Are You Also a Videographer These Days?

With high-end, video-capable dSLRs being in so many photographers' bags these days, many of them -- those that make all or part of their incomes with cameras -- have added video production to their menus of services offered. Others, I'll call them "serious hobbyists," have been lured to various types of film-making by the many high-quality videos they've seen on the web; videos that were shot with the very same cameras (or very similar cameras) those serious hobbyists already own.  In the entire history of film-making, never has such high quality motion picture acquisition been within such easy grasp of so many would-be film-makers and others taking advantage of current video technologies for a variety of purposes.

It's not just about capturing motion pictures with those cameras. Digital, non-linear, editing systems have also become commonplace on many folks' personal computers. Between the cameras and the editing software, anyone might become an accomplished film-maker. At least, that's how a lot of folks have it figured and, frankly, they're not wrong. So many of the traditional obstacles to producing exceptional video projects have been rendered moot by the digital revolution.

I'm a guy who, beyond being a working photographer for a very long time, has also been a working videographer for nearly as long. When dSLRs arrived on the scene, making the transition from film to digital was quite easy for me. I'd already made the transition from analog to digital video, (Via dedicated digital video-cams.) Many aspects, i.e., the technical stuff, of shooting stills with dSLRs were either the same or very similar as with digital video.  dSLRs, from an operational point-of-view, made perfect sense to me from the git-go and, because of that, my transition was painless and nearly seamless. 

As most everyone knows, the digital revolution has meant an exponential increase in the number of photographers pursuing some level of pro status. Now, with the advent of video-capable dSLRs, the same holds true for video production. Since I'm a person whose work/career experience includes nearly equal amounts of photography and videography, a significant chunk of it in the digital realms, I believe I might have some relevant advice to share with all you new-to-video photographers.  In fact, I've already invested some time outlining an eBook I'll begin writing in the near future. (As soon as I finish authoring my next photography eBook that I'm currently working on.)  My video production eBook's working title is: "Guerrilla Video for Photographers."

But for now, here's a few generic tips for digital photographers transitioning to dSLR video production. Some of it is similar to the advice I've given to many photographers, some of it is quite different:

1. Don't Get Caught Up in the Gear Wars:  Resist focusing on technology over craft. Craft will nearly always yield the best, most memorable results. Sure, knowing how to take advantage of available technologies is important. But learning the craft nearly always trumps the technical stuff. Also, you don't need every piece of accessory gear manufacturers are working hard to make you believe you need in order to shoot engaging video. In fact, you might be surprised at how little of it you may need to produce really good and engaging video. You already have the primary piece of gear you need: your video-capable dSLR. Learn how to operate it with competence, ease, and agility before deciding you need all that (often expensive) accessory gear.

2. You'll Learn More About Shooting Video While Editing Than When Shooting: Video post-production and editing is where your projects come together, that is, it's where they're put together and assembled in some meaningful way. What you did right and, often more importantly, what you did wrong while shooting suddenly becomes painfully obvious in post. Take careful note of your production mistakes while editing and reduce the odds of repeating those mistakes in future productions. Avoid, whenever possible, the "fix it in post" mentality. Ultimately, it will save you a lot of time and many headaches.

3. Be Mindful of the Laws of Diminishing Returns:  If time and resources are things you can easily afford to spend, by all means spend the time and resources to get those difficult but awesome shots even if they only represent a few seconds of screen time in your finished production. But if time and resources are luxury items you don't have to spend, consider carefully if that really cool shot, one that may take hours to get right during a very limited production schedule, is worth the few seconds of screen time it may only end up being in your finished production.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice:  Don't try to learn to effectively shoot your dSLR during productions that matter. Take it out and practice with it. Practice with it often. Practice and learn to pan and tilt and more with ease and agility whether you're doing so with a hand-held camera, one that's attached to some sort of rig, or mounted on a tripod or other stable base.  The big difference between shooting stills and shooting video should be obvious: Motion.  To paraphrase a famous photographer whose name I can't recall at the moment, still photography is about capturing motion with stillness. Motion picture photography is about capturing motion with motion. That's a very big difference!

5. Learn the Craft of Film-Making:  The advent of digital video hasn't changed the fundamental craft of film-making to any great extent. Many things or ways of doing things are no different now than they were 50 or more years ago. Sure, some things have been made much easier to accomplish simply due to the smaller sizes of cameras which produce incredible results. But none of that matters in terms of the basics, the basics of the craft, that is. Learn the basics. Invest time in learning. If you're going to be a good videographer, it's going to take as much, probably more learning than you needed to engage in in order to increase your skills as a photographer. Many books and other resources, even those from years ago, are as relevant and helpful today as when they were written or produced, even if it was many years before video capable dSLRs arrived on the scene.

I'm Back!

Yeah. This is moi. Thinking about why I'm reviving this blog.

Apparently, I'm crazy or I've lost my mind!

Either that or I've somehow, for some reason, decided I have too much time on my hands. (Which I do and I don't, but that's not the point.)  Regardless and for whatever reasons, I've decided I might as well use some of my extra time to blog... to blog more, that is. To blog more than I already blog. Make that to write more than I already write and, trust me, I write plenty and often.

I'm not sure if this decision is a well-thought-out decision or not.  I think I simply sat down at my computer today and impulsively decided to revive this blog. Or, maybe it's a decision I've been considering, but considering only in my subconscious? You know, like unconscious deliberations. Whatever or however, here I am, back authoring the "I, Shootist" blog, for better or worse.

By the way, I didn't name this blog with the word, "shootist" in the title because it kind of sounds like "strobist."  I'd love for this blog to become as popular as David Hobby's "Strobist" blog but I'm not holding my breath. But let's say, hypothetically, something like that somehow happened. It wouldn't be because "shootist" and "strobist" are words that look and sound similar. It would be because this blog resonates and appeals to lots of photographers. Technically, I suppose, my potential audience is larger than Hobby's. Not every photographer is a strobe-using photographer, i.e., a strobist, but every photographer shoots a camera and, therefore, is a shootist.

One thing that is definitely motivating me to revive this "I, Shootist" blog is my desire to write about more stuff, i.e., a greater variety of photography stuff, than I routinely blog about on my other photography blog.

If you aren't aware of it, I've been authoring my other blog, my NSFW blog,  since mid-2006. During that time, I've updated it with nearly 1,000 posts. This blog, on the other hand, has been dormant since March of 2009. When I was updating this one, I only did so for a bit less than a year and only with about 40 updates. Not very impressive, I'll admit.  My other blog (as you may or may not know) is dedicated to a specific genre of photography-- glamour photography. It's a genre that isn't for everyone and, if truth be known, my interests in photography go way beyond the realms of glamour and tease photography. Often enough, the spirit moves me to write about other aspects of photography, aspects my glamour blog just isn't the right or appropriate venue to do so.

For those who regularly read my glamour blog, none of this means my interests in that blog, or it's focus, is diminished. It's not. I'm still a pretty girl shooter and I'll likely always be one. But let's say I want to write about something quite apart from glamour shooting. Let's say I want to write about photographing children.  Obviously, my other blog isn't an appropriate place to do that. This blog, however, with its "soft focus" and SFW (Safe For Work) content, is just the place to do so.  So, that's what I'm doing. I'm reviving a blog that allows me to write about nearly anything I want to write about in terms of photography. In other words, this blog is not genre specific, and that leaves it wide open in terms of what I might update it with. Makes sense, right?

I'll try my best to make this blog entertaining as well as informative. I don't know why, but I'm the kind of guy who enjoys being something of a mentor to others. I've always been that way. My glamour blog has afforded me the opportunity to be a pretty girl shooting mentor of sorts. At least that's what quite a few people have written and told me. This blog will give me another place to share even more about photography, and in ways that my other blog simply does not provide due to its much narrower and "adult" subject matter.

Wish me luck. I'll probably need it.

Annie L's Financial Woes

Leibovitz's controversial photo of a naked and pregnant Demi Moore for Vanity Fair

Uber-photographer, Annie Leibovitz, has money problems. (Don't we all these days? Leastwise, many of us do.) It seems Ms. L has hocked properties, as well as the copyrights to all her photos--past, present, and future--against a loan from Art Capital Group, a NYC lender. It's reported the loans total $15.5M.

One would think a photographer of Ms. L's status and income would be immune from financial woes. Apparently, not so.

Some reports say Ms. L's personal finances are just fine: The loans being the result of Annie's inheritance from the Susan Sontag estate, i.e., a condition of the bequethment was that Ms. L needed to pay-off balances on properties, once owned by Sontag, in order to qualify as a beneficiary of the estate.

On an upbeat note, it's good to know there are lenders who place real value on photographs and photography!

Now, if I can only figure out how to make all my snaps worth $15.5M! Heck, I'd settle for just a million or two.

Iconic Pop Culture Image Embroiled in Lawsuit

The 20th Century produced many iconic photos. In the pop culture genre, few, if any, are as memorable as the image above of actress, Farrah Fawcett. How many bedroom walls of adolescent, teen, and young lads did the poster-size version of this image adorn? I have no idea. But I'm guessing it's in the millions! And I'll bet there's still more than a few of those walls where the poster still hangs.

Now, as reported on the notorious TMZ website, Ms. Fawcett is suing over the image's rights.

In the world of art, photo art included, it all eventually boils down to money.

You can read about it HERE.

The Nation's First-Photographer?

Malia Obama, First-Kid and First-Photographer, AP Photo

Her Dad is the President. Her Mom is the First-Lady. She and her little sister are the First-Children. But might Malia also be the First-Photographer? She looks quite comfortable wielding that Kodak point-n-shoot.

CLICK HERE to see more pics of Malia snapping pics at the inauguration and elsewhere, as well as some great commentary about her doing so.

Death of Polaroid Making You Paranoid?

By Nimano, from the Polanoid Pictures Collection

"When Polaroid announced last February that it would stop production of its instant film, it seemed the much-loved camera was gone forever. But within weeks, a group of users had started a global campaign for the format to return. And now, thanks to an unlikely saviour, their pleas have been heard."

That's what's being reported in the Gadgets & Tech section of the U.K.'s "The Independent."

Personally, I'm not much of Polaroid user, never have been. That's not to say I haven't sampled the joys of Polaroiding a few times in my life. I have. It just never appealed to me too much. But what if I suddenly woke up tomorrow and thought, "Damn! I want to shoot some Polaroids!" Well, I guess I could. And it looks like I can do so for the forseeable future.

CLICK HERE for the Independent article and some other links... like to the biggest Polaroid archive on the net!

Early Firsts In Photography

From Eadweard Muybridge's high speed photo series.

Someone I'm following on Twitter posted a link to an interesting article on a site called, The List Universe. The List Universe article, titled, "Top 10 Incredible Early Firsts In Photography." is pretty interesting stuff! Check it out!