Archive for Video

Announcing the Highly Anticipated Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR

Canon LogoPRESS SUMMARY – Canon announced its latest model, the EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera. Positioned between the extremely popular EOS 5D Mark II and Canon’s top-of-the-line professional EOS-1D X model, the EOS 5D Mark III delivers superb image quality, thanks to a new 22.3-megapixel full-frame Canon CMOS sensor, a high-performance DIGIC 5+ Imaging Processor, a 61-point High Density Reticular Autofocus (AF) System and six frames-per-second (fps) continuous shooting speed. Building upon the trailblazing success of the EOS 5D Mark II, the EOS 5D Mark III also incorporates enhanced video features for professionals in the fields of cinematography, television production and documentary filmmaking, including better noise reduction, longer recording times and a built-in headphone jack for audio monitoring. The EOS 5D Mark III is Canon’s answer to hundreds of thousands of advanced amateurs and emerging professionals looking for a compact, high-quality camera system to help them achieve their artistic vision, whether it be through still or video imagery. The EOS 5D Mark III introduction coincides with Canon’s 25th anniversary celebration of the EOS camera system. Canon’s award-winning EOS system first debuted in March of 1987 with the introduction of the EOS 650 SLR camera and three EF lenses.

Read More→

Marketing Campaigns for Photographers – Shoot Camera Phone Videos

Firstly I have to put my hands up and admit one thing. I have been a Canon 5Dmk2 owner since its release and I still haven’t shot a frame of video with it. There are two reasons for this:

  1. I’m not a videographer and I wouldn’t pretend to be otherwise
  2. If I got interested in video then it would consume more hours in the day than already exist and I certainly don’t have time for that. Unfortunately my idea of creating an 8th day in the week is still under development.

This poses quite a problem as I love the idea of using video to promote my business. Webcams are fine enough, but really what I want to communicate can’t be done with me sitting in front of my computer.

What I want is the ability to create and edit short videos whilst on location and be able to upload and them easily.

Then I came to the realisation that I can achieve all this with my iPhone (or any other smart phone to be fair).

What sort of content should you create?

Let’s face it you’re not going to be filming a remake of Ben-Hur on your phone. The quality isn’t going to be amazing so think about what sort of content is passably at that quality.

Behind the scenes videos – We have talked about these in the past (Creating a Viral Video) but you could also shoot very quick 30 second clips that are a bit more of a taster than a full video. Most of your clips will be behind the scenes style videos.

Read More→

RODE VideoMic HD – The World's First Digital Recorder Video Microphone

January 28, 2012 – PRESS SUMMARY – RODE Microphones announced the VideoMic HD, a high-fidelity, precision RF bias shotgun microphone with integrated digital recording, designed for use with DSLR and large-sensor video cameras.

The VideoMic HD’s audio DNA is directly inherited from RØDE’s flagship NTG3 professional shotgun microphone. Incorporating the same capsule and sharing much of the electronic design of the NTG3, the VideoMic HD is a true condenser super-cardioid shotgun microphone with RF bias technology. This makes it virtually immune to RF interference and condensation that can cause other condenser microphones to fail.


Continuing its history of innovation and ‘industry-firsts’ RØDE has incorporated a high quality digital recorder into the body of the VideoMic HD. This completely removes the requirement for a separate audio recorder, while still also providing throughput of the audio signal to the camera for a superior reference audio track. Read More→

Hollywood Style Video Effects for iPhone: Action Movie FX

“Hey, Dad! Check this out!” When these words come from the mouth of your 15-year-old son you never know what will follow. Sometimes it is good; sometimes it requires X-rays. This time Lane showed me a new app on his iPhone, and I must say, I am impressed.

As part of their promotion for Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Bad Robot Interactive has developed a new iPhone and iPad app called Action Movie FX. This is good stuff! All you do is select your scene. The free version offers ‘Missile Attack’ and ‘Car Smash’. Additional two-packs which include ‘Chopper Down’ and ‘Tornado’ or ‘Air Strike’ and ‘Fire Fight’ may be purchased within the app for 99 cents each.

Once your scene is selected, you simply press ‘Start’ and point your phone’s camera at the scene for at least five seconds. Once your background is recorded you select how much lead in you want before the effect starts. Then click ‘OK’. The app does the rest. The effects are pretty amazing.

You may then share your video to Facebook, via email, or you may save it to your camera roll. Here is the one that Lane showed me. Rest assured that Abby was not injured during the filming of this sequence. But I laughed so much it hurt (if that counts). Check out this link to see Lane’s video.

Download this free app and see what kind of fun you can have.

All the best… Mike

Go Behind-the-Scenes of a Hot Rod Garage Pinup Girl Photo Shoot: by Boudoir Louisville

Hot Rods and Pinup Girls kinda go hand in hand. What better place to shoot pinups than a great hot rod garage. My buddy Shawn has just this type of garage. It is packed floor to ceiling with really cool vintage stuff. Plenty to look at over here! He also has an old Chevy Gasser in there at this time. I wanted to do a set of pics where the pinup girl was working on an old car. We did a few of those and also shot a few of Bella on his Harley.

We have shot with Bella before. She is kind of a nut and fits right in with the Boudoir Louisville gang! Want proof? Be sure to check out our behind the scenes video from this shoot.

.

Read More→

Go Behind-the-Scenes of a Roadside Grocery Pinup Girl Photo Shoot: by Boudoir Louisville

For years, I have driven past this old time country grocery store. There are not too many of these around these days. Everyone wants to go to the larger chain grocery stores. This little building is packed to the rafters with stuff. They also serve one hell of a lunch!

I knew I wanted to shoot some sort of vintage pinup girl session here, just needed to put together the pieces. Lucky for me, I have some great friends that hook me up with awesome cars for my shoots. The main car in this shoot is a 1958 Brookwood Station Wagon. There is also a Chevy C10 in the background as well. As we were shooting, a totally restored Thunderbird convertible pulled up. What the hell, I told him were to park and fired a few shots off. By the time he arrived, the sun was way past its prime.

Libby was our pinup girl. She is a true Bombshell! This is our third time shooting Libby, and definitely not our last! Be sure to grab the next issue of Retro Lovely Magazine, these will be in issue #8.

FYI, the last pic, other than my logo, is 100% unedited. Straight out of the camera!

.

Read More→