Archive for the ‘Video & Photography’ Category

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Exposure Meters

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Although most cameras now have some sort of built-in mechanism for evaluating exposure, a separate hand¬held exposure meter is very useful. Basic photoelectric meters need no batteries and register the amount of light available. Although reliable, they are not as powerful nor as sensitive as the battery powered meters; many of these can be used as flash meters as well as for reading ambient light.

In ambient light mode, they can be used to take incident light readings as well as reflected light readings. An incident light reading is taken when the meter is placed on or near the subject and pointed towards the light source to take a reading. A reflected light reading is taken when the meter is directed at the subject from the camera position. It will take a little practice to be able to evaluate the various benefits of the different types of reading.

Extension Rings or Bellows

These are used in conjunction with SLR cameras and allow close-up photography of detail in stunning clarity. Close-up lenses can be used for the same purpose but extension rings give a far better result.

The rings or bellows are attached to the body of the camera on the lens mounting; the lens is then attached to the front of these. The rings offer a single magnification whereas with the bellows the magnification is variable.

Cameras and lenses are delicate and expensive instruments that need to be treated with care. Water, dust, and grit are the worst enemies, although leaving a camera in bright sunlight or in the glove compartment of a car will not do it any good either, and so any strong heat should be avoided. If the camera is taken to a sandy beach, keep it wrapped in a plastic bag when not in use. Even on the calmest days sand seems to get into every crack; extra care needs to be taken as sand can easily ruin expensive equipment.

When a camera is not in use it should be kept in its case or together with the other pieces of equipment in a proper camera case. If it is not going to be used for some time the batteries should be removed; if left in the camera they may corrode the contacts and cause irreparable damage.

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The Monopod

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Since many tripods are often bulky, some places such as churches, buildings of historical interest and museums do not allow their use without a permit. One solution to this may be to use a monopod. As its name suggests, it consists of a single leg which can be adjusted to different heights. Obviously, a monopod will not stand unaided but it can be used to help brace the camera. Professional photographers at a football match, nearly always use a monopod.

The Cable Release

A cable release can be attached to any camera which allows it to be screwed into the shutter release button; when the plunger on the end of the cable is depressed it fires the shutter without the need for any direct manual contact. It is often used in conjunction with a tripod when shooting at slow speeds to reduce the vibration that often occurs when the shutter is released manually.

Some cable releases are now available for SLR cameras. When the cable is depressed half-way the mirror-up mechanism is activated. Any vibration that occurs when the mirror goes up is then eliminated by this intermediate stage in the shutter release process. When the cable plunger is depressed fully the shutter is fired and the camera remains steady.

The Carrying Case

A case to carry all the accessories is convenient and also provides protection for equipment. The most effective cases have hard outer shells, and compartments molded from foam rubber to hold the individual accessories. Soft cases are also available but these may not be suitable for very delicate items. Many cases are obviously meant for carrying cameras; this attracts thieves, so do lock them Out of sight if left in a car.

Insuring expensive photographic equipment is becoming increasingly costly; if you think that you may have to leave equipment in a locked vehicle, make sure that the insurance policy covers theft from cars.

Flash Attachments

Most SLR cameras do not have built-in flash so it is certainly worth purchasing a flash unit to attach to the ‘hot shoe’ or accessory shoe on the camera. Some are quite compact but are nevertheless sophisticated and powerful.

The more powerful flash units are mounted on a bracket that is screwed into the base plate of the camera, and linked to the flash synchronization socket on the camera by means of a cable. When the shutter is activated a signal is sent to fire the flash.

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Choosing Pro Equipment

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

In professional video, the budget may allocate as much money for the post-production stage as for the actual shoot. The complex computer-based editing equipment found in top professional edit suites is very expensive indeed. Hire rates can be calculated in terms of thousands of pounds per hour. However, there are opportunities for the amateur to use similar equipment. Local colleges and arts centers may also have basic professional facilities available for hire at a modest fee and certainly a lot cheaper than buying your own edit equipment.

If you do obtain access to such facilities, precisely what equipment might you use, and what advantages will such equipment bring? Knowing this in advance will enable you to be more ambitious when planning your own project.

The most sophisticated editing suites resemble the mission control rooms for space shuttle flights. The computer power available is not much less. Here, images can be manipulated at will to create a huge range of special effects. And there is still the basic editing equipment to perform the fundamental editing process of arranging cuts in the required sequences.

The editing suite consists of a panel of in-built monitors and a huge array of controls. Many of these controls have solely technical functions, regulating the transport and playback of the tape on source and edit decks. Others control the audio signal, allowing levels to be adjusted. Those which control the image alone allow varying degrees of adjustment colour tone, brightness and contrast, for example, or speed, so that fast or slow motion sequences can be introduced.

There may also be the option of a wide variety of special effects wipes, tumbles, dissolves and other transitions for you to use between scents. In most studios there will be a technician who will be thoroughly skilled in using the facility and who will work to your instructions, so you should not worry overmuch about precise technicalities.

A camcorder is capable of processing and recording 11 million pieces of signal information every second and can keep on recording at this rate for several hours. Most computers could not sustain having to store this amount of information for long.

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The crew of a video production

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

The size of your crew will depend upon the project at hand and the resources at your disposal. For most people, these resources will be minimal, so what is the minimum crew to aim for in a reasonably ambitious video project?
First, there must be someone to operate each camera. While it may be possible for the director to take control of one camera, this will restrict his or her other duties. You will also need someone to control and monitor sound — a vital job, since a poor soundtrack will render all the other work a waste of time.

In addition to these tasks, you will require a general electrician/floor manager. This person will be responsible for everything outside the specialized tasks of the rest of the crew checking electrical connections, passing messages and offering back-up whenever needed. That makes a total of five – any fewer and even the most basic multi-camera shoot will be running short.

Of course, there are an additional number of particular skills that are extremely useful if available. A set designer cum art director can help style the whole production. This contribution can be limited to choosing costumes and designing the set, or expanded into creating storyboards in collaboration with the writer/director and choosing locations for outdoor work.

Lighting is another specialist responsibility. If you are working in a fully staffed theater, there will be lighting staff on hand to achieve the effects required by the video director. Make sure the crew is able to carry out your requirements. But with¬out this support you will need your own electrician/lighting controller. This means that you will have to set up the lighting for each individual scene before it is acted, noting down the levels for each lighting change.

A storyboard is a useful visual aid for the director; even though he or she will be familiar with the play from watching it during rehearsal.

The sound engineer

  • positions the microphones and monitors the quality of recording throughout each take, and also gives the cue for sound effects.

The lighting

  • supervisor arranges the lights as required by the director, operating them from the lighting gallery in a theatre.

Camera operator 1

  • will need to be fully briefed on the shots required (unless the director is filling this role).

Camera operator 2

  • this camera can either be in a fixed position, or ‘rove’ to capture the action from different angles.

The director

Although he or she is nominally the head of the crew, the best results will be obtained where everyone contributes to the project.

The technician/ manager co-ordinates all aspects of the production, as well as filling any gaps whenever required.

The cast is initially the responsibility of the theatrical director, unless he is the same person as the video director. If not, the latter may be allowed to modify the cast’s positions and gestures during special shots taken during the rehearsals.

Each member of the crew should have a copy of the shooting script, marked where they must perform their specific tasks. For camera operators these will principally be indications of change of shot: the introduction of close-ups, or a slow pan, for example. Camera cues are usually written on the left-hand margin of the page beside the appropriate section of dialogue. The sound operator will have cues where sound effects must be introduced, which will have been practiced during rehearsals.

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Wedding – Moving Camera Shots

Friday, October 16th, 2009

The golden rule in video is to let the action happen in front of the camera, not to let the camera chase the action. However, shots of the reception in progress taken from a fixed camera position could easily seem rather static, compared with the liveliness of the event, although this can be overcome to a considerable extent by changing camera positions when new shots are required.

Despite this general rule, you could indulge in some camera movement. The most successful of these shots will be when the camera moves around and across the action it is recording – crabbing is the term for sideways movement, arcing when the camera moves around a subject. Such shots allow the viewer to observe the subject from different viewpoints and to place him or her within the broader context of the scene. The crabbing movement should be slow, and the camera should remain at a constant distance from the subject. In this sense it differs from the pan: the pan introduces new material into the frame; while the crab shot shows the same material from a new angle.
The arcing shot is also useful when recording moving subjects. If someone is walking towards the camera, you can move slowly to the side so that the shot ends with them walking away from the camera. Whilst the arcing shot is useful in varying your coverage, use it with moderation.

Although you should do as much advance planning for every shoot as you possibly can, you should not approach your video making with too many preconceptions about exactly what is going to happen.

There are bound to be certain sequences that you will want to capture, and that the bride and groom will want you to record. And of course you should go all out to film these. But this should not blind you to the other opportunities for coverage that you may not be able to plan. Be alert for these at all times and you will produce a video with the right mixture of the expected and the spontaneous.

There are always a lot of little touches that go to make a good wedding. Each one has taken someone hours of preparation, but which can so easily be forgotten. Brief close-up shots of the bouquets, the rings, the order of service and so on, are always worth shooting. These can also provide you with very useful cutaways, or visual breaks, whilst editing.

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Shots of buildings

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

The first question to resolve is how to plan your approach to your subject. Research will have already helped you fill out your ideas, and may have suggested alternative treatments. Now, as you will see in this chapter s example of a video featuring a convent, a number of basic story lines immediately suggest themselves.

In the first, you could concentrate on the life of the whole community over a 24-hour period. It would begin with early morning prayers, examine the different tasks that have to be undertaken during the day, and conclude with the sisters assembling in the evening to have dinner and celebrate their faith.

An alternative approach would concentrate on personalities: What is the Mother Superior’s role? How is life viewed by a novice? But although the idea is valid, conversation with the sisters quickly revealed that they did not see their community in terms of a hierarchy. For them, each member had equally valued contributions to make. Consequently a treatment based on personalities should reflect this view that the community has of itself. Another possible approach would show the sisters engaged in vital social work, helping teenagers from deprived backgrounds to overcome their problems. Whichever approach you choose, try to keep to it consistently through the video.

By clarifying your intent in this way, you can establish the structure of the video in greater detail. And once you have established an objective you must then decide how best to realize your aims. The three sequences, shown in the pictures below, illustrate three different story ideas, revealing how each might affect the way you approach the video as a whole.

When planning a video of this type, work out beforehand the range of different shots it could contain. They will include everything from close-ups to long-shots, and from solemn scenes to witty ones. Keep in mind that you can immediately start looking for cutaways and interesting angles to visual variety to your video.

First Approaches

Good shots of buildings are in some ways more difficult to obtain than those of people. People, after all, are usually doing something, which in itself creates interest. With buildings, movement is implied by the camerawork alone. So the camcorder must explore a building as would the human eye.

The first sequence in the video establishes the location for the action. There are a number of ways of doing this. Most approaches would begin with a long-shot and then move in for more detail. Any detail that is to be highlighted should be significant it could be a signboard revealing the location or the landscape if it is going to have a significant effect on the action.

Such sequences are necessarily static: movement comes from changing the camera position and the focal length of the zoom lens or by panning or tilting the camera.
Another option is a moving shot, taken either on foot or from a car. Although you will undoubtedly get camera shake, this will also provide additional drama. The viewer will interpret this movement as an arrival, and from then on will identify with the cameras ‘eye’ as it surveys the convent.

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Holiday – Openings when taking shots

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

Journalists know that the opening sentences of an article are crucial. They must immediately catch the reader’s attention, convey the story’s essence, and compel him or her to read on. The principle applies equally well to making videos, for the opening shots must similarly hook the viewer. But how do you decide on the most effective opening sequence?

When making a holiday video, an obvious opening sequence is of the family’s frantic, last-minute attempts to finish packing. This effective-conveys a sense of anticipation, of the informal nature of the holiday, and introduces the members of the family to the viewer. However, unless the scene is particularly comic it could easily flop, becoming an uninteresting low-key record of a tedious chore. Consequently something far more dramatic is required to grip the viewer and set the scene.

The departure board can be used as a countdown to take off sequence. This could consist of three five second shots of your destination moving up the list, ending with the last call message. A shot through the cabin window could end this opening sequence.

A sequence on the beach the next day makes a good contrast to earlier airport scenes, indicating that you have well and truly arrived. If you choose this option, emphasize the contrast by making the sequence noisy and vibrant, shooting from close-up to capture the excitement on the everyone’s faces.

An airport departure lounge has the necessary visual variety to make a lively introduction if filmed selectively. This particular scenario begins with a departure board’s list of destinations, before zooming in on the right flight. Then comes further coverage of the passengers assembling as they wait to board the plane — but keep each shot very short as these pre-holiday sequences can drag on too long when replayed on screen.

This opening sequence could then cut to the arrival, but in so doing would miss out on interesting shots of a (not your!) plane’s take-off, and the plane’s interior. However, do check with the airline before filming because, whilst you will be allowed to take the camcorder on board as hand luggage, few airline companies permit in flight filming. The camcorder`s electrical signals could dangerously interfere with the plane`s highly sophisticated electronics.

Once you have indicated that you are up and away, conclude this opening sequence with scenes of your arrival. These could consist of signs in a foreign language, a scene giving a visible sense of `having made it` as you unload your cases at the hotel, or a family`s first moments on the beach.

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Film Types

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

There are two main types of colour film used.

Colour reversal film produces transparencies that can be mounted as slides and projected or viewed with a slide viewer or on a light box. Transparencies can also be made into prints, either directly, or from what is called an inter negative, which involves photographing the transparency onto the other kind of film, colour negative film.
Colour negative film is the type used to make prints.

Most professional photographers use colour reversal film, whereas most amateurs prefer colour negative.

Both types of film come in a full range of sizes, from the small 110 up through 35 mm to 10 X 8 in (30 X 20 cm) sheet film. They also come in various speeds. These are given as an ISO (International Standards Organization) number from about 25 for the slowest up to 1600 and beyond for the fastest. The slower the film, the finer the grain and sharpness, and the greater the colour saturation and contrast. 1600 ISO film can be uprated to 3200 ISO and more for work in low light but the result will be very grainy — an effect which may be sought deliberately.

Uprating Film and DX Coding

Uprating, also called speed readjustment, means using film as if it had a higher ISO rating than it actually does, and so shortening exposure time. Uprated film needs a longer development time, and if you uprate any film you must let the laboratory know that you have done this so that they can ‘push’, or extend, development. Some laboratories charge extra for handling uprated film. Generally only colour reversal film is uprated since the processing for all colour negative films is the same. However, a few colour negative films are now made in such a way that they can be uprated.

35 mm film is now DX coded: this means that the film cassette has a bar code on it. Nearly all new cameras have tiny sensors that read the code and automatically change the camera’s ISO setting to the appropriate speed. If you want to uprate the film you should buy bar code override stickers to put on the cassette. Alternatively, if your camera has an exposure compensating dial, you can adjust this to uprate the film. In either case you must inform the laboratory of what you have done.

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Choice of Lenses

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Interchangeability of lenses opens up a vast array of options and is probably the biggest single factor in improving photographic creativity. Having chosen a camera and standard lens, ft is advisable to consider purchasing two other lenses at the same time or very shortly after. These would probably be a wide angle lens in the focal range of 28—35 mm, and a telephoto lens in the 85—135 mm range.

Wide Angle Lenses

A wide angle lens gives a wider angle of view, so more of the area in front of the camera will appear in the shot. Like any piece of equipment there are disadvantages as well as benefits; the most common in the case of the wide angle lens occurs in landscape photography where the foreground may lack interest so the eye is not naturally led to the central point of the picture.

On the other hand, a wide angle lens allows subjects to be photographed much closer to the lens than usual, while at the same time keeping the background in focus. In some cases this effect can greatly enhance a composition.

Telephoto Lenses

A medium telephoto lens has many advantages. As well as bringing distant objects closer, it is a superb lens for portraits. It has definite advantages over a wide angle lens in this situation as, when used straight onto someone’s face, a wide angle lens will add an unflattering, albeit at times amusing, bulbous quality. A telephoto lens in the region of 100 mm enables the photographer to stand some distance away, making the subject more relaxed and allowing an unblocked light source. The lens will very slightly compress the image, making for a far more pleasing portrait. The depth of field will be less, so the background can be put out of focus and a part of the subject’s face, such as the eyes, can be highlighted.

Zoom Lenses

Many photographers find these lenses very convenient; they give the benefit of being adjustable to an infinite variety of focal lengths which can make composition of pictures much easier. Although in a technical sense a zoom lens will not produce the same quality as a prime lens of a given focal length, under most conditions the difference will be apparent only to an eagle eye.

Depending on the type of photography that is of interest, wide angle and telephoto lenses that are of a very extreme range have limited applications and can easily be underused; their purchase should therefore be considered very seriously.

Shift or Perspective Control Lens

The shift or perspective control lens allows photography of a subject that is very tall, without the problem of converging verticals; this occurs when the sides of the subject taper toward the top of the picture. The conventional rule for preventing this from happening is to ensure that the film plane is parallel to the vertical plane of the subject and then all vertical lines will remain straight in the final shot. With a fixed lens the top of a very tall subject is usually cut off, but with a shift lens the axis can be altered, allowing the camera to remain straight while the lens is moved upwards: the top of the building will then come into view.

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The Instant and Polaroid Camera

Monday, October 12th, 2009

Instant picture cameras such as the Polaroid offer another dimension to picture taking. After the picture is taken, the film is impregnated with the chemicals required for processing the image and the picture begins to appear only seconds after the shutter is pressed; development is complete within minutes. As well as providing an immediate image of the subject, these cameras also offer as many possibilities for creative photography as their conventional counterparts. Many professional photographers attach special Polaroid backs to their standard cameras; once they have composed the image and calculated the exposure they will take a Polaroid picture to ensure everything is perfect before shooting on conventional film. Polaroid backs are available for all cameras from 35 mm size to 10 x 8 models.

The Video Still Camera

The video still camera is a relatively new type of camera; it uses a compute disk instead of conventional film and the pictures can be viewed on a television screen or video monitor, or sent away to be made into prints. Although still in its early stages, this form of photography could change the nature of picture-taking in the future.
Some lenses in certain situations have distinct advantages over others. An extra element of challenge can be added to photography by experimentation with different lenses, perhaps applying a particular lens to a situation in which it is not normally used.

Lenses for 35 mm SLR Cameras

Most 35 mm SLR cameras are purchased with what is known as a ’standard’ lens. This has a focal length of about 50 mm and will give an angle of view roughly equivalent to what we see with our own eyes. Its maximum aperture in the region of fl .8, but faster lenses such as fl .4 and fl .2 are available. At a later date one of these faster lenses could prove useful.

Lens Mounts

All SLR cameras have interchangeable lenses, attached to the camera by means of a mount. There are several different sorts of mount, the most popular being the bayonet mount. This is operated by depressing or sliding a small button positioned on the camera body near the lens. The lens can then be turned 45 degrees in a clockwise direction and pulled gently forward from the camera body, and another lens inserted using the reverse procedure.

Fisheye Lenses

A fisheye lens can be used to dramatic effect, but as an everyday piece of equipment it has limited applications and its novelty value can quickly wear off.

A Macro Lens

The macro lens allows the photographer to get very close to the subject without the need for special close-up attachments. Depending on the lens used, small objects can be magnified to produce a final print which shows them life size. Many of the lenses mentioned here in the 28 — 300 mm range have this facility built in and it is often worth considering paying a bit extra at the outset if this is of interest.

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