This is article #33 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. You’ll remember we discussed earlier of the differences between raw photos and unprocessed video. Don’t panic, video is a pretty weak medium as far as color fidelity goes. The compression formats used by your DSLR camera throw away a lot of information. Unlike raw … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Why Do My Photos Look Better in the Same Light than My Videos?
DSLR Video Weekly
DSLR Video Weekly: Controlling a Camera in Daylight
This is article #32 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. When it comes to video, you really want to get the shot as close to right as possible in the camera. The reasons for this are twofold: First, rendering color correction filters during editing is relatively time-consuming with video because there are so many frames to … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Controlling a Camera in Daylight
DSLR Video Weekly: Avoiding Lens Flares
This is article #31 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. The sun is generally incredibly useful to photographers, but it can occasionally be annoying. If the sun hits your lens at an undesirable angle, you can end up with spots or flares that ruin a shot. Flares generally take on a geometric shape and may be easy to miss while … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Avoiding Lens Flares
DSLR Video Weekly: Bouncing & Diffusing Light
This is article #30 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. If you have the benefit of a second set of hands, you might try bouncing the light in your scene by using a reflector—a common photography tool. This highly reflective flexible disc can be folded into a small size and easily carried. Keeping a small reflector in your … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Bouncing & Diffusing Light
DSLR Video Weekly: Choose Shooting Locations Wisely
This is article #29 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. When choosing where to shoot your video, you’ll want to give some thought to where you put your subjects. Try to find a place that is slightly out of direct sunlight, for example, under an overhang or under the shade of a tree or tall building. This will potentially diffuse … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Choose Shooting Locations Wisely
DSLR Video Weekly: Understanding Sunlight
This is article #28 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. No matter how good a photographer you are, you can’t completely control the way the sun affects your footage. It moves in your scene (more quickly the closer you are to sunrise or sunset). It also can vary greatly in quality and quantity. The longer you’re shooting in … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Understanding Sunlight
DSLR Video Weekly: Shooting Video in Daylight
This is article #27 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. When it comes to shooting video outdoors, it can be quite challenging. You can’t overpower the sun, so you need to learn to work with it. You’ll need to position your camera and your subjects so the light is attractive and enhances the scene (instead of ruining … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Shooting Video in Daylight
DSLR Video Weekly: Covering the Scene
This is article #26 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Repeating Action By having my son play through each hole twice as well as using the word freeze, I was able to get proper coverage of the scene. So, if you need to cut all your angle shots together, how do you pull it off? The most common approach to getting adequate … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Covering the Scene
DSLR Video Weekly: Cinematic Composition
This is article #25 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Be sure to think about composition before pressing the Record button on your camera. Earlier in this chapter you learned common framing techniques. But in videography, movement influences the composition. The framing you choose will often need to vary throughout the shot. … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Cinematic Composition
DSLR Video Weekly: Shot Angles
This is article #24 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Not only do you need to pay attention to your composition when framing shots, but also the angle and height of the camera. By adjusting where the camera is positioned in relation to the subject, you can impact the viewer’s perception of the subject. Eye Level For … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Shot Angles
DSLR Video Weekly: Shot Types
This is article #23 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. With film and video productions, a series of multiple shots are often used for each scene—a process referred to as getting coverage. Combining multiple angles can tell the story best (by letting you show interesting details or emotions). Using multiple shots lets you control … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Shot Types
DSLR Video Weekly: Composing Shots
This is article #22 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. The act of composition is the actual framing of the shot. How you compose the frame has a great impact on how a viewer perceives information. A tight shot can convey an emotional response, whereas a point-of-view shot can place the viewer into the action. You’ll find … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Composing Shots
DSLR Video Weekly: Using a Viewfinder or Monitor
This is article #21 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. To truly see how your video looks, you’ll want to look at it in a 1:1 viewing environment. In other words, one pixel in the footage file equals one pixel on a screen. This is pretty easy to do when you edit after shooting but takes some extra steps to do while … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Using a Viewfinder or Monitor
DSLR Video Weekly: Setting Focus
This is article #20 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Knowing that you appreciate the role of focus (as well as the challenges associated with it), it’s time to get practical. Making sure your shot is in focus is a critical step. Ideally, you’ll check focus before you record. Trying to adjust focus in the middle of a shot can … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Setting Focus
DSLR Video Weekly: Controlling Depth of Field
This is article #19 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. If you’ve watched feature films, commercials, or music videos closely, you’ll notice that focus is often used creatively to control the viewers’ attention. Sometimes the camera will start out of focus and then slowly roll into clarity to reveal a subject. Other times the … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Controlling Depth of Field
DSLR Video Weekly: The Impact of Light and Motion on Focus
This is article #18 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. The greatest challenge you’ll face when shooting DSLR video is focus. Even top pros find focus tough when dealing with moving subjects or a moving camera. In fact, on a professional movie set, there’s often a focus-puller who is dedicated to helping with this complex … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: The Impact of Light and Motion on Focus
DSLR Video Weekly: The Exposure Triangle
This is article #17 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. An essential concept in photography is the exposure triangle. Three settings in your camera affect how your camera exposes an image: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. If you’re used to shooting in Automatic mode, you may have never adjusted these properties. However, … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: The Exposure Triangle
DSLR Video Weekly: Exposure and Focus
This is article #16 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. When you start to get serious about shooting great-looking video on your DSLR, you’ll likely begin to disable several of the automatic features on your camera. Additionally, you’ll likely be attracted to the more artistic capabilities, like a wider range of contrast and … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Exposure and Focus
DSLR Video Weekly: Using Picture Styles or Controls
This is article #15 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Using Picture Styles or Controls Many DSLR cameras offer controls that influence how the camera processes the image. These controls let you perform tasks like boosting contrast or adding more saturation to the image. At first glance, the use of picture styles or controls … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Using Picture Styles or Controls
DSLR Video Weekly: Recording Audio in Camera
This is article #14 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Adjusting the Recording Volume It’s important that your camera be set to the correct audio levels when recording. If the levels are too low, you’ll hear lots of background noise when you boost the audio during editing. If the levels are too high (loud), you’ll click hear … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Recording Audio in Camera
DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing the Right Shooting Mode for Video
This is article #13 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Choosing a Shooting Mode Your DSLR offers several different shooting modes to assist you in getting the right image. When shooting stills, I’m a big fan of Aperture Priority mode, which offers a great balance of control and lets me set the depth of field … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing the Right Shooting Mode for Video
DSLR Video Weekly: Fixing White Balance in Video
This is article #12 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. White Balancing Your Camera One of the most important settings on your camera that you need to choose is a white balance. This control allows you to set the overall color (or tone) for the scene. White is used as a reference point because it is the perfect blend of all the … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Fixing White Balance in Video
DSLR Video Weekly: Why Does Video Look Different than a Photo
This is article #11 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Why Does Video Look Different than a Photo? When you look at the video your camera records, it may not look as clear or rich as the photos you’ve taken with the same camera. The reason for this quality loss is due to many factors that you need to … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Why Does Video Look Different than a Photo
DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing the Right Frame Rate
This is article #10 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. Choosing a Frame Rate When you record a video file, you are essentially creating a container to hold multiple still images, or frames, that are captured in rapid succession (at a constant interval). The rate at which you capture these still images is called the frame … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing the Right Frame Rate
DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing the Right Frame Size to Record Video
This is article #9 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. A DSLR camera is more like a personal computer than you might think. It’s capable of calculating adjustments based on the available light and action in the scene; it can adjust and control how the camera’s lens performs. In fact, most DSLRs have several features that allow … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing the Right Frame Size to Record Video
DSLR Video Weekly: A Stable Platform to Shoot From
This is article #8 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. When you shoot photos with a DSLR, hand holding the camera is pretty easy. With each click of the shutter you’re essentially freezing motion. Unfortunately, this doesn’t translate well to video because the form factor of a DSLR camera is not designed well for handheld video … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: A Stable Platform to Shoot From
DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing Lenses
This is article #7 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. When you bought your DSLR camera, it may have included one lens, which is often referred to as a kit lens. This is a great starting point, but it’s only a starting point. To shoot in different conditions, you may find that you need to build up a collection of lenses. When it … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing Lenses
DSLR Video Weekly: More Power for the Camera
This is article #6 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. How many DSLR camera batteries do you own? If the answer is less than three, you should probably plan on picking up more. You see, when you’re shooting video, your camera will need much more power than you usually use when just shooting stills. The reason is that the LCD … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: More Power for the Camera
DSLR Video Weekly: Memory Cards—Lots of ’em
This is article #5 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. When you start shooting DSLR video, two facts will become clear. Memory cards are the fuel for your engine, and your engine runs hot. Essentially, when shooting video, you are capturing between 24 and 60 still images each second. Although these aren’t high-resolution, raw … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Memory Cards—Lots of ’em
DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing a Camera for DSLR Video
This is article #4 in the DSLR Video Weekly series. If you'd like the whole thing in one shot, check out the book Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. Once you get the hang of video, be sure to monetize it by becoming a contributor to Adobe Stock. It’s important to understand the role equipment plays in capturing great footage. If you put the right tools in the wrong hands, you’ll get subpar results. And if you put the wrong tools in the right hands, you’ll still get poor results. The magic really starts to happen when … [Read more...] about DSLR Video Weekly: Choosing a Camera for DSLR Video
