Videography

Videography and photography share a foundation — light, composition, optics — but moving images have their own demands around motion, audio, frame rate, and narrative pacing. This section is built for photographers who shoot video or want to start, covering the transition from stills to motion: the gear decisions, the technical differences, and the storytelling skills that make video work compelling rather than just competent.

How to Use Your Fujifilm Camera as a Webcam

With Cam Link USB dongles proving both expensive and sometimes a little tricky to track down, you might be pleased to learn that more free workarounds are emerging. This video shows you how to set up your Fujfilm camera to work on your Mac computer as a webcam for use in applications such as Zoom and Facebook Live. 

How to Take Your Webcam Presence to the Next Level

Whether you’re working remotely or recording videos for YouTube, producing a high-quality video can require some smart gear decisions. Your Macbook’s built-in webcam and mic are fine, but spending just a small amount can translate to a huge improvement in quality.

Joe Biden's Home Studio: Excessive or Necessary?

Like the rest of the country, even presidential candidates find themselves sheltering in place during this global pandemic. Unlike the rest of the country, those candidates still need a way to get their message out. Enter Joe Biden’s fascinating home studio setup. 

Travel Blogger Hikes From Mexico to Canada and Films One Second Each Day

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a 2653 mile foot path that connects Mexico and Canada via California, Oregon, and Washington. Travel blogger Mac, who runs the website HalfwayAnywhere, hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and took one second of film each day to create a 3 minute video montage that shows some of the most incredible landscapes anywhere in the world. 

How to Shoot Cinematic Drone Footage

Drones are a great way to add some variety to your video footage and reinvigorate your work. This excellent video will give you six helpful tips for shooting cinematic, eye-catching drone video. 

How to Properly Expose Video

Setting the proper exposure for a video is different than it is for a still image, but of course, it is just as crucial to get it right as it is with a photo. This fantastic video will show you how to properly expose a video consistently no matter the situation.  

Drone Disguised as Hummingbird Captures Incredible Footage of Monarch Butterfly Swarm

It's not very often that I watch a video online and react by literally gasping and audibly saying "wow." Watching Captain America stare down Thanos and his whole army, in an IMAX cinema, on a huge screen, was the last time I reacted in such a way. This time, even without the huge screen, resolution, and quality, this video is simply incredible. 

 

What a Music Video Director Learned From Making His First Short Film

Filmmaking is a complicated thing, and it takes the confluence of a lot of factors to create a successful final product. If you are interested in filmmaking, this great video features a music video director discussing his experience in shooting his first short film. 

How to Get Proper White Balance for Video

When you have control of all the lighting on a video shoot, dialing in your white balance is a relatively straightforward procedure. But when you do not have control of all the lighting or you are in a situation with mixed color temperatures, it can be difficult to get the right white balance.

10 of the Most Uplifting Movies of All Time

Lots of us could use a smile right now. If you are looking for something to distract you or simply to pass the time, this great video details 10 uplifting movies that are worth a watch. 

Video Lighting Basics With Affordable Gear

If you're thinking of using your new-found free time to start a YouTube channel, or if you just to put some different type content out there, having a good basic lighting setup helps you to stand out from the crowd. This video goes through the basics of video lighting with gear that doesn't break the bank.

Hands on With the New Canon C300 Mark III

Canon recently announced its newest cinema camera, the C300 Mark III, which features a variety of improvements over the Mark II. This excellent video takes a first look at the new camera and what sort of footage and experience you can expect from it in practice. 

How to Shoot Your Own Film With Little or No Budget

Filming a movie can quickly become a very pricey endeavor, and that can be frustrating if you do not have a huge budget but still want to create something. If you are interested in shooting your own film, this great video will give you lots of helpful tips for filming a movie with little or no budget. 

The Photographer's Guide to Buying Your First Dedicated Video Camera

If you're a photographer interested in exploring video, there is a plethora of options available for you right now. Since the launch of the Canon 5D Mark II around a decade ago, video functionality has been a growing part of every DSLR and mirrorless camera to date. But there's always a trade-off when it comes to hybrid cameras.

How to Use Your Sony Camera as a Webcam

With so many of us broadcasting from our homes, you might be keen to know how to use your Sony alpha series camera as a webcam. Check out this quick and easy guide for how to make your Facebook Live streams and maybe Zoom conferences look a little more professional. 

5 Simple but Effective Cinematography Techniques

So much of successful video is the marriage of technical abilities and creative vision to augment the events on screen in a way that increases the viewer's engagement. This fantastic video tutorial will show you five simple cinematography techniques to improve your video work. 

How to Work With Photos in Premiere Pro

In this video, Jason Boone from Boone Loves Video shares the best tips and methods of using still images in Premiere Pro and how to make the visual aspect as interesting and visually appealing as possible.  

Tips and Tricks for Cinematic Lighting

Lighting is often the difference between a boring scene and an interesting one. In this video, you get to see a full breakdown of the transformation of a scene from flat and common lighting, through to complex and cinematic looking. 

This Free Software From Sony Could Make Gimbals Redundant

Filmmaker Mark Bone has just discovered that some free software from Sony can stabilize footage from his FX9 to the point that he’s wondering how often he will ever need to use a gimbal in the future. Check out this short video. 

Has Camera Conspiracies Found the Perfect Vlogging Camera?

Kasey Stern of Camera Conspiracies has for several years been on a seemingly endless mission to find the perfect vlogging camera. Has he finally found it in the shape of the IDOLCAM? As you might have guessed, it’s not that simple. 

5 Helpful Tips for Shooting Handheld Video

There are quite a few ways to shoot stabilized video, but quite often, you will end up shooting handheld for one reason or another. This great video will give you five tips for shooting better handheld video. 

Does the Sony a7 III Have a Terrible Preamp? Apparently, It’s Not That Simple

Last week, in a gloriously nerdy video, DPReview tested the preamps of various hybrid cameras to see how they performed alongside one another. One of the big surprises was how poorly the Sony a7 III fared, giving a notable hiss. In response, Gerald Undone then conducted his own tests, finding completely different results. So, where does the truth lie? 

Mark Smith's Beautiful Bird in Flight Photography

Master storyteller, videographer, and photographer Mark Smith takes us on a journey in Florida to photograph Roseate Spoonbills, Egrets, Herons, and Ospreys. Marks commentary and stunning, pin-sharp images make this an enjoyable video to watch even if you're not into bird photography.

 

What Do You Get When You Buy a GoPro Knock-Off?

GoPro’s dominance has shifted slightly in recent years but when it comes to dedicated action cams with incredible stabilization, it’s hard to beat. That performance comes at a price, however, so what do you get when you buy yourself a budget option? 

Is Landscape Photography the Hardest Genre to Vlog?

Vlogging is a common marketing tool or additional creative outlet for many photographers, and perhaps for none more so than landscape photographers. In this video, cinematographer and photographer Mikey McManus takes a more objective approach to analyzing a landscape photography vlog. 

Essential Videography Tips For Wildlife Photographers

Wildlife photography, and especially bird photography, can quickly become an obsession. It takes an enormous amount of patience to nail a decent shot, so when it does happen, the endorphin rush can hook anyone.

What Makes Music Creepy: More Music Theory for Filmmakers

Do you ever find yourself having an emotional reaction to a movie and you're not quite sure why? If you're making movies, you need to spend time being intentional with the music you select. It's too powerful a tool to leave in the drawer.

How to Shoot Fake Car Driving on a Tiny Budget

Setting up a rig to film a car being driven can be a huge job, but cheating it in studio can be equally complex. Filmmaker Mark Bone is an expert when it comes to making professional-looking footage on a shoestring budget, and in this great video, he runs through his process for making in-car footage that looks better than much of what you might see on Netflix. 

'Apocalypse Now': Intention and Commitment

Have you ever come back to a piece of work that you know almost like the back of your hand and yet, you're still surprised by its depth? You see something new, something inspiring? 

Cinema Tyler's YouTube channel is full of insights into some of the best films ever made. If you haven't, now is the time to catch up.

18 Video Settings Everyone Should Know Explained in Less Than 10 Minutes

When you are starting in video, you will probably notice that a lot of terms and techniques carry over from photography, but it is not quite all the same. There are some video-specific terms and settings you will need to know, and this excellent video will introduce you to 18 of them in less than 10 minutes. 

Canon EOS C500 Mark II Versus Canon EOS R: Can the Mirrorless Camera Keep Up?

At $16,000 for the camera body only, the Canon C500 Mark II is an impressive 6K camera that meets the needs of independent filmmakers and videographers alike. What happens if you can't afford a B camera at the same level as the C500 Mark II? Can the Canon EOS R keep up and deliver with its 4K footage? 

This Is How Much Work It Takes to Make a YouTube Video

Consistently crafting compelling, professionally produced, and innovative YouTube content is no small feat, and you might be surprised by just how much work goes into even the smallest and most straightforward videos. This fascinating video takes a look behind the scenes at just what goes into making a YouTube video and the difficulties encountered along the way. 

Just How Powerful Is 5.5K Raw Video on the Canon 1D X Mark III?

The Canon 1D X Mark III made quite the splash when it was announced, with numerous head-turning features sure to please many professionals. Perhaps one of the most impressive is the new 5.5K raw video capability (at 60 fps no less) using the full width of the sensor. This great video takes a look at using the new feature in a low-light scenario. 

12 Essential Camera Angles Every Filmmaker Should Know

Part of telling a coherent story through video is having a strong command of camera angles and how they can affect the information and emotion you convey to the viewer. This excellent video will show you 12 essential camera angles, what they are used for, and how to properly film them. 

One Filmmaker's Essential Gear in 2020

A lot of gear we all gawp over — maybe even most of it — is surplus to requirements. But, some gear ends up being essential. What equipment is first in your bag in 2020?