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.

Cinematographers Aren't There To Shoot Amazing Images: An Interview With Roger Deakins

Cinematographers rarely reach celebrity status. Directors and actors get all that action. Roger Deakins is probably as close to a rock star as cinematographers get. If you don't know his name, don't worry, you certainly know some of his movies. Deakins has worked the camera and created the visual style for almost every single Coen brothers movie.

The iPhone 6s Takes Better Video Than My Professional Nikon DSLR

Yesterday we released the iPhone Bikini Shoot, a video in which I do a professional quality photoshoot with minimal gear. The point of the video wasn't to say that the iPhone was a better camera than a professional DSLR, it was meant to inspire photographers to use the gear they currently own to create beautiful images.

RED's New Raven 4K Camera Is Right Under $6,000

RED Digital Cinema has announced the latest addition to its line of professional cameras, the RED RAVEN priced at $5,590. RED RAVEN is the lightest and cheapest camera among the RED Cinema lineup. This camera is capable of capturing 4K resolution footage at up to 120fps or 2K resolution at 240fps. 

The Making of an Industrial Promotional Video with Timelapses, Sliders, and Crafty Editing

Creating promotional video content for industrial and corporate clients is an often overlooked, yet very large, part of the market when it comes to the amount of work they can generate for production companies. A few years ago my business was hired to produce such a video, and I (finally) have the behind-the-scenes video completed to show how we put everything together. 

Reviewing the Dynamic Range and 4K Video Quality of the New iPhone 6s

Recently, PRO EDU posted video reviews of the new iPhone 6s, which is getting major attention for its new video capabilities, namely its ability to record 4K video. In these two video reviews, PRO EDU takes a look at the dynamic range and stabilization ability of the new phone, as well as its overall video quality.

iPhone 6s Vs Sony A7RII 4k Video Comparison

Today I got an iPhone 6s and the only feature that really excites me is the option to shoot in 4k video. As I've said before, I don't care to export videos in 4k, I just want higher quality 1080p footage. I decided to do a quick test comparing the 4k capabilities of the iPhone 6s to the hottest camera on the market today, the Sony A7RII. 

Combining a Motion Time-lapse and Live Action Video In One Seamless Clip

Jay P. Morgan and the Slanted Lens have a new video out, this time showing how they are combining a video clip with a motion time-lapse for a music video project. It's a great watch if you've ever wondered how to approach getting this effect, or are still learning the craft of time-lapse shooting. 

These Time Lapses of Flowers Blooming Are Mesmerizing

Majo Chudy set up a small studio in his home using grow lights and some blankets to capture perfectly lit time-lapses of flowers blooming. As you might imagine, it wasn't quite as easy as it sounds.  

Fire Blowers, Slow Motion, And Bullet Time = Epic Video

This amazing two-minute video was created using 48 DSLR cameras stacked side-by-side and a RED Epic camera shooting at 120 fps. The result is an amazing video that combines fire, slow motion, and bullet time into one amazing spectacle.  

Watch Every Episode Of Photographing The World Behind The Scenes Right Here

Over the last two months we have been releasing one episode a week of our Behind the Scenes series of our world tour with Elia Locardi. In this first season (Season 2 is currently being edited), we visit both Iceland and New Zealand to film our latest tutorial on all things landscape photography.  

SteadXP Aims to Stabilize All of Your Shaky DSLR and GoPro Video Footage

With impressive looking example videos and a relatively inexpensive price tag when compared to a MoVi or Ronin, the Kickstarter for the SteadXP has already blown past its fundraising goal. I wasn't sure what all the hype was about until I watched their video with before and after examples. 

Canon Releases Footage To Show Its New Camera Shooting At 4,560,000 ISO

A while ago we reported that Canon has come out with a new camera geared towards shooting at extremely high ISO. The new ME20F-SH from Canon can shoot in full HD at over 4,000,000 ISO. Now Canon Japan has released some promotional footage to show us what we can expect from this new camera and these new possibilities. 

6 DIY Photography Hacks from Ikea That Help You Save Money

Everyone loves Ikea. Don't try to fight it; you know you do! They have everything you could possibly need for your home and also those Swedish Meatballs. But have you ever thought of all the things you can buy to create DIY softboxes and beauty dishes? Check out this video for six tips to help save money (and give you a valid excuse to shop at Ikea). 

ReelSteady Software Can Make Your Shaky Videos Look Amazing

Normally I don't promote software based on their promo video alone but this video was so compelling I had to share it. The ReelSteady plugin for After Effects appears to be made of pure magic, taking cheap looking footage and making it look like Hollywood CGI.   

How to Post Process the Night Sky in Lightroom

Creator and editor of Lonely Speck, pro night sky photographer Ian Norman is back with another great tutorial. Being nothing short of passionate when it comes to astrophotography Ian always seems eager to share what he has learned over the years.

10 Tip For Photographing Models in the Nude

I woke this morning to find that director Matt Rycroft, over at the Cooperative of Photography, had dropped this little gem in my mail box. In their latest video the COOPH team up with first class celebrity portrait photographer Greg Gorman, as he demonstrates how to approach a nude photography shoot.

 

The Drunk DJI Ronin M Review

We recently received the new DJI Ronin M, an electronic gimbal that is smaller and cheaper than the standard DJI Ronin. To put this stabilizer to the test, we decided to put it through a series of demanding tests... while drunk. 

 

Life on the Road: The Realities of Traveling While Working as a Filmmaker and Photographer

In the last few weeks I interviewed both the Wickstrom’s and the Hage’s, creative couples who make their living while traveling full time. In this article, I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned from spending two months on the road with my partner, while trying to stay on top of projects and work on new ones. Come to find out, it is not as fun and dreamy as it sounds. 

What North Korea is Really Like from the Point of View of a Vacationing Photographer

As some of you may have noticed by now, I'm kind of hooked on these mini documentaries put out by Seeker Stories. They're interesting, easily digestible, informative and from the point of view of our industry peers. This latest video features Bath-based, UK video producer/photographer Matt Paish as he takes us into North Korea on vacation.

Japanese Wildlife Photographer Travels the Globe to Film Cats of the World

I happened across this serene video of a tiny kitten befriending Japanese wildlife photographer Mitsuaki Iwago as he was filming for his NHK TV series, "Wildlife Photographer Mitsuaki Iwago's World Cats Travelogue". While being lulled by the tranquility of the scene I couldn't help but think how amazing our craft is, that we can make a

Lighting on a Budget - 1 Speedlight

If there’s anything that you’ll quickly learn about me, it’s that I love simplicity, both professionally and personally. It’s the only way that I keep my sanity between trying to balance producing shoots, contacting clients, editing, teaching, writing and riding my motorcycle. Now, to be extremely clear, it wasn’t always that way.

Do UV Filters Really Protect Your Lens? Shocker: Not Really

Steve Perry of Backcountry Gallery has a multitude of great, down-to-earth photography how-to videos, but the latest one tackles an age-old question we've all had numerous fights over. In spite of Perry's self-proclaimed non-scientific standards, perhaps we can finally put this one to rest. 

Wedding Photography Tips: How To Start Your Wedding Photography Business

In B&H's latest episode of "Wedding Photography Tips" wedding photographer Susan Stripling offers up some solid nuggets of advice for you to chew over before taking on your first wedding gig. Susan addresses some really important issues, that a lot of shooters wouldn't even consider, prior to embarking on a career in wedding photography. 

Musicbed’s Newly Launched Site Filmsupply Aims to Revolutionize the Stock Footage Industry

Musicbed, the music licensing website in which many filmmakers rely on for quality pieces to accompany their videos, has launched a new site with big goals in the film licensing sector. Filmsupply is not content with the way stock footage tends to always stick out, and wants to change that with a highly curated library from hand-picked contributors. 

The Fashion Photographer's Guide to Mood Boards: Save Yourself a Headache

Many beginning photographers find it very difficult to translate their vision verbally. In order to save yourself time, effort, and frustration the day of your shoot, use a mood board. Mood boards are visual collages of inspiration designed to provide your team or client with a visual reference guide that everyone can agree on before your photo shoot.

 

A Stunning Time-lapse of Seoul That Took Three Years to Complete

Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, along with its adjoining cities houses and employs approximately half of Korea's 51 million residents. With high-rise apartments being the norm for housing, and a three to four hour traffic jam twice a day, it's easy to see that Seoul is a city of epic proportions.

Over 1,500 4K Video Clips Available Free for Commercial Use

Philadelphia based Director of Photography Mitch Martinez thought the world needed access to more 4K footage for free. So, he collected clips he shot from all over the United States and created a catalog with over 35 different categories of footage on his website just for that.

$150 Vs $15,000 Cinema Lens, Not A Significant Difference

If you are shooting 36mp still images, you're going to be able to see a pretty significant difference when comparing cheap lenses to their pro level counterparts. Does the same hold true for video? Not really.  

Adobe's Mobile Photoshop Application will be Released in October

Last May, Adobe gave the world a sneak peek of their forthcoming mobile retouching platform. While the video only showed off modest implementations of the liquifiy, paint, and vignette tools, it's clear that Adobe and their army of software engineers have been hard at work beefing up their iPhone and iPad apps.

Tilt-Shift Time-Lapse Filmed from a Drone Makes Detroit Look Amazing

To say that time-lapse video and drone footage is everywhere would be an understatement. YouTube is chalk full of amateur aerial video with the recent abundance of inexpensive drones, and time-lapse clips are everywhere. If they are a fad remains to be seen but sometimes we get to see some really innovative videos showcasing some true creativity. 

Amazing Hyperlapse Video of Los Angeles Filmed with Simple Camera Setup

Hyperlapse has been around for a while now, and you can even film some pretty sweet stuff on your smartphone, but you have got to check this beautiful video out. Using a simple camera setup, Vadim Tereshchenko wants everyone to know if you want to do hyperlapse, you can! 

10 Easy Do-It-Yourself Photography Hacks

Kai and the crew over at DigitalRev are at their goofy antics again. This time their latest video has them running through ten easy photography hacks you can do using common thing you can find around your home. I have little doubt that most of these won't be new to you but even if you gleam one little helpful nugget from this list, it will be ten minutes well spent. 

Check Out This Incredible Freerunning Optical Illusion Video

Jason Paul and Pasha Petkuns teamed up with Red Bull to produce the most unique freerunning video that I've ever seen.  They begin at the upside down house in Germany but quickly move to perspective/depth of field tricks that any of us are capable of reproducing.  

 

Filmmaker Blows Our Minds and Our Faces with Epic Slow-Mo Video

You may remember filmmaker Scott Winn from his awesome "Fruit Ninja in Real Life" video from a few years back, or from last year's undeniably catchy "Stormtrooper Twerk." Well he's back with something he captions "the worst family BBQ ever." 

HAZMAT Surfing Video Predicts a Dangerous Future for Our Oceans

Earlier in the week, we shared Michael Dyrlands, HAZMAT Surfing photo series. To recap, HAZMAT Surfing is a photo series that gives a futuristic look at what surfing could be like twenty to twenty-five years down the road and spreads awareness of our oceans contamination.