Finally we’re moving into serious snapshot territory with the new iPhone. While it’s all nice and new (and quicker, with higher res. screen), the best part of this is that i finally discovered Hipstamatic.
I thought i have to move to Williamsburg to truly enjoy it, but the stuff i shot so far are dangerously fun by themselves. Thanks Steven for the intro on my birthday…
I promise i’ll post more snaps in the future
And while getting serious about the moving image it becomes clear that sound needs to become it’s own item.
Not only does it alow to mix the image seperate from ther sound track, the sound quality is so much better, due to much less and better compression on the audio recorders.
It really is a different Element, that needs serious consideration and equipment.
And with the input from my shoot as stiil photographer on the set of “Homework” i got a serious headstart into this not so new field (My dad was a sound engineer and is a huge Jazz collector, so i kind of grew up behind a mixing board).
Again a nice amount amount of reseach was helpfull (and online resources can point very much in the right direction, but real world feedback is still the best, so thank you, Pro-Sound New York).
I rented the Zoom h4n and the Sennheiser M66/K6, both great units, form them for a test. While i liked the mic, even that it was on the dry side (Think Zeiss lenses) i wasn’t in love with the recorder. The XLR plugs don’t have a secure lock and after researching a bit i came across the Tascam DR-100 which a lot of people like better.
I wanted to up the quality and got a Marantz PMD-661, upgraded by the Oade brothers with better components. That is twice the price of the others but the sound is fantastic.
We also got Rode NTG-2 mics for boom (to the PMD) and on camera with a XLR to
stereo plug. The reason for Rode, great reviews, “cheap” and Phantom and AA power.
We also got the Rode Stereo video mic for room sound, that i personally hate, the base level of the noise is too high (hissing, think grain). Also, forget the build in mics of the Canons, Marantz PMD or any other handheld recorder for anything but emergency backup. The noise of actually just holding the unit actually gets recorded, so put it on a stand and just turn it on if you have to.
Oh, another necessary thing is to get is a nice set of headphones, Sony MDR 7506 seems the standard on movie sets, and that’s what we use now.
Our whole kit, PMD-661 ($650), 2 Rode NTG-2 ($250 each), 1 Rode SVM ($250), 1 Sony headphones ($95) and a couple of cables, rechargeable AA batteries and SD cards (probably $150), total $1645 for audio (Lav mics, to pin on, we rent as needed).
Getting just a small recorder, like the Tascam DR-100 ($300) and Rode NTG-2 with headphones gets you in the door for around $750 (cables, SD and batteries).
As for top of the crop recorders there’s Sound Devices, but that’s a very different category.
If you’re in NY, talk to Pro Sound or Abel Cine, both great outfits with very deep knowledge, a movie background and equipment to demo and rent.
As for shooting, the best option is obviously to work with a pro sound guy, but in a pinch (and a doc we’re working on right now) we do it ourselves with great results, but it needs to be monitored all the time, juts like the camera…
After doing research online and reading all the reviews I could get my hands on, testing equipment from Fotocare and Able cinema we got around to put a nice and small system together for better camera handling while shooting moving images with the Canon 5D.
What I do find interesting is that the Movie Directors of Photography keep the cameras and accessories small, with prime lenses and very little other equipment, maybe a loupe, maybe a small LCD.
But the still photographers try to add everything possible to the unit, large Matt boxes, a separate audio recorder with shotgun mics and huge shoulder rigs in addition to the loupe and monitor.
The last resulting in the most comical contraption that’s unwieldy and takes up huge amount of space to transport, rig and move around. Kind of defying the purpose of the small unit with incredible image quality.
The solution that I prefer is a simple Redrock rig with two handles upfront and a simple gun stock, while the camera gets a Zacuto loupe mounted on the small LCD.
I could see adding a 7″ Marshall LCD at some point, especially when shooting from a tripod.
But I really like the feeling of the handheld shooting, conveying and more engaging with an immediate point of view.
A great addition to the still image, i can see this mixing well on the iPad and web editions of stories all the while keeping the feel and perspective very close.
Love it or hate it, but the iPad is here to stay (and it’s fabulous)…
The website is now also available in a iPad friendly layout, not quite as slick as the standard site but quick and efficient.
In the meantime, my portfolio just made onto my new little friend and looks great
I wonder, will it save publishing, will it replace my print portfolio, will we be able to replace Laptops, will we able to set it up as a preview screen on a shoot, how will my iPhone feel…
Anyhow, i can’t wait, my 3G is on the way, perfect for my trip to Europe. The hype is a little overblown, but it will do a lot.
I feel we’ll be ending up like those little round guys in WALL-E, sitting on a hover chair and having a iPad strapped in front of us. Interesting to think that Steve Jobs vision of the future is laid out in a children’s animation movie and no one picks up on this (iAd anyone?).
After a couple of great shoots recently i felt compelled to give them their own gallery.
Let me know what you think. I love to see their characters come through.
Wasn’t there something like this not too long ago. Radio survived and that’s a good thing.
Now video is again at it, and the photo world seems to discover a new calling. Only, isn’t there something like a Director of Photography (who are great photographers themselves) on every film set. Nobody is waiting for the still photographers to come and reinvent the wheel. The DP’s are taking the small DSLRS and shoot footage previously unable or only obtainable with very difficult rigging. Maybe that’s the convergence of technologies. And it will be interesting finally and really incorporating editorial photography with video, at least to an extend…
My prediction: Still photography will come out of this even stronger than before. It’s hard to hang a movie or video on the wall, and moving images will enhance and add to the still portfolio in any publication (once we all have an iPad).
People will go back to actually capturing a moment rather than spending days reviewing, developing and editing RAW RED footage… In the end it’s all about the efficient method to get to the final product.
What a sad, tragic and early end to a fantastic designer who i expected to continue to fight against the demise of ambitious and great fashion.
I remember well when he first came to Paris in’96, changing Givenchy; not the easiest transition, after the genius John Galliano moved to Dior.
I felt recently he really hit a stride and I thought he’s just warming up…
Mailing post cards always makes me think and hope that one day email marketing will replace the paper campaign. But while i’m conviced that it’s still a viable and necessary way of showing off some new work, i’m always concerned about the impact this has on the environment.
So it’s nice to know that my vendor, Modern Postcard in Carlsbad, CA now only uses pulp from sustainable forests that conform to the www.sfiprogram.org and www.fsc.org .
And above that the printing paper they actually use has a 30% post consumer waste content to cut down the use of new fiber overall.
If you haven’t received a mailer from me recently let me know, but also check you email inbox. I do send out email much more often and to a little bit larger crowd..
As you might be aware the wide spread usage (and resuse) of internet content undermines the legal status of many copyright issues. Even that the usage is clearly regulated, new ways of communicating are taking away licensing fees from artists and writers in a big way.
Therefore i support the Copyright Alliance effort to protect and extend what already is status quo and internationally recognized.
To learn more about this initiative and help bringing this matter to larger attention on a national level i suggest following the link below and signing the letter to the US President.
Another year, another geek show. Few interesting tech things to see, Canon showed of the new 1D Mark IV cameras, great for movement, dance, jumps etc. With this, I don’t see shooting the RED camera ever again, 1o frames per second, 16MB RAW files. That’s great for a full page and beyond and much less footage (and tech/crew setup) to work with. NICE…
Now, if I actually get my new Canon S90 p&s camera and the printer that Epson promised last month and still has not delivered.
But the better part was a little history talk about The White House Photographers.
Led by Pete Souza, David Hume Kennerly and Robert McNeely it was a nice event that I wished would have been taped for the public with great personal insights and little quips about the daily life in 1600 Penn. Ave. and the obvious history witnessed by these great guys.
But I have to admit that James Nachtwey presentation on Saturday was beyond words.
The world’s misery that he witnessed and brought to the audience over the last 25+ years is just staggering. Probably the best photography done in this field and gorgeously printed by Jim Megargee, if it wouldn’t be for the just excruciating subject matter I could start hanging them in our house. Afterwards it was a standing ovation and had everybody reevaluate their life.
I do want to point to his tuberculosis initiative that he started with the help of TED in 2008.
Tuberculosis is shaping up to the most threatening disease making its comeback. Once though extinct it’s now multi/extremely drug resistant and taking a huge toll on populations across the planet and in conjunction with HIV is eradicating entire generations.
Our great friend Alysse Bezahler was part of a panel of Movie and TV producers at the Hampton Film festival today, discussing the efforts of making movie productions more environmentally friendly.
And I really think there’s a lot that still photo productions can learn. From exclusive digital communication and file exchange in the production phase to renting Hybrid’s, renting equipment so it can be reused, using low power lighting solutions. To cutting down is disposable everything from foam core to foam cups, water bottles etc., and asking suppliers for “greener” and recycled products in general.
More ideas are here:
I’m happy that we implemented already a great deal of these ideas, from preproduction mostly done online; to the actual digital shoot, which requires less equipment, no chemicals and smaller crews; to digital file delivery versus the trusty world wide courier system.
And nice side effect was that productions also saved money implementing these changes, something that entirely makes sense.
