Secrets of Video Production for Photographers – The Next Step

The new workshops are here! All of you that were nice enough to pester me about doing more can relax. Hopefully, there will be one near you. Once again, I’m kicking off the series in LA. This year they are on February 24 and 26 at the famous Fairbanks Studio with a flurry of events to follow.

Taking the step from stills to video can be a challenging one. You will have to learn how to deal with motion and sound, tell the visual story in a different way. There is new equipment to master. Post-production can be much more involved and time consuming. The explosion of interest in video both by clients and photographers in the last couple of years has opened new creative avenues for photographers. More photographers are being asked to create video content so are facing new challenges in estimating, production and post-production. Come and learn about the latest tools and techniques needed to create video. Learn how to better estimate the time and costs involved and how you need to approach video differently than stills while using your photographic talents to your advantage.

Note: Workshop info and date below evening event

Thursday Evening Event – Thursday Feb 24

At the famous Warner Studio now called “The Lot” in West Hollywood
7-9 pm doors open at 6:30 pm parking at 1006 North Poinsettia Place, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Hosted by Hollywood-DI

Lee White’s evening presentation including videos will go over the steps photographers need to know in creating video without tearing their hair out.

During the evening Lee will discuss:

– How photographers can get get new clients
– The latest in tools that make video production easier
– The all important planning stage and what new concepts and costs photographers need to think about
– The importance of post production
– HDSLR vs Camcorder in video production
– How photographers can apply their present skills to video

The latest equipment and software by Apple, Manfrotto, Panasonic, Zeiss, Redrock Micro, SmartSound, Sennheiser, Beachtek and Chimera among others will be at the event for photographers to see.

Registering for Thursday night February 24 event

Parking is free, please go to www.tiny.cc/LAevening for directions.

How much: APA/ASMP MEMBERS are $15 all others $25 *Please put membership number in special instructions to seller and a discount refund will be given at the workshop as the APA/ASMP member enters.

Questions call 818.399.3540 or email lee@leewhitephotography.com

Saturday Workshop Saturday February 26

9 am- 5 pm at the famous Warner Studio now called “The Lot” in West Hollywood – Limited to 20 participants

Hosted by Hollywood-DI

Photography and video are coming together. In the last couple of years, the idea of photographers producing video has exploded and photographers now must gear up and learn the language of video. As advertisers and magazines turn to video on the web, cable and mobile devices to get out their message, there are more opportunities than ever for you to do video in tandem with your photography to capture new clients and sell video services to existing clients.

Producing video creates fundamental changes to your workflow. It requires new tools and techniques to take the step from photography to video. You need to learn what the new technologies mean to you from a photographer’s point of view. This is why Lee White, a professional photographer and educator, has created an intensive all day workshop to help guide you into video. This hands on workshop will go in depth about each step of video production so you can start producing your own video and avoid some of the most dangerous pitfalls.

In the morning, Lee White will go over the fundamentals of video production and direct a plan for a shoot for the afternoon. In the afternoon, we will shoot, and work with a professional editor from Hollywood-DI to edit and color grade the video.

The Saturday subjects will include:

- The importance of workflow including recording formats and how to use them to your advantage
– Estimating and planning combined photography and video shoots with forms for estimating video production
– Understanding the lighting, filming and sound techniques needed for video
– Hands on experience with camera, lighting and sound equipment
– Editing and color grading demonstrations
– Common issues in directing talent and a chance to direct yourself
– The importance of post production

The latest equipment and software by Apple, Manfrotto, Panasonic, Zeiss, Redrock Micro, Sennheiser, SmartSound, Beachtek and Chimera will be demonstrated.

Registering for Saturday February 26 Workshop

You must register by Friday, February 25 because this is taking place on a movie lot and security needs your name to let you in!

Parking is free in the lot but we must have you registered so security can let you in. You will get directions upon registration.

How much: $149.95 APA/ASMP members will receive a 10% discount refund* on confirmation of valid membership.

Questions call 818.399.3540 or email lee@leewhitephoto.com

*Please put name and membership number in special instructions to seller and the discount refund will be given at the workshop as the APA/ASMP member enters.

©Lee White

More Practice, Imgenomic Realgrain and Hoodman Loupe

As an advertising photographer, very often much of the format of an image I’m assigned to shoot is already decided before it gets to me.  Of course, I get to add my creative input, which in part is why I’m being hired as long as it conforms to the message and shape of the assignment.  When I go out and practice, I get to explore more freely.

I just got back from a location scout, where I found six wonderful spots to shoot at one location.  So the scout was successful, and along the way I got to practice.  I took my time exploring the location and watched the light.  I also took pictures both of the spots I might later use plus interesting subjects for myself.  Since, I did not have the pressure of a client looking over my shoulder or an expensive model standing in front of the camera, I could experiment.  If one of my experiments didn’t turn out exactly as I expected, no harm was done.  I also shot subjects that I like that would not normally be subject matter for my advertising photography assignments.

Boot-1

I used Imagenomic’s realgrain to help give the image a more natural gritty look.

I took along a budding photographer as an extra set of eyes. I had the time to explain some of the processes I was going through which both helped the photographer and reminded me of alternative ways of handling subjects.  I also had a person as a scale to put in the location shots so I had a better idea how a person could interact with the location.  It is hard to see the image playback on the screen in bright sun, so I introduced the photographer to the Hoodman Loupe.  Plus we discussed the value of using the histogram rather than the screen to check exposure.

As Kim Weston, once said to me “all we do is a craft; it’s a craft and if you don’t know your craft…there are no shortcuts.”

Professional Photographers Pracitice Their Craft

As an advertising photographer in Los Angeles, CA plus a photography and video instructor, I find it interesting how few of the amateur image-makers I meet practice.  Especially now with digital giving us instant results it is easier than ever to try out new techniques and simply learn the controls of the computer driven digital camera.

I practice all the time.  Shooting is the best way to learn how to shoot better images and learn the full capabilities of your equipment.  I’m not likely to try something on an assignment that I have never done before and usually many times while I “practice”.  There are few things more frustrating while watching the light changing from beautiful to mundane while trying to find the right button or menu item.  I shoot people for most of my assignments and want to concentrate on interacting with my subjects and not be distracted by camera functions.

Practice is also a great time to explore without pressure.  What would a 180-degree pan of a cloudy sky look like and how might I use it in the future?  I get to practice my panning and camera settings.  Does the exposure change dramatically from sun to opposite sun as it does on a clear sky?  Of course, I chose a Zeiss Distagon T* F2 28mm lens to give me the sharpest image with beautiful contrast.

This also gives me a chance to experiment with a larger variety of music from SmartSound.com using their Sonicfire software and choices from their music library.  Generally, I don’t get much of a chance to use heroic music but I like it with the rather majestic clouds.

And sometimes shooting just for the beauty is enough.

Click to watch video

Image Noise Fix

As an advertising photographer, I’m usually able to light my subjects with whatever light sources I see fit.  It is not unusual for my shoots to require tens of thousands of dollars worth of strobe gear, plus assistants to help carry and set all that equipment up, all to make the light look natural.

There are times when something catches my eye when I’m not able to totally control the light such as Sheets 1 the image below. The image was lit by dim window light on a cloudy day.   While it is great to be able to record the scenes by simply cranking up the ISO, the downside is increased noise.  Just in time, I discovered the Noiseware Professional plug-in by http://imagenomic.com.  I was able to quickly fix much of the noise associated with shooting at a high ISO of 1250 without the usual softening of the image.  You can choose just how much of what type of noise you want to deal with by the many controls available to control the various adjustments.  I love the smooth look without also getting a mushy feel.

Sheets 1

Imagenomic also has a portraiture and real grain plug-in for Photoshop and Lightroom that you might like to try.

.THM Is Important For HDSLR Editing

While Final Cut Pro will edit the H.264 files created by the Canon 5D or 7D, it will be slow and probably not frame precise.  A much better solution is either bringing the files in through Compressor or using the free Log & Transfer plug-in from Canon.  It is important not to strip away the .THM files if you plan on using the the plug-in.  In fact, the plug-in requires the DCIM folder to stay intact.  I suggest you copy the card on to your drive and backup drive and simply use a naming system to change only the master folder name.  The Hoodman RAW firewire card reader will help speed up the process, see side panel for link.

Once you have the original master folders safe, you can proceed to convert the files into the ProRes format of your choosing.  Most think any of the ProRes versions above standard ProRes does not gain anything in quality.