Sunday, June 20, 2010

More Adventures in Paradise: Kuai

I've often mentioned that one of the perks of my job is that it has taken me to some unique places that, chances are, I might never have gotten to on my own.   And if I did happen to get there, I probably would not have stayed in the same level of accommodations that my clients customarily provide for me.

Having said all that, I just returned from Kuai, the northernmost island in the Hawaiian chain of islands.  The St, Regis hotel was in an absolutely stunning location overlooking Hanalie Bay with a wall of green mountains as a backdrop.  Several times throughout the day, brief rain showers over the mountains would create breath-taking rainbows and glories.  Each one more amazing than the one before.   Just gorgeous!


This was an incentive trip for a corporation and my assignment was to photograph a group of about 80 of the companies top sellers, along with their significant others, happily enjoying themselves surfing, diving, boating, hiking and fishing in a lush tropical paradise.

I know, I know...  "Tough job, but somebody's got to do it".  Right?

The fact is, although the scenery is amazing, it really is quite a rigorous exorcize in photography.

The best lighting for scenic pictures is usually found at sunrise and sunset, especially on an island.  So, it's up at dawn to get that spectacular sunrise on the water shot and then, the rest of the day is spent trying to spread yourself out enough to cover as many events as possible.  An evening event is usually on the agenda and then it's off to your room to to download a few hundred images, do some color corrections and sometimes prepare print orders to be displayed the next day.


I have worked this type of assignment in Rome, Alaska, Ireland, Bermuda and most of the Hawaiian Islands and each location has had its own collection of unique challenges.

Still, you're busting your ass in an exotic location, so there's that.

My good friends Dan and Frank from Altered Image were along on the assignment.  Dan was shooting HD video.  The fast moving clouds and rainbows made for some great footage and Dan's coverage of the island and the events was very impressive.  Frank was helping cover some of daily events with his still camera, while also directing an awards program to be held mid week.


I've been using a Nikon D3 for most of these assignments, carrying along a D200 as a backup or second camera.   I used two basic lenses the entire week, a Nikon 24-70 2.8 and a Nikon 70-300 3.5 VR and due to the grand views of the island, I found myself using the 24-70 most of the time.  It was also the perfect focal length for photographing couples and large groups, the largest of which was just under 200 people.


I brought along the same tripod that I brought with me to Kenya.  The Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 is small enough to fit in my suitcase, strong enough to support a 300mm lens and light enough to carry all day.  I was also able to strap it to the top of a ladder to shoot the group.

If you can only bring one accessory, make sure it is a circular polarizer.  Nothing reduces glare and helps to separate the clouds from a blue sky the same way.  It will also eliminate most reflections allowing you to see right down into the water.  Definitely an essential part of your kit.


I used Adobe's Lightroom to color-correct and manage all the images and I won't leave home without it.

I find the switch to photography both a challenge and an asset to working in video.  Good composition and lens selection are essential in both mediums and training in one will certainly enhance the other.

The project was a success and once I clear my jet-lagged head, I can sort through a few hundred images and make my selects.  Paradise was fun and I appreciate the work, but I'm really happy to be back home.

www.duckyou.com
www.duckem.com

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Taking Stock of Our Work

It's been a very busy and exciting spring and we're about to launch into summer with an even stronger team working along side us.  Our ever growing collection of New York City footage will now be represented by Getty Images, one of the most prestigious stock houses in the world.

Although Sarah and I have amassed a sizable quantity of footage creating our  short films, it is just the tip of the iceberg for what we need to gathering in the way of new imagery.  There is a lot of city out there and we intend to film a large part of it.   So, I'm using the start of summer to begin a year long expedition into the sights and sounds of New York City.  Well, at least the sights.

Over the last year I have been keeping a journal of interesting angles that I've noticed around the city, logging the date and the time of day, while also noting the position of the sun.  All extremely important facts and figures when you return with a camera.  I also note if the area is safe to film in and if there appears to be any reason that I might need a special permit.  

Along with creating new footage, we will also need to update many of our existing images, as the skyline is continuously changing and keeping our work current is important.


My first location was not in the city at all.  I started in Bayonne NJ, across the harbor from Manhattan.

On the tech side, I have been fairly successful using our Sony EX3 HD camera filming 1920x1080 24P.  24P is the electronic equivalent of shooting at 24 frames per second (fps) with a film camera and gives a "film look"  to video.  I have also taken to using Nikon prime lenses instead of the lens that came with the camera, for many reasons, the first of which is that that they are sharper with less chromatic distortion.  Thee color is more true and there is less fringing around the edges of object that I am filming.  

Another reason I like prime lenses is that they make me think more about what I am shooting and how I am shooting it.  This means finding a creative angle and using the best lens to capture my vision, rather than just zooming the lens in and out like a trombone.

The next time you watch a feature film, notice how rarely they actually zoom into or out of a subject.
Although the director and cinematographer may use many different lenses and angles to achieve the final scene, it's still pretty uncommon to zoom.  Now, in contrast to that, many reality shows and TV documentaries commonly use the zoom effect, ad nauseam.  Often, I speculate, to give a totally dull scene some sense of movement.

When using long, telephoto lenses on a video camera, every vibration is magnified.  The Bayoone location was very windy and even with a sturdy tripod like the Manfrotto 536, I needed to use my car as a shield.

I had been sitting at the edit desk all day, so a last minute run out to the harbor was a great way to chill out.   I love this stuff and I'm really looking forward to our new adventure.

duckyou.com

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The Jackson Tornado

Last week  we helped launch  THE TORNADO, at Six Flags' Hurricane Harbor, a giant, blue and yellow, funnel shaped water slide, 132 feet long and 7 stories tall!


We were asked to create an HD B-Roll package for a press event announcing the opening of the ride.  Originally, we had a four or five days to shoot, edit and deliver the images in a variety of formats, but some rainy weather and minor construction delays forced us to turn around the project in about 12 hours.

Nothing new for this type of project.

Sarah, our assistant, Arion Doerr and I arrived in Jackson early so that we could scope out the best camera angles.  As the ride was not yet open to the public, only park employees were allowed to use the slide.  Angel, Six Flags' Public Relations Manager and her assistant Jenn, lined up a few dozen volunteers.  Unfortunately, they would not available until around  3:00 p.m. that afternoon.

The temperature had already crept into the 90s.  Sun block and water were the first order of the day.

We were happy to run into a friend of ours, Ron Wyatt who is responsible for much of the park's photographic needs.  Talented photographer great disposition.  An invaluable combination.
Check out his work at www.ronwyattphotos.com

Not until we got right up to it did we realize the immensity of this ride.  It was huge!  It was also very wet, so we made sure that most of our gear would remain outside the splash zone.


We had brought along two Sony XDCAM cameras, the EX1 and an EX3.  The EX3 was my primary camera fitted with a Sony .8 wide angle lens.  The lens is remarkably sharp and it allows you to use the entire zoom range of your lens.  The EX1 we placed in a Ewa splash bag to create some POV footage.

My biggest challenge was the position of the sun.  By the afternoon, the sun was positioned high and behind the opening of the funnel, putting the interior of the ride in shade.  There was plenty of light, but the contrast between the walls of the funnel and the hole at the bottom was extreme.  Putting the camera on automatic would compensate for the brightness, but doing that meant that every time I panned passed the opening, everything else in the image would become dark.

The remedy was to keep the lens on manual and slowly rack the exposure as the ride reached the end.  It was a bit clutzy at first, but after a few tries I found the rhythm of the ride and everything balanced beautifully.

The riders pick up speed while in the tube and with a sharp drop, fly out of the shoot into the funnel.  Fortunately, there is a small rush of water before the raft arrives so it was a little easier to track them.


We gathered footage from every angle we could reach on foot and ladders and then Angel handed me a harness and then took me up on a high lift so that I could get an arial view.   Very cool!


I had previously prepared all the elements for the release.  All that was needed when we arrived home was to load the footage into Avid and pull the best takes.  Much more time was spent watching files compress.

There is still much confusion when it comes to which HD formats television stations will accept and some smaller stations, are still not using HD at all.  Sarah prepared disks with a variety of formats so that there would be plenty of options for the editors.

She delivered the project early the following morning, to guarantee it's safe and timely arrival and we were delighted to see our footage show up on ABC's Good Morning America the following day.

Thanks Angel!

www.duckyou.com
Chuck as a featured DP on Sony's VideON

www.sixflags.com