What do you think?

Niekbraam said:
Hi Guys,I'm trying to improve my skills by making a serie of videos.The first one is viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4iGgaVGbsM It is shot with a Panasonic AF101 camera and a Lumix 14-140 lens.Suggestions/ideas/improvements/ anyone?Thanks in advance,Regards,Niek Braam
Click to expand...

My advice would be to not be afraid of the lower exposure zones. You often expose a little high for my taste. I understand the DR of the camera is not as strong as others, however you seem to put many subjects in zone 5/6 and everything in the background will go nuclear. Don't be afraid to put things in zone 3 if it looks natural. Maybe then the background will come into the fold a little more.

keep shooting!


Also, some blacks were really crunchy, buy my aesthetics are usually more shadow detail. :)
 
Some very nice frames there. As Ryan said, you can come down some. That shot of the statue profile - you manage to get great detail on the statue but lose a lot of the greenery in the back being blown out. It happens a lot to me too with the AF100. It's a balancing act.

One thing you might try. If that's B.Press you can lower the pedestal on that setting to help hold the highlights. It helps in direct sunlight. You've captured one of the nicest aspects of the AF100 which are the rich colors.
 
I think it's just right.
Very nice work - also nice pacing editorially.
I would like to see what you'd do with interiors.
 
Hi guys,

Thanks for your replies, it's very helpfull! The AF101 poor with dynamic ranges but it is indeed a balance between blow-out and shadow. I will check out the composition zones and the B.Press, thanks for the ideas. I'm planning to make more videos and do different stuff, so interiors will be on my bucket list!

Best regards,

Niek Braam
 
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I think everything to improve at the shooting side has already been mentioned. From the Editing side: I'd use less dissolves and put the edits where strokes/beats are most present. Let the music guide you through the editing :)
 
For the most part it looks like one of those videos that are looped in TVs in stores, if that's what you were going for I'd say you succeeded in around two thirds of the shots.
The highlights thing is particularly painful on an AF100, you might get away with how you exposed this if you were using a camera with different pros and cons.
 
Your exposure at 1:33, under the shade of the trees and the brook - its darker and better looking IMHO. You seem to be over exposiing a tad, those white birds (ducks maybe, I can't remember) were so bright, I wanted to wear sunglasses LOL (no offense)

J
 
I guess I'm one of the few that thinks-- yes, a lot of areas do seem bright, but pretty much only at times where I'm seeing lots of black shadows, too. I think you balanced as well as can be expected-- more black/mud in the frame would've been worse than what was overexposed.
 
Thanks guys for all the advises and sharing your expertise. The AF101 is a real 'pain in the ass' with exposure. Also didn't pick the right moment with full sun and hard shadows. My next video is shot in sunrise so will be better with nice soft colors and shadows. Hope you will keep sharing your expertise's.

Thanks,

Niek Braam
 
I'm no expert at it (I let stuff fall into the "noisy" zone all the time) but keep in mind a big part of cinematography is using lighting (actual lights but also perhaps diffusers reflectors, etc) to squeeze the tones of the real world into the DR of the camera.

ok actually watched the video (shame on me):


throw a tiny bit of software diffusion on that sucker and grade it a touch warm.




or not, I dunno...


I say pick a mood and use all available tools (tastefully) to create it
 
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