come together, you know? And then you guys just so awesome to do this for me and and you would already kind of planets tell me tell me what what, how this all came together and in what you were already planning with your with your how your wedding was your real wedding lists and then how you got a thing coming up in september they're going to do and stuff like that. So so we were married five years ago and our wedding we had just graduated from art school, we were just starting our business and we had like, no money. So we had a little thirty person wedding up in victoria and my maid of our maid of honor um is also had just graduated from photography school with us and I was like, can you be my maid of honor and then bring your assistant maybe like, shoot some photos of us and we have literally like ten photos from our wedding because we didn't have any money at all to pay someone which is very ironic considering we are wedding photographers so we are planning a big um five year anniversary party and I jenny I have mentioned you know I always wish that we had had more photos that are really wedding there. They're just they're like no photos of us together there's a lot of portrait's of me uh but that's it and I love them but uh there's not a lot of I guess meaning like us like oh it's our wedding day but there's not photos of us really there's a few um and I like the ones we have so jenny was like, you should email him and so when I talk to you I'm like we have these two crazy kids and do you want to do this? I can throw something together in a week because I would love to have images um and it worked out but I was a little worried about having the kids and craziness but that's where we are now with our life and those kids are accurate data that's our heart like those those who boys so I really wanted photos with them and like that's those beginning at us it's like um and I'm glad that we have photos of us together but it's like our life and it's yes, we did have a vow renewal but that's just like the daily nous of feeding eli and getting them dressed and nursing and all of those things that is just like so touching to me tohave those forever e u and the music that I like yeah e I really wish you could have like a very faint like like birds chirping like that's really kind of cool you know because I just t you know it kind of felt like you guys and then I'm like ground crap can't even hear it so it's like yeah you know I mean I was really happy you know I was labeled the images you know I think it was one of those things where I was talking to them earlier where you know I still have that in me where I had to like shoot all the people that were there but the cool thing about this shoot was like I just it was essentially if you want to pull it down to is all for me right so so I could do whatever the hell I wanted and you know I just really kind of had fun you know you know going after things and and what's so funny is so so you know you were very interesting to photograph okay um and toe watch more more more more more important to watch right and you know this is this is what this is what kind of happens because you you know I have one when I showed up I had this idea of who you guys worse people okay tattoos right be naked when I get home on your refrigerator you know all that kind of stuff just really kind of fun you're you know you're you don't care if your son looks like a girl right? Right? You said that writer but everybody calls gus gus yeah, I wasn't saying that because this is the kid's neck is, um ridiculously cute loving your throat over there and the hairs like flying I got like one of those but it was soft unfortunately I got I got one so but uh but was so interesting, right? So so you're kind of like that but when it really boiled down to you and kind of what your personality was you have kind of this and this out in a bad way, right? But like its opposite of what I was looking for right? Because all day long you're like, I hope this isn't too crazy. I hope the kids air you're really upset about the way eli was was was was acting right he his brother he had butted him but his brother right that I know I know right? And I'm sure he was reacting to me because I was a new toy you know all that kind of stuff on dh what's funny is I missed the head but did you notice what happened? Do you see my camera lockup yeah, I'm going to stay with my camera locked up right and I had to like turn it off take the battery out and then get that going again yeah, it was really crazy like but yeah, you know it's like it's like you know but you were you were really kind of upset about that I noticed it I thought you know you're talking your mom like I just that jerk is a jerk but that's what? You know right he's just not acting well and all that kind of stuff who is it? I was loving all of that right because you know that's the reality of what? This stage of your life you know right? You know and so this'll only real right? So how do you feel about seeing those images of him acting up when I look at them? I like them. I mean, I just was like that's a way that's how he is and it it brings me back to like who he is and like that and I know that later I will definitely appreciate that like, well, it's frustrating now but when he's ten I wanna look well, he was three he was head butting his brother or whatever he was doing that was crazy but it's adorable still and you're being on and I yeah I remember how I feel when those things happen something like some of the things like I love that he doesn't somewhere it was really frustrating but either way that's him so I don't care like I love him but those are my favorite images I think like him just being himself mean it's like pure personality you were frustrated too little trying tio trying to dress him yes that was it's like that every day like I'm just used to the frustration that you like putting his feet and your chance of you keeping me in the face he was really showing yeah he was he just pulled it all out I I'm sure you know why it's inevitable it's gonna happen you know andi I'm just going to play off you know but yeah so so he he was he was he was a fair amount defiant to me in terms of covering his face and running away and not happy with me and there's a time I told this story the u know today yesterday where he was running and he ran into my lens and he bumped his head really hard he's like he's like crying he's like I just need to go home I gotta go home wherever that right? You know what you know? You know has he have you seen me has he said anything about any of that stuff that happened or he doesn't bruce says no blood I didn't say bruises I just said no blood he was trying to like run into you so it was like it's his it's his bad right? Yeah okay that's what you get buddy that scarred for life I was a checking that he was okay and because I had talked to him in the car remember when I rode with you and I got in the car and I was open the door and I was just like hey then god has your head ok sorry about that, you know, but at the time I cant just like, you know, give up what I'm doing and jump in there you know is this kind of interesting so um so yeah, you know, I thought I mean, it was just so great it was so much fun and I'm so glad you did it but you know, one one big thing that we talked about in the green room I've always wanted to say that even if you guys in the green room it wasn't green that's what does it mean in the green room going to be funny backups in the green room with julia roberts s o uh um you know, the interesting thing about this is that you guys are photographers here in seattle, right? And your company is yes very creative name but a lot of thought and I want to remember is that you never right on dso you know, you know it's funny is uh I miss not putting that picture in there so your vows were written in each one of you guys right wrote your vows in like those little leather but notebooks write whatever was yours written in the one that said angela and evan on it years were ok and yours were written in the one that said tax stuff on the front is a fair man thing I know right? I'm so mad at myself now though, because I shot that on purpose before you said that ok, I thought that was funny it's story telling us about your business and your family you know those those little details and later on you had a book you had that book with jenny's when when the jenny's air in the room and you're like this is taxed up you know and it's like I got a picture of that and I don't know why I didn't include it what if I did or didn't I might've taken it out of the thanks routing number and stuff was written on the outs okay, maybe you don't have a copy that's why photograph those things is like this is for the story, you know? So anyway it s so so tell me about your photography so tell me what tell me how you guys approaching wedding we're pretty portrait based so completely the opposite of you uh we studied fashion photography we set people up great light, good background we do let them interact. We don't oppose everything. We're not like turning out here this in that but we set them up and I feel like that's what we get hired for people like it it's beautiful it's it's a lot of it's like heavy details and then portrait ce the types of things that will go in a magazine, that type of thing it's not a documentary style at all. So this was really interesting for me like toe watch you and was trying to ignore you but just see what you were doing your duty o and we we watch this morning and then obviously you photographed us and we were especially now seeing our images I feel like there's a lot of value too, to your style compared to what we're doing. It's it's completely different. Of course there are moments in candidate, of course I mean, but, um, like our focus is not it's not not finding the moment. That sounds terrible, but it's not like all we do like that's like that's your thing? Yeah, that's it and, um it was looking at our images and being photographed that way it was really nice and kind of eye opening, I think for us to be like, you know what there is more to then to wedding photography than what we're doing not that I think we would ever completely change because we've built a very solid business on this is silly eyes yeah, what was interesting is we're talking before this right? You know and and and and I said and could you say something about like, you know, you make people hire you to make them look really pretty and look good and stuff like that and and I forgot what you said just like I don't people like even I I want to look pretty in my photos of course idea and people hires toe look beautiful and are there a lot of people out there who are like, I don't care how I look it's about the moment and I'm sure there are there are there there's there's not as many as you have that's what you have more blood, more more bookings and ideo you know I'm sure but yeah, no it's just I like looking at that I was like, oh, he was able like they're some photos in there most of them that of myself that I really like and a few that I'm like you're right? There are a few that I'm like that's a matting on me don't show that but most of them I love and I'm like that's a moment and I looked beautiful and I remember how you felt like that's like the best of everything that is the perfect photo sure, sure yeah that's interesting um and so I did a field on their side and make you talk my friend actually, um in the beginning it was weird I felt like I was like, I need to be doing something I'll go make the kid a sandwich I think I can keep myself occupied with and you know if you want to take pictures that's fine whatever but after a while I just kind of to tune you guys out and just kind of let things go and just went about my day and tried to get ready and so it was nice not thinking about it like there's people here taking picture I do not like having my photo taken for torture watching me on that show I'm watching and work on so much I think my haircut sucks but it looks good it from the front of the mirror but from the side it's weird anyway. Eso what was I going to say? So so I mean like, you know, I'm not trying to I really am not trying to like probe. I just really want you to be honest and I want because like, you know, I was I was on that thing like white on rice, you know what I mean? And like I was in there and and quite frankly I didn't care at one bit about if I was you know a little bit but not like you know if I was like and so did you find that to be affecting anything at any point I didn't know I mean I've seen your work so I knew that you were gonna be like close to us and you'd be right there no matter what was happening and so I I guess I was prepared a little bit, huh? And I'm not very like modest when it comes to things like taking my shirt off nursing in front of you guys and everything so that didn't bother me at all I was a little surprised that you came I was happy but I'm surprised that you came when I was helping you like go to the bathroom because he's potty training and I was like I was hoping that you would follow us in there but I'm like is he going to do that length as kid naked? Is that okay? You know but I love that photo I was just like well, I'm so glad that you came yeah nakedness no no there wasn't but I've got his button a couple pictures young kids but they're fine just other things they're not ok yeah so it was like uh let's see and there was a photo of me like sort of wrestling with the kids when eli was getting in trouble and I really like that photo at the time when you were shooting it I'm like I'm trying to discipline him and look nice in the photo like it was kind of like this weird like okay, I need to do this no matter what's happening because he needs no that's not okay but you're shooting this and everyone's going to see it so I gotta look like a nice mom and everything like I can't just like lose my cool here but I was really upset so that was I guess that was a little like at the at the time I was like maybe you shouldn't be in here but now looking at the photo I'm like okay he's still got something and it didn't affect it he doesn't he doesn't care if I say no no had putting your brother but I like the photo so so that that's what's interesting right is you know you made some comments in the car on the way to the ceremony right where I can't remember what you said but something about like I got to be careful because I don't want this to be like reported to the children's services or something like that I mean it was nothing it was it was it was nothing actually it was nothing nothing nothing at all but it was just you joking but usually when people joke like that in front of me they actually have they mean it a little bit right? And so they're they're like, trying to tell me something without telling me something. So I'm trying to pick up on those cues that makes sense. And so, yeah, that photo of you dragging him out from the pillow, you know, that's not you like. Okay, let's, come over here, let's, talk about this, you know, but that's the best, the reality of what it is, you know, and it's, not like you're whipping him or doing anything bad. You just kind of come over here, you know? I mean, like, we all do that with their kids, as you know. And so, you know, to me, it's, like, I know that, and I didn't think that it would be crossing the line to put that photo in there, you know? And and also made me feel a lot better knowing you have kids, and you have two boys, so I'm like, he's been here, it did make me feel more comfortable if you are someone who didn't have kids. I don't know if I would have reacted us the same way. It's interesting that made that actually made the whole day a little, like less like he's not gonna be judging me because he has kids, this is the reality of having children but if you didn't have kids I would have been probably trying to make everything even more trying and you find that is that a person? I mean is that something that you think it would affect you a lot people judging you like a photographer? I mean, I think I think my clients I think clients and stuff like that had that same feeling sometimes and that's why I want you know, you know, you know, like, is there things that like I did besides the kids thing that like, you know, I didn't if I had acted differently do you think that judgment would have been worse? You know, if I if I would've looked at you have been like jesus you should have my kid did that I wouldn't you know whatever you know, right? I mean like, you know, I just I think just being president and just, you know, ignoring what's, you know, nor in you and nor in your cues and stuff like that, you know, that held like, disarm some of the things a little bit yeah, I mean, it wasn't just you though it was also being filmed and knowing like I know that like, you are going to get a moment within all of that stuff that's happening but the rest of it's being recorded too, so that was very different knowing there is like audio, it was just it was different probably than just having you I mean, it is what it is, you know, but I think I think in the end it worked out really wonderfully and what's funny is I don't even remember like I was looking to the video and, you know, when you're in the room, I was obsessed with love on the wall did you notice I was upset? I was obsessed with that, I was obsessed with that on dh, so I kept working on that, you know, like, like when your mom was helping you, you know, I wanted to bump focus to that and make that more of its storytelling that make it look like I meant to do that, but your dress was a little wonky on the top, right? And and and so you were trying to put their decided to put tape in there, and those are some of my favorite photos when you're in that room and you're literally just talking about putting tape in your dress, but the way your hand was, I just like, you know, and so I so I shot her close up with the love in the background what's interesting to me is that I don't remember that part happening I was so fixated on trying to make that picture lineup um, I saw in the video my photo that I made of that is not indicative of what was actually happening, right? And I was like, day, you know, because it makes it feel like it really tender moment, but it's not right, it's just you talk about putting tape well, when I wash, it was like, when was that? When was I like, oh, like, when did that happen? Island video? Yes, okay, you're right, so I haven't seen the video, but when I saw the photo, I was like, oh, when did I do that? Looks stay on your your move, right? Just just call it what it is, right? You know? And so that's really a lesson for me, you know is you know, you have to we have to all I'm going to talk to the world now and you guys, but we have to all be careful what we're doing with these cameras, you know? We have to make sure that we're that we're telling the proper story cause it's really easy to lie with the camera really is that you can't live with a video camera, but you can lie with a with a film camera cause you can pick and choose when to shoot, right? Wow, that recession looked amazing and only two people dance the entire night or whatever you know and so it is really interesting lesson for me it wasn't that big of a deal on the reality what was happening because I think it's still just a really great picture you know but and I love so one last thing um I know that you did a lot of stuff for me okay, I just know that because your photographers people don't turn towards the light like you did I'm just saying I'm just saying so those images that you kind of affected which is totally fine I'm not mad at you because I didn't tell you to do it right because like when you druggie lie over and was playing with him I'm like because I talked to the camera and I'm like she told you that for me and you're like yeah I want pictures with him and great light right great and I love that honesty right? I'm totally totally totally okay with that but in the end are those still moments you love and cherish or is it the actual feeling that might change that does that make sense? You know I mean like I keep thinking about that moment I have since you shot us kidding why did I do that? I should not have done that like I was totally setting something up because that's what I do that's what I'm used to and I wanted to I did want that great photo of me with eli because I just wanted it on and I'm like, I just feel like I shouldn't have done it like I keep thinking, why did you? And then I hear you say she did that just for me, and I'm like, oh, no, I thrown it off, I shouldn't have done it. Um, so yes, so when when I see a photo over, I may be like, oh, I like that photo, but when it's just like a photo that you captured that I didn't sort of sort of, yeah, completely there's a lot more like feeling too is out to ask, yeah, I'm just I'm just I'm just trying to prove a point in my own head, you know? And it could have been differently, you can, you know, that was an amazing I love that photo of him and, you know, so I'm like, great, you know? But I just wanted to see how that kind of I talk about this stuff for three days or whatever, and I mean, people, yeah, but what's the reality behind it, you know? And I just wanted to see how that goes on well, as mentioned, we set things up and we hum, so we pose people, and it like it just makes me think about that, too, like when they look at their photos, what did they see? Some people are really like, I look beautiful that's what I want perfect energy. Yeah, yeah, but maybe there are other people who like, oh, I remember that they kind of had to stand here and this and this is where the good light was and they're not even in the moment cause they're stressed out because we have them on this photo time line or whatever, you know, instead of just being in the moment and letting them do whatever they were going to dio that was really nice. I mean, someone who's, we've had our reasons for several years, we shoot a lot of weddings and not having to adhere to what you wanted, just we were doing what we did, and you were there that was really, really nice. I'm just curious. So I just kind of curious for that one more thing, you know that when you're in that when you're in the allies bedroom, I love this photo of you that black and white where your looking out the window and that light sit in your face and the shadows actually go right around your heart tattoo, which is really cool, you know, that feels like a portrait you know but you were just kind of standing there and and I love photos like that so I think you have quite a few of them in there and I was like like those air you're just in the right spot and you're doing it you're seeing it I'm like that's amazing do it so I know we're getting close aren't we yeah is that is that good timing whatever yeah awesome okay, you really want me to slide over ever sounds good sounds good thank you guys for joining us here accretive live and for all the effort that you put into the this to this workshop but we just really appreciate it so we had a lot of folks asking this question of you guys just a ton of questions so they really just wanted to know how did it feel having someone so close to you for that amount of time getting right in there you hear the shutter going off? What was that feeling like? He was physically very close to us but I didn't find it intrusive. I didn't I didn't even notice him after a while I mean, it just kind of became part of the background we've got too noisy children it's like shutters clicking is like that's actually a nice little sound usually so yeah it's weird after a while you just especially during the ceremony like I think that he was right pretty close based on some of the photos and I don't even remember and so you really felt like you were being yourselves and you could after a while he was just invisible. Yeah, and I think going into it, knowing he was going to be close helped yeah, that's your hairstyle. The only time he screwed you up was with the bowtie. Yeah, right. Sure it wasn't you. It was jen who was making it because I because I remember you saying, well, let's, see if I can do this not seeing what I'm doing because I was standing in front of me said, oh, here we go it's gonna take you ten tries and I'm like, I can usually get it on the first try and then I was over with let's do a few times fantastic. And so a question for tyler from d b imagery. How did you get over the whole feeling of, like you're invading your clients space on? Did the clients feel like they were being invaded or how did you how did you get over that? I just I'm under to do a job, you know, you know, and the way that I have to make the images is e I mean, you know, let's, let's, let's, you know, I was in there right? And they obviously it's and I've been through this a lot, right? It's not like it's not like, you know, hopped out of the womb with the camera, I started shooting people like this, you know, so it's like experience, you know? And I and I think I think I think what was interesting is the video guy, steven, he said, well, it's really interesting to watch how you maneuver through a scene and around people, and I think that that's one of the biggest things is you have to you know, I don't know if you guys felt that, but like, you know, I'm I'm I'm lessening that that that invasive feeling because I'm moving myself in ways that is not I did run into the wall once it was in the video, you didn't see that it was backing up and I ran into the wall, but yeah, you know, you know, how do I get over that? I just just just got to do it, you know, it's like I just got to get in there because my I have a passion for what the picture needs to be, and that moment needs to be captured in the way that I think needs to be captured and that requires me to get in there and be three feet away from a gal who I just met breastfeeding her child and that's what it's going to take you know it's like I just it's you know it's not it's not the end of the world to me you know and I'm not invading that moment because you're going to be nursing that child ah lot it's not like the one time you ever done it you know it's everything you know so yeah I don't know that answers the question or not no it it really does so I just want to give you guys some eleven from the chat rooms I mean people were in tears while they were watching those videos one woman has been with us for about three years says this is that is one of the greatest slide shows she's ever seen on our on our channel so really great response from from the chat rooms that's great and I want I was so impressed when I saw it as well because not only did you guys have this guy but then you had us behind we had our photographer too so just being able to be in the that moment was just extremely impressive and on we appreciate it because it was so educational for folks to be able to see the way you work no I think I mean I can't believe how it all came together I still can't believe it it's just like looking at a little low I did pull it off thanks for what you did pull it off in the photo booth. So can you tell folks out there how they confined you online? What your website is, uh, angela nevin, dot com that's, where these three were all right, you know, that's really good, and I don't know. I mean, they're great at what they do. It's like it's, like when, when all the photographers they were like yelling at because the light was so amazing, you know, and I'm just like, I know I'm trying, you know, and then I just importance of you guys, and I'm like, what I'm about to these portrait's aren't gonna. I'm going to stand up to what, what you guys do pretty wise, but I, you know, I did what I could. It's. Awesome. Fantastic, right? One more round of applause, are these?

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Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

Tyler calls 'em like he sees'em. He gets it: capture the emotion, the expression, the feelings of a wedding without preoccupation with perfect posing, perfect lighting, perfect camera settings. An image of a father's expression seeing is daughter in her dress for the first time is far more important than trying to get it framed just right. Anticipate. Watch. Don't interrupt a moment. This is a great series to refocus on the true meaning of why we shoot weddings.

Chethan Kumar
 

Tyler is not just an awesome wedding Photographer but a very good human being. Love the way he speaks, teaches and respect students and their work. I enjoyed each and every bit of this learning and learnt a lot. Thanks creative live and Tyler. Regards, Chethan Cks Photolab Melbourne|Australia

a Creativelive Student
 

Recommend but with one big caveat. This class is useful in terms of his approach and mindset. I found it really inspiring in that respect. It's worth watching if you want to broaden your mind and make your wedding photography more interesting. Don't bother with this class if you are looking to improve technically, Tyler isn't a great technician and most of the info he provides in that respect is garbage and outdated. He also comes across as very arrogant at times and he's not a great instructor.

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