Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Shooting Video

If pictures are hard, video is impossible.

With all we learned from Fred Field about taking good pictures and portraits -- including the importance of good lighting -- we didn't have nearly as much direction with video. So, it was difficult to come up with something that wasn't, well, complete crap.

I only say that because if you don't find a good subject to focus on, you're going to have trouble making the video interesting or even good quality. Zooming in and out can look amateurish, and when people walk through your shot, it looks even worse. Interviews are usually pretty good on video because the person talking can either stop and start over, or they can just nail it on the first try and you'll be good to go.

I shot a few different videos while I was in Boston for the weekend, including one of the Grand Prix Go-Kart race that they had in the middle of the city while the streets were blocked off and another of the Head of the Charles crew races between many of the nation's university teams. I don't either video came out very well and I'm hesitant to even watch it again, but that's how you practice. I didn't take enough time with my videos or nearly enough footage, and my final product will show that. It's frustrating how little you can really edit your videos (especially given how much you can edit your photos), but it's a process and I hope to get better at it as the class moves along.

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