Lighting Asylum has brought us this informative look behind the scenes of a sunset portrait shoot, and it gets pretty in depth with how the photographer handles over-exposed back lighting, poor color in the clouds, and flash positioning. The photographer gives some insight on his process for camera settings, and even shows how he gels a flash to get the sky to change colors.
Armed with a Canon 5D Mark II, After Effects, CS5, Color Finesse, Sapphire and Final Cut, director Francois Ferracci turns out a striking short film that looks at the direction of social media and digital content. There are quite a few messages that you can take away from "Lost Memories" but the one that hits home for me is how it reflects our future current state of social interaction and how we can so easily get caught up in sharing our moments that we forget to actually experience them.
Be fair warned, this video contains SPOILERS for anyone who hasn't seen season 2 of Game of Thrones yet. Ok, the warning is out of the way. This video, while lacking any commentary, gives an awesome insight into the CGI effects used in this visually stunning show. The group who did this, Pixomondo, actually won a Creative Arts Emmy for outstanding special effects for this season. Check it out! (I just wish it was in HD)
We've seen behind the scenes videos of how projection mapping can be used artistically and commercially. Tobias Bjorkgren takes on a slightly different angle and applies the concept to his latest fashion shoot. The use of projection allows him to stand his models in front of varying scenes without having to leave the studio. To see the final images, check out his blog. What do you think of the effect?
Back again, Benjamin Von Wong takes on family portraits this time in another one of his behind the scenes videos. See how he put together 4 different scenes to make typically mundane photography style come to life. Using a D800E and Photoshop, check out how Ben works his magic.
Arizona State University's mascot, 'Sparky', and its football team, the Arizona Sun Devils, have lit up several stadiums over the years with it's blazing and rock-driven intro video, but after seven seasons it looks like poor Sparky is in need of an update. The people over at True Story Films have taken over the task of sprucing the Sun Devil up for its new remake of its traditional stadium intro video.
Now available on Netflix, "Shooting Robert King" goes behind the scenes of what it was like to be a documentary war photographer. You always hear and see images from the war but NEVER about what it's like to be thrown into it as a documentary photographer. At just 24, American photojournalist Robert King began his 15 year journey to follow his passion. Originally he set out to win a Pulitzer prize, but in the end found himself with a life changing experience.
Lois Greenfield is an amazing dance photographer based out of New York City and this video will take you behind the scenes for an in depth look at all aspects of her process.
In this clip of an alternate take of the swordfight where Indi shoots the villian, we see the scene being choreographed in a compeltely different way than what went on to make the final film. Ironically enough, this scene is easily one of the most iconic segments from that series. This brings to mind all sorts of speculative questions; What was the original scene written to be? Why was it changed? Why was this version cut? Did Han Indi really shoot first?
This past week I have been bombarded with this poppy, silly and downright hilarious song. My co-workers play it nonstop, my two daughters won't stop singing along to it and the other night while at a local bar a group of very happy drunk people attempted to dance the signature pony-style dance. If you haven't seen South Korea's PSY's quirky 'Gangnam Style', then you must be living under an interweb rock.
Independent video producer Bard Canning spent 4 weeks trying to improve the footage of Curiosity's landing released by NASA last month, and the result is insanely amazing. He used thousands of tracking points in a technique called motion-flow interpolation, and added sound effects to make it look and sound even more realistic. The original video was made out of 297 frames, and Canning's version looks like a real video with thousands of frames. Check out his result, and also a side by side comparison. NASA - watch and learn.
Tom Bol utilizes some extra tall light stands and generous amounts of sand bagging to get some studio strobes up on a wall with some rock climbers. Check out this behind the scenes video to see how easy it is to use studio strobes in an elevated situation like climbing.
A while ago we posted the video Dream Music Part 2, which has since blown up and become a huge hit online. Marc Donahue, one of the co-creators along with Sean Michael Williams, shot me a link to their behind the scenes reel, which shows timelapses of timelapses, using various setups with their Dynamic Perception Dolly kit.
Ryan Allen, the founder of SBC Skateboard Magazine, has worked tirelessly for over 15 years to create timeless images of skateboarders risking life and limb. Check out this incredibly down to earth behind the scenes video, which gives some insight into what it took to create a jaw-dropping image of a skateboarder ollieing (jumping, in non-skateboard slang) between two towers of shipping crates. The sweaty palms are included at no extra cost!
Lenovo, a worldwide computer company that manufacturers laptops, have gathered fifteen of what they believe are the best college filmmakers for their 'Seize the Night' Alternate Ending challenge. One of the contestants is a graduate of the University of Alabama (now a film student at USC), Xavier Burgin. His entry into the competition is called 'Do'. Shot with a Canon 5D MarkII and a Canon T2i, this is definitely a forerunner in the contest.
Douglas Sonders has been features a few times on this site with some incredible images and this series doesn't depart from that sentiment. This video walks you through the post production of his "Beard Series" and gives you some great insights into how to use some excellent Nik Software to create a beautiful high contract black and white image.
For the yet unreleased October 'survival' issue of Backpacker magazine, adventure photographer, Bud Force, decided instead of having a model dangling perilously off of a cliff that he would do a creative composite. He shot the background at 'El Capitan' peak in Guadalupe Moutains National Park and the subject at Mineral Wells State Park.
Photographer John Keatley takes us behind the scenes of his latest series "Bad Coffee" and gives us a great look at how it was shot. He gives us some really interesting insights into how he deals with the with the myriad of ideas that come from working with retouchers, assistants and make up artists on a big shoot.
Devin Graham is no stranger to danger, as seen in his previous projects like Epic Rope Swing or Camera Warfare. He is back with a new project, which follows a professional freerunner around the city, dressed up as Altair, the main character in the video game Assassin's Creed. This video shows you how Devin used a Glidecam to get his footage, and a green screen for a tricky fx shot. Check out the final video inside the post!
Hey guys, Paul here. Today is a busy day of packing for me. I'm shooting 41 shows for New York Fashion week and my plane leaves bright and early. I will share my experience with all of you as soon as I get back. For now, I wanted to share a quick down and dirty solution to shooting product shots, or any subject for that matter, especially when you have the client present in the studio... or garage in my case.
If you've ever wondered about a simple, travel friendly time lapse setup, check this out. During his recent time in South Africa, Chase Jarvis was able to use four different cameras to capture time lapse sequences over the course of two hours. Not only does Chase break down the settings he uses, he also explains how time settings of his camera will translate to a final product at 24 fps.
FS Reader Clifford Pate brought these images to our attention, asking if the DSLR Russuian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka was using on the International Space Station was a Nikon or a Canon. That legendary DSLR battle aside, it's cool to see how the cosmonauts work with a DSLR, and the kind of equipment that goes into the process (beyond just the camera).
I am an old school Tekken fan. There was a time when I could compete against my little brother, one handed while only watching his controller. Back then my true loves were photography and the obscenely hot girls of Tekken. So you can imagine my excitement when they put out a quick BTSV for the upcoming release of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 featuring the girls of Tekken.
Joey L teams up with Variable to capture Tim McGraw on his ranch. Unfortunately there isn't any narration in this BTSV but you do get to see what went into the final and to drool over their use of a RC helicopter mounted Epic Red. You can see the final video in the full post.
Director and designer Karmin Zariffa was hired by SpaFax and AirCanada to turn out their promo videos in celebration of AirCanada's 75th anniversary. The spots showcase air hostess uniforms and airplanes used over the years. Karmin used a lot of in camera effects and object building to pull these off and we are thankful to be able to see how he and his team did. Enjoy this BTSV. You can see the final videos in the full post.
Marc Donahue and Sean Michael Williams first wowed audiences with their Dream Music video back in March. They're back with a new video that blows the first one away completely. Using highly calculated photo timelapses with match edits, they have created very surreal looking videos.
We are in an age where CG dominates today's movies and cartoons. While the effects can be pretty cool, it can be refreshing when people work old-school and create a work based off green screen and creativity.
Jay P Morgan has been getting a lot of press recently for both his creative imagery and his informative behind-the-scenes videos, and for good reason: they're chock-full of great information and Jay shows everything from his lighting setups to post-processing tricks. In this BTS, Jay gives us a look at how he balances constant lights with strobe lights, something that
Follow The Mill Visual Effects Studio, a leading CGI and special effects global company as they walk you through the Norfolk Southern campaign, "City of Possibilites'. Computer generated imagery has always astounded me in how much processing it takes to get the final result. The great folks at the Mill explain how they the start by conceptualizing each character then moving on to shooting the live action scenes, and then finally blending the final animations into the scenes flawlessly.
If your wedding client asked to have a customized pre wedding shoot halfway around the world, how would you treat the opportunity? Simeon Quarrie, who has developed a reputation for himself as an incredible creative and committed photographer jumped at the option to be flown to Jaipur, India to shoot in a unique setting for his wedding clients.
John Carpenter. His name is synonymous with fear. The films he has made in the last 40 years has been the cause of both delight and terror in several generations. 'The Thing' used to have me scrambling under the covers at night during my childhood while 'Big Trouble in Little China' had me laughing at jokes I was still too young to understand. Follow Kyle Cassidy as he photographs John Carpenter in the author's music room for his series of fantasy and science fiction writers in their creative spaces called: Where I Write.
Earlier in the year, Fstoppers showed you how Sports Illustrated photographers photograph a superbowl. Just as the 2012 Olympics in London have come to a close, Reuters has released a behind the scenes video on how their photographers take images during the world's most celebrated sporting event. It's pretty interesting to hear from some of the industry's best photographers and editors as they race against the clock to send images to the wire.
Last week Lee Morris posted a few behind the scenes images of Annie Leibovitz's latest Disney Campaign featuring Russell Brand as the villainous Captain Hook and funnymen Jack Black, Will Ferrell and Jason Segel as the hitchhiking ghosts from 'The Haunted Mansion' ride. Here are two behind the scenes videos of each photoshoot respectively.
It's true, I have a soft spot in my heart for fan films, but this short is simply too good to ignore. James Farr took his passion and turned it into a script, and then over the course of a year was able to put together this project with the help of many other talented folks. This looks better than most video game movies Hollywood is putting out these days! Hit the jump for the Behind The Scenes Video!
Here is a 13 minute video of Joe McNally testing out the range and application of the built-in and SB-900 flashes. If your knee jerk reaction to TTL is that it's too limited and too problematic watching this demonstration by Joe may just have you giving TTL transmission use a second look.
Aerial Cinematography has always been a fascination of mine. Aerial shots tend to easily blow away normal stationary ground shots I find, but I've always wondered how people achieved such amazing footage and what they used. Follow Josh Lambeth from Birds Eye Productions as he sits down along with his crew and explains exactly what they use and how they use it to gain access to the sky and have their cameras airborne.
Anyone who works commercially knows how important it is to adapt the product you deliver to your clients needs; this is especially true when dealing cross culturally. Voodoo Partners in Germany does an excellent job of this as they take us behind the scenes in one of their recent Jewelry commercials to be aired in Qatar.
Stumptown Visuals sat down with world renowned photographer, Gregory Heisler just before he spoke at ASMP Oregon's August meeting. Gregory, who is best known for photographing more than 70 Time Magazine cover portraits, gives us a glimpse into what it's like to be behind the lens and have worked with some of the most famous people in the world.
With just $500 and 4 days to film, Luke Neumann of Neumann Films created one heck of a slow motion video with the new Sony NEX-FS700. What sets this video apart from all the others is that in at least every clip something or someone is flying through the air. With 24 frames per second we are able to see a ridiculous amount of detail captured on video. Check out Luke's review below to see what he has to say about rolling shutter performance, low light and resolution capabliiltes.
One of the greatest experiences in watching films is when the sound and image work together in a cohesive unit that drives the intended emotions home for the viewers. Creating that experience takes the work of highly skilled professionals, like Hans Zimmer and Richard King. In this video, they discuss their workflow on the new Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises", talk about Bane's voice, creating effects for the Bat, and give viewers a taste of what it's like to work on a project of such scale.
Red Bull is about to attempt a feat never accomplished before. Stratos is the name of the project where Red Bull will attempt to have Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian skydiver, free fall over 22 miles above the Earth and in the process break the speed of sound. The video shows the video and photography equipment, including 15 cameras, used to document the entire thing which is planned to go off around December.
By now, we have all heard of Anne Geddes, the photographer famous for capturing moments of babies dressed up in various outfits, posed on beautiful sets. The World instantly fell in love with her. No matter how difficult the job, she always makes it look easy. Have you ever wondered how she gets the shot and makes everything look so effortless? We finally get to see what it takes to make it in the baby photography arena.
In this behind the scenes lighting lesson, Jay P. Morgan of The Slanted Lens does something we might not often think to do: he uses the natural sunlight and turns it into moonlight-like light for this 1920's "speakeasy-themed" shoot. Believe it or not, he was able to achieve moonlight all in the camera - no post processing involved. So with a couple of tungsten lights, gels and sunlight, Jay P. has shown us a great idea that can easily be mimicked in your own shoot.
If you watch TV shows through any medium, there's a decent chance you've seen Geico's new Money Motorcycle Man. DCP Productions was kind enough to give a little behind the scenes on how they utilized 3D capture technology to video the money man and give him an HDR look. While the HDR effect has been explored extensively in the arena of stills, using it in video with 3D technology is quite innovative.
A few weeks ago we posted an article about the robotic cameras that were being placed at various venues for the 2012 London Olympics. With this video by Lefteris Pitarakis, you can take a closer look at these rigs and how they're operated, and hear from the Associated Press Photographers who are installing and operating these Canon 1DX rigs.
My main man in Montreal, photographer Benjamin Von Wong, sent me two videos last week. The first is this great peek bts of David Guetta's "Titanium" video. And the second is of Ben kicking, burning and drenching the Silicon Power Rugged Armor A80 to see if it really is as indestructible as it claims. It's worth noting that this is a product Ben found and wanted to have fun with and that he is not sponsored by the product's company. You can see his torture test here. Thanks for these Ben.
Li Wei has earned his way to recognition in China through his trademark gravity defying images. This video, recently featured by the Creators Project, gives a little behind the scenes glimpse of how Li Wei was inspired to pursue his aerial stunts and how his creative ideas have reflected the quickly changing culture and country around him.
Join the MacGillivrays of One World One Ocean as they take you under the sea and into 'inner space' to document NASA's NEEMO 16 mission (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations). Aquanauts are sent to Aquarius (the world's only undersea laboratory) to live underwater for two weeks which can simulate living on a space station.
Featured on National Geographic's show 'Taboo', this modeling agency is unique in the sense that it doesn't represent people you would normally think of as 'models'. They represent people who specifically have interesting features about them, that make them stand out in a unique way. Amazon Eve, the world's tallest female model, is one example. The word 'Ugly', according to the owner, was used because it's a powerful word and not for the intention of disrespecting the talent.
We've featured videos from Devin Graham before, as he's best known for his hugely popular Epic Rope Swing and Dubstep Violin videos. In this new video, Devin has been working with WWII groups to add more action films to his portfolio, this video definitely shows that he knows what he is doing. Hit the jump for the behind the scenes video!
