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.

Bulb Ramping Tutorial Makes Complicated Timelapses Look Easy

Bulb ramping is a technique used by time lapse photographers to adjust the shutter speed throughout the time lapse to compensate for natural changes in exposure. If you're looking to shoot timelapses of sunrises, sunsets or any change from day to night, this technique is critical.

The Best Viral Music Video You Never Saw

Today, for the first time I watched this fantastic one-take music video for Brooklyn based band, Eytan and the Embassy. On the Vimeo page for 'Everything Changes' they tout the video as "18 Costume Changes -- 1 Music Video -- 0 Edits!" It has been online for 10 months, is a Vimeo Staff pick, but only has 20,000 views. Well I think it deserves more!

Magic Lantern RAW Video Workflow Tutorial

So as a lot of you have probably seen, you can now record full 1080p 14Bit Raw video on the Canon 5D Mark II and Mark III. This is truely incredible. However, you can not just import the video and get to editing right away. To be able to use the RAW video, you have to convert the RAW files to DNG. Here is a quick workflow tutorial on how to do that.

Raw Comparison: Magic Lantern Canon 5D VS Black Magic Cinema Camera

Still hot with news on the Canon 5D Mark III being able to shoot continuous raw video footage with Magic Lantern, comparison videos are starting to hit the net. In this video, you'll see the Black Magic Cinema Camera footage alongside the hacked 5D, with ISO information to give you a better idea of the noise difference.

Mark Rober Shows Us Some Creative DIY Rotational Filming

Do you remember 14 years ago when the Matrix came out and blew some of our minds with filming techniques? One of the most ingenious scenes at the time was the wrap around bullet shot where the camera spun around the actors on a large dolly while they were suspended in mid air.

Space Oddity: Chris Hadfield Makes First Ever Music Video from Space

This is one of those projects that is almost beyond words. Astronaut Chris Hadfield shot this music video to express his feelings of leaving the International Space Station, and it's basically the coolest possible way to go out. If you haven't yet seen this (which you probably have but heck, it's so amazing I just had to share), quit reading and hit the play button.

Follow Brian Matiash As He Goes Urban Exploring For Unique Images

This new video from the Life In Focus series from F-Stop Gear tells the story of Brian Matiash, an urban and landscape photographer from Portland, Oregon. A departure from the usual mountain or expedition setting, it's cool to see a photographer who is working on the streets of a city and how he makes use of the rugged F-stop bags.

Behind the Scenes: Star Trek Into Darkness

The follow-up to 2009's re-imagined (alternate universe) Star Trek film is probably one of the biggest blockbuster sequels of the 2013 film year. Follow J. J. Abrams as he directs the crew of the USS Enterprise as they fight off a new threat, John Harrison played by Star Trek newcomer, Benedict Cumberbatch.

BTS of How Apple's Product Photographer Makes the iPhone Ad Perfect

The photography for Apple's products have become an iconic style that virtually every other technology company has tried to emulate. In a recent interview with The Verge, Apple's product photographer Peter Belanger takes us through the steps to make such an simplistic photograph come to life, using some of the most complex lighting setups imaginable. 

The Great Gatsby: Breakdown of a Scene

Baz Luhrmann the master of dazzling audiences with his self-coined style of filmmaking known as the 'Red Curtain' style is back. This week's new addition to his small filmography, 'The Great Gatsby' looks to fall under the same flourish and design as previous Luhrmann films, and certainly doesn't look disappointing.

Hitler Finds Out About The New Creative Cloud Model And Shares His Thoughts

The hot topic of the week around here has been the new Creative Cloud model from Adobe. We recently posted this video discussion about what some of us thought of it along with this article on why it may not be a good idea. There were great points made on both ends. However, like all popular things, humor follows shortly on the Internet.  

Behind the Scenes of a Dark and Dramatic Portrait

Sometimes you want a portrait that just screams drama and emotion. Sometimes that emotion might be joy, other times you may want to portray a sort of dark, brooding atmosphere. In this tutorial by PHLEARN, Aaron Nace walks you through a method he chose to turn a daytime portrait into something much darker.  

Below, see what Aaron started with...

 

Fstoppers Discussion: About the Outcry Over the New Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Creative Cloud, in lieu of Adobe Creative Suite 7, has some great new features but also some hotly contested issues including the loss of disc support and move to a monthly payment feature for all future software. Mike Kelley, Rebecca Britt and I (Jaron Schneider) discuss what this means for creatives and why it may not be the big deal some are trying to make it out to be.  

"The Quest For Inspiration" Documents Landscape Photographer's Journey

Seven months ago I shared the trailer for a documentary about French Landscape Photographer Alexandre Deschaumes, as he creates stunning landscape images all over the world. His travels have taken him to Patagonia, Iceland, Austria, and more, while the time he spends in nature is the time where he seems to get the most creative.

Has Canon Admitted The Difference Between The T4i and T5i is Nothing?

Canon fans were left wanting more after the announcement of the Canon Rebel T5i. Fans everywhere made comments on how it wasn't much of an upgrade from the t4i, and just a money grabbing attempt from Canon. Perhaps Canon has finally admitted that they're the same camera, as they're using old T4i ads, for the new T5i. 

Behind the Scenes of Verizon's Iron Man Commercial

With the new Iron Man movie out this week it's only natural that companies would cash in on the film trilogy. Verizon Wireless have released a new commercial for their new internet service, FiOS Quantum. VFX house, The Embassy, who created the special effects also worked on the first Iron Man film.

Kessler Reveals New Automatic Panning Add-On For Sliders: The Parallax

Known for their industry leading camera sliders and portable jibs, Kessler continues to innovate by creating useful products for filmmakers. Their latest creation is called the Parallax, and in this video, Eric Kessler demonstrates how it works to create a motor-less, controlled panning action on your existing slider.

Kenneth Volpe On Mixing Ambient Light With Strobes

NYC-based commercial photographer Kenneth Volpe sat down with the good folks over at Profoto to give some insight on the way he lights his images and a bit of his philosophy when it comes to his photography business, Transposure. With Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Engineering, Kenneth is a guy that definitely understands fine light and exhibits it in the way he makes his photos.

IBM Research Makes World's Smallest Movie By Moving Atoms

This is the kind of story that just boggles my mind. IBM just released a Guinness World Record-setting movie called "A Boy and His Atom," made by moving atoms using an IBM-invented scanning tunneling microscope. It weighs two tons, operates at a temperature of negative 268 degrees Celsius and magnifies the atomic surface over 100 million times.

Creating a Photo That is a "Vision of the Future"

Aaron Nace from PHLEARN wanted to make an image that was based on the idea of a future where the sun had become so bright that humans would be forced to see the world through technologically-advanced glasses. Watch how they went from concept drawing to finished photo in their most recent tutorial.  

Fantastic Advice for Beginners in the Creative Industry

Here's an oldie but goodie about the secret of success in creative work. It was a talk given by Ira Glass which was then turned into an animation by David Shiyang Liu. It's less than 2-minutes long and has some fantastic advice for creatives.

Nikon Cinema - A Celebration Of Filmmaking

Nikon recently opened up Nikon Cinema, a website dedicated to HD SLR motion projects that have been created with Nikon hardware. The website currently hosts 3 short motion projects that have been shot with the Nikon D4, D800, D600 and various Nikkor glass.

Documenting the Resurgence of Africa - 'The New African Photography' on Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera English just premiered the first episode of their new show, "The New African Photography." Following a time of great turmoil for Africa, the show centers on the changing image of the continent as told through the eyes of photographers. The goal is to ultimately replace the images of famine and war that often come to mind and with images that redefine what Africa is becoming today.

Behind The Scenes Shoot In Italy With Simeon Quarrie

As one of the writers here at Fstoppers I do quite a bit of scouring the internet trying to find the best 'behind the scenes' videos to share with our readers. Sadly much of what I see lacks content, rather it is most commonly just a music video of a photographer on a shoot. Fortunately, this video by Simeon Quarrie documenting his shoot in Italy is quite the opposite.

Is Talent House the New Way to Make Money With Your Art?

Social media has progressed to a point where anyone can personalize their online experience. Through your own network of friends and filters, "Likes" and "Shares" now prioritize funny or relevant content for you and those you share commonalities with. Talenthouse now seeks to utilize that method of content sharing to popularize your artistic capability.

Inspiring Video on Fighting for Your Passion

Devin Graham creates Youtube videos for a living. Not just any Youtube videos, but breathtaking videos that not only leave you in awe-inspiring wonder, but are obviously made with tediously hard work, amazing creativity and most importantly... passion. Devin takes you behind the scenes in this motivating video about exactly what he does for a living.   

Thoughts on Current Copyright Issues and the Future of "The New Prohibition"

We covered a story last year in which Andy Baio was sued for his use of a Miles Davis photograph as a reference for pixel art for a tribute album he created. Now, he's spoken about copyright issues and what constitutes "fair use." There are many opinions on this, but it's a great video if you're curious about the issue -- which you should be if you're any kind of artist or image-maker.

Shooting Action With Chris Garrison Using Hypersync

Just the other day a buddy introduced me to hypersync via this video from PocketWizard featuring Chris Garrison. Hypersync is technology in PocketWizard FlexTT5's and MiniTT1's which enables you to sync your camera with big studio strobes at speeds up to 1/8000 with certain setups. PocketWizard has more information on hypersync over at their site.

Fstoppers Reviews SLRLounge's Natural Light Couples Photography Workshop DVD

I'm a strobist by heart. When I first got into photography, I didn't even begin shooting portrait work until after I had gotten at least a flash. That purchase, quickly turned into studio strobe after studio strobe until I found that I was completely controlling all light sources during my shoots.

Watch How Light Shapes a Face - Sparkles and Wine Teaser by Nacho Guzman's

A good photographer or videographer depends on good lighting to create a shot. Lighting creates the mood of any scene and sets the stage for the story you're trying to tell. In an unusual but entrancing method, Nacho Guzman creates a dramatic scene and shows how quickly light can change the mood and expression on a woman's face.

I Visited Hong Kong & Did A DigitalRev Cheap Camera Challenge

Phase One asked me to go on a speaking tour through China (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing) to share about my photo career, creative inspiration, and being a Phase One shooter myself, to demo their innovative new IQ2 digital medium format camera back system.

Interview, Plus Tips On Shooting Senior Portraits With Michael Sasser

Denver photographer Michael Sasser got some attention when this behind the scenes video showed how a simple setup could produce some great portraits. He dropped a new video, so I reconnected with him to see what he has been working on. Turns out he has a new slow-motion video camera, and is now offering video production to clients.

Pyromania Meets Paint at 15,000 FPS!

The 'Slow Mo Guys' are no strangers to Fstoppers. Anyone that uses a Phantom at extremely high FPS and breaks stuff or blows stuff up in HD has a pretty good shot of me posting their videos. I love being able to see things happen in such a different way than what we are used to, and this video is no exception. Low production value, messy backdrop, terrible lighting ... still awesome! Enjoy!

Interview/BTS With Lifestyle Photographer Joseph Tyler

I know you all have seen tons of life style photographers, all the happy, smiley shots of girls wearing weird, fashionable clothing. However, I think each photographer who shoots these is able to tell a different story with them. Joseph Tyler is one of these photographer who is able to tell a different story then the others. These shots are not all happy, smiley, and fun looking.

Music Bed is a Time Saver

Licensing music for a video or multimedia project can often make or break a final edit. With tight deadlines and the multitasking so common to being a professional photographer, you need to use your time effectively. Enter the Music Bed app, an iOS mobile resource providing access to Music Bed’s library of available music for your next project.  

Visual Effects Reel Shows The Hard Work That Goes Into The Walking Dead (NSFW)

The Walking Dead is among the hottest shows on television today. The amount of work that goes into the visual production to make this show so spectacular and real often goes unnoticed by its fan base. The latest reel from production company Stargate Studios shows us the amount of work they had to put into the latest season of AMC’s hot television series. 

Breaking Glass For Visual Storytelling: Behind The Scenes With Rob Woodcox

Slowly but safely, photographer Rob Woodcox guides a young girl through a dangling maze of razor-sharp glass. His idea: use the concept of shattered mirror fragments to represent this girl's story of struggling to cope with being an abandoned child. In this dual BTS video and interview post, find out how Rob made the image seen here, but read on for the full story behind the project. 

How To Color Tone Your Photos With Elena Jasic

If you are a regular reader of Fstoppers, than by now you should be familiar with Elena Jasic and her amazing photography and retouching skills. Elena just posted her tutorial on how to color tone your photos the way she does it.

Newest Camera Stabilizer Could Revolutionize Cinema

Camera stabilization is always a tricky game, with no easy solution. Cheap stabilizers are often difficult to balance, and expensive ones are often bulky, and make mobilization a problem. Introducing MōVI by Freefly, a stabilization system that is expected to change the DSLR movie scene forever, and its already got award winning videographer Vincent Laforet’s stamp of approval. 

Getting The Shot: Kayaker Dropping Off A 65-foot Waterfall

Bugs, rain, rough terrain and carrying gear– forget about all of that. Shift your focus and get creative all of a sudden. Think: how can you approach taking an image that you'll have just one chance to get, but also capture it in a unique way?

How to Easily Time Sync Your Files in Lightroom

Have you ever been on a shoot in which you used two cameras or had an assistant shooting with you, imported the files into Lightroom and then realized they were not time synced properly? If so, this quick 5-minute video is for you. Lightroom makes it incredibly easy to time sync your files so they all line up perfectly in chronological order by capture time.

LineCam Systems: Cable-Assisted Media Capture

An interesting system is in development via Kickstarter for video professionals to get excited about. The LineCam can most easily be compared to a zipline style "track" that can either be operated through gravity (with the Glide) or via remote control (with the Flow).

Teton Gravity Research Shows Off Most Advanced 4K Gyro-stabilized Camera Platform

Award-winning action sports production company and lifestyle brand Teton Gravity Research (TGR) has become the first to acquire the new Gyro-Stabilized Systems (GSS) C520 system, the most advanced five-axis gyro-stabilized camera platform in the world. Mounted on the underside of a helicopter, the 4K bird's-eye-view footage is remarkably stable.