Video vs. Photography

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Jeffrey Korst
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Video vs. Photography

Postby Jeffrey Korst » February 27th, 2010, 12:56 am

I'm planning a party at which I'll have an invited audience. The object is to get professional photos and video for promotional purposes.

I'm wondering about camera flashes during the video. Too much of a distraction, or should I not worry about it? What alternative do I have? Do things twice, once for video and once for still? Only do one or the other? If so, should I do still or video--what's more useful from a promo standpoint?

What else am I not taking into consideration?

Thanks very much,

Jeffrey

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mrgoat
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Re: Video vs. Photography

Postby mrgoat » February 27th, 2010, 7:28 am

Depends what lights the videographer uses and how good the tog is. With the right studio lights, the tog could get away with no flash.

However, for the *best* results, yes, you need to shoot stills and video separately.

If you are spending the time and money to hire in both skills, I would let them dictate what they need to get the best results!

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NCMarsh
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Re: Video vs. Photography

Postby NCMarsh » February 27th, 2010, 8:40 am

On flashbulbs going off during the video: I see where Damian is coming from but think it can be a positive for our purposes. When you see video where flashbulbs are going off at the same time, it's typically on the news and its typically coverage of someone we consider important: a red carpet, a press conference, a speech.

Whether they consciously articulate it or not; I think the flashbulbs say "the people watching this thought it was important/interesting enough to preserve"

Also, for web purposes, video stills (which aren't high resolution enough to print on anything larger than a postage stamp), can be very effective as pictures because you have hundreds of frames to choose from and can get the exact moment when the guest's reaction is big and you are in frame...

Best of luck with the shoot and let us know how it goes!

N.

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Re: Video vs. Photography

Postby hugmagic » March 3rd, 2010, 9:31 am

It is also possible to use flashes if they are bounced lights (off ceilings or umbrella). It will basically illuminate the area in a more natural looking light. I used to use it all the time in newspaper work.

I still would prefer to shoot separate video and stills. I might also add that though the cost might be more, you could shoot with film instead of digital. Unless you have a very high end digital camera, the film can capture more details.

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mrgoat
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Re: Video vs. Photography

Postby mrgoat » March 3rd, 2010, 9:38 am

hugmagic wrote:I might also add that though the cost might be more, you could shoot with film instead of digital. Unless you have a very high end digital camera, the film can capture more details.


Two questions. You suggest you can bounce a flash off the ceiling during a video shoot and will not be seen? Really? If the flash is working enough to cast more light on your subject, why will the motion camera not notice these flashes of light? When I take stills, I almost always bounce the light, cos I don't like a direct flash, but I am fairly sure if my camera sensor can see the light a video/film camera would too, no?

The cost MIGHT be more? So you hire a camera operator, an assistant, the film camera, you buy the film, you get the different lighting you need, then the film processing, ingestion, editing etc How could be possibly ever be cheaper than digital?

Also, I believe even lowly DV is 720P. Honestly, and I know very little about film so educate me if I am wrong, do you think a magic promo reel need more than 720P to work? What "details" would film capture that a prosumer digital camera would miss in terms of a magician's show reel?

Both questions are serious. Not saying you are wrong at all, I know next to nothing about this. Just interested!

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Video vs. Photography

Postby Richard Kaufman » March 3rd, 2010, 10:54 am

Goat: Hughes is talking about bouncing the light when shooting STILLS, not video.
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mrgoat
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Re: Video vs. Photography

Postby mrgoat » March 3rd, 2010, 2:06 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:Goat: Hughes is talking about bouncing the light when shooting STILLS, not video.


Sorry, I thought this was about shooting stills DURING a videoshoot. My bad.

Jeffrey Korst
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Re: Video vs. Photography

Postby Jeffrey Korst » March 3rd, 2010, 5:28 pm

mrgoat wrote:
Richard Kaufman wrote:Goat: Hughes is talking about bouncing the light when shooting STILLS, not video.


Sorry, I thought this was about shooting stills DURING a videoshoot. My bad.


That's how I was reading it, also. No worries about the camera end. I am hiring pros and they do have high end cameras.

I'll let you know how comes out.

Thanks


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