Digital Life

Melbourne Federation Square

2006-09-07T21:32:00.000+10:00

Fed Square

This is a photo that I took one night at the Melbourne Federation Square, or Fed Square as it is also referred to as.

I used a shutter speed of about 8 seconds, to also capture the moon with some cloud around it.

Using Multi-Cam when Shooting a Wedding

2006-09-06T16:50:00.000+10:00

Tip #5 To Shooting Better Wedding Videos

Using Multi-Cam when Shooting a Wedding.

When shooting a wedding, one great way to improve the quality of the wedding video is to use multi-cam. This involves using at least 2 video cameras. This allows you to capture the wedding ceremony from two or three different angles.

You may ask, why should I use more than one camera? Well, the benefit of using more than one camera is that you are able to capture the ceremony from different points of view. If you can imagine a standard rectangle church, one aisle down the middle with the bride and groom on each side. If you place your camera on one side of the church, you will be favouring either the bride or the groom, and capturing most of the back of the other. If you have a camera on each side of the church, you can then favour both the bride and the groom. Using two or three cameras also provides you with security. The security that you will have less chance of losing your footage, or runing into problems, such as dropouts. It also gives you the flexibility to move your camera, while the other one is capturing everything.

When you use two or three cameras, your editing time does increase dramatically. Basically you will need to import the footage from all cameras into your computer and then cut and change between the different angles, not to mention syncing the audio so that it is in time with your main audio source.

Using multi-cam is certainly for the more advanced videographer and editor. It is advised that each camera has an operator, so that they can monitor the recording and control the camera where required.

When editing, you will need to select the best angle to use, and place transitions between the cameras if necessary.

It is difficult to cover all of the elements that need to be examined when dealing with multi-cam when filming a wedding, however hopefully I have given you a small taste here. I could easily cover them off in seperate posts, that I may do in the future. If you are looking at going into filming weddings professionally I would certainly recommend you consider using at least 2 cameras. I know that some people say they can get a great effect with using the one camera, and that is fine, however using 2 cameras allows for such a more pleasing end result to the bride and groom.

To edit the multicam video, Adobe has recently released Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0. Premiere Pro 2.0 now has the ability to edit in realtime, up to four video cameras. This provides a great way of editing the multicam footage after you have shot it. There are ofter software tools as well that are available, however my experience is with Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 and have found it to be great.

CastlesBlog

2006-09-05T16:01:00.000+10:00

Make sure you check out one of my good friend's new blog.

Marc Castles has just started a blog, and I'm sure would love your support.

www.castlesblog.com

So head on over, I do know however that he is in 'construction' mode at the moment and it is constantly changing, but interesting all the same.

Some of my photos

2006-09-05T10:36:00.000+10:00

Photos on eBay.

Feel free to check out my photos for sale on eBay here: Photos

I have a couple of photos for sale at the moment on eBay, however will be adding some more shortly when I have time. I'm also looking at upgrading my camera, so once I have my new digital slr, then I will be able to take more photos.
Stay tuned.

Dave's Pics - (BLOG)

2006-09-04T16:11:00.000+10:00

Dave's Pics

Hi All,

Incase you haven't checked out this site, there are some fantastic shots here.

Matt

Tip #4 To Shooting Better Wedding Videos

2006-08-30T13:49:00.000+10:00

Tip #4 To Shooting Better Wedding Videos

Position, Position, Position when videoing weddings

They talk about Position, Position, Position when dealing with real estate. The same applies when shooting video. Where you are situated will make a significant difference to the overall visual effect of the video.

The important thing to remember when being the official videographer at a wedding, is that you, like the photographer, can move to get the best position. Generally, if you look professional and like you know what you are doing, people around you will respect that and get out of your way. Do not be afraid to move to get that better shot. Now, you must also remember that this is a wedding. You have to be respectful to the bride and groom and their parents and the guests. Also, depending on the religious background, certain sections may not be allowed to be videoed. (Check with the couple in advance, and make sure you know what you can do and what you can't, including where abouts you can move).

Most couples do not appreciate a videgrapher or a photographer moving around during the service. This is perfectable understandable. In this event, use a tripod up the back and make sure you have a clear shot. Getting the right position doesn't exactly mean you need to be right down the front. Ensure your vision will not be blocked by people when they stand up or by physical objects such as trees or columns. So in this sense, you need to be tasteful in how you move around.

My style of videoing a wedding is that I will generally have cameras setup towards the back, and on the sides. During items, I may move if necessary, and I will always move up to the front during the signing of the registry.

At the end of the day, you need to experiment to get the best view. This is why it is great to plan ahead, check out the location and see where you can setup. When your on the move with your camera and not using your tripod, move around, make sure you can capture people's emotions and feelings. If you need to ask someone to move, do it politely. The bride and the groom will appreciate the difference a small amount of thought and creativity can make.

Position, Position, Position when videoing weddings

2006-08-17T13:26:00.000+10:00

Tip #3- To Shooting Better Wedding Videos

Using a wireless microphone to record audio.

Often it is hard to hear what a bride and groom say to each other during their vows. They could be both nervous and speak quietly, or maybe it is outside and there is a slight breeze that is making the sound hard to hear. Often the minister or celebrant will be wearing or holding a microphone and you can pickup the audio through the PA system, yet what a lot of bride and grooms don't take into account is their vows. There is nothing worse than watching a wedding video and you can't hear what people are saying.

In order to avoid any problems or upset brides, make sure you can capture the vows at a good sound level. The way that I do this is by using a Sony Wireless Microphone. The model is UWPC1. The UWPC1 pack consists of a lavalier microphone, bodypack transmitter and portable tuner. This is great for the groom to wear during the ceremony, and you can attach the portable tuner to your video camera if you have a shoe-mount. If not, there are other ways to get the audio into your camera but I won't go into details here. During the ceremony, you can record the crystal clear sound through the wireless microphone and capture the emotion of the vows.

If your camera only allows for one sound channel, you could have the minister also wear your microphone, and he should be in range to pick up the vows through the microphone.

Another option is to use a shot gun microphone if you do not have a wireless microphone. This also attachs to either a tripod directly or to the shoe-mount on your camera and providing you are close enough you can record the vows through this. It will also be great to pick up the audio for the minister or any other speakers, ie: Bible readings or prayers or speeches.

The important thing to remember is that there is no good having awesome looking video without decent audio. Audio makes the difference to the end product and if the audio is bad the viewing experience will not be pleasant.

Using a wireless microphone to record audio.

2006-08-11T13:13:00.000+10:00

Digital Life

2006-08-11T10:35:00.000+10:00

Tip #2 - To Shooting Better Wedding Videos

This is just a quick tip that can help if your filming an all day event, especially a wedding that requires multiple tapes. By improving the small things like that mentioned below, you will be shooting better wedding videos straight away.

I usually have two cameras operating (with 2 operators most of the time) and at the end of the day there are anywhere between 10-15 tapes. This can be a pain to organise later on, so a method that I quickly learnt when I started was to label the main tapes before the actual day. I would have tapes set aside for the preparation, the service, the photo shoot, the speeches etc etc. And also, labeled Camera 1 or Camera 2. This assists in the capturing and storage of your tapes after the event. Sure not all of my tapes end up with a full 60 mins of footage, however it makes the post editing process much easier knowing exactly what is on a tape.

I generally wear a suit when I film and therefore have the beauty of a jacket to keep my tapes in. I only carry around a few at a time with me, the rest are in my camera bag, but be sure to have enough tapes on you incase you are running low and need to change urgently. As soon as I have used the tape I always switch the 'lock' switch over on the tape, just to prevent any possible overwriting of the contents, and it also allows me to see quickly those tapes I have used and those I haven't.

Tips: Wedding Video - How to shoot better wedding videos

2006-08-09T20:05:00.000+10:00

Tip #1 to Shooting Better Wedding Videos

Ok, so you have been asked to film your mates wedding, or perhaps a family member. Their budget is not huge, so they can't afford a professional videographer, (such as myself), so you have landed the job. They have asked you to use your small handycam or lent you one. The trouble is, you have never filmed a wedding before...so what do you do?

One of the most common mistakes that people make when videoing a wedding is not using a tripod. It is such a simple thing, yet makes a ten-fold improvement to the final video. Too often have I seen footage from weddings where the person is up the back filming, zoomed right in (with the digital zoom as well, which is another issue entirely!) and the camera is going all over the place. I'm sorry, but no one wants to watch footage that is going to make them sea-sick.

So what do you do? Organise a tripod to use on the day, and arrive early. Whether the wedding ceremony is in a church, building, garden, beach etc, arrive early! Check out the surroundings and find the most suitable vantage point. You don't want to be blocking everyone's view, however you don't also want to miss those special moments like the vows, exchanging of rings and certainly not the kiss! Setup your tripod and make sure it is stable and level. This will allow you to freely capture the ceremony, produce a much more viewing pleasant video and save your arm from holding the camera. If you do need to move around for special angles or action shots, use a tripod that allows you to quickly unclick the camera from the stand. Alternatively, you can have a second camera that you use to move around and leave the camera on the tripod as a backup.

I hope this helps those that are planning on videoing. Unless you have a well balanced camera, or a really steady hand, I would recommend using a tripod where ever possible. The quality of the tripod will obviously affect the picture as well, such as the panning (moving left to right) or up and down. The more expensive tripods are much smoother and user friendly.

Bookmark this blog. More tips to follow.

Tips: Wedding Video - How to shoot better wedding videos

2006-08-07T21:49:00.000+10:00

Recent Hike to Mt Fainter.

A few weeks back I participated in a 3 day hike up in the Alpine High Plain region. For those of you who don't know where this is, its near Mt Beauty, Mt Hotham (Victoria, Australia). On the way up you pass through a small town called Bright. This is popular for people wanting to get away from their busy life-styles and have a break.

Anyway, here is a photo that I took near the top of Mt Fainter, looking over at the Bogong High Plains. Even though it was quite a sunny day, it was still very cold when we weren't moving, especially the wind chill.

For other photos from this trip, please view my post "Shopping on eBay - For Photograph Prints"
(See Photos 2 and 3)

2006-08-07T18:45:00.000+10:00

Digital TV on your Computer - TV Tuner Card

Just the other week I decided to purchase a TV Tuner card for my desktop. I have used one before, prior to the digital age, however I have been hesitate to take the plunge and purchase one.

After some research and reading other peoples reviews I decided to go with the following TV tuner card, Leadtek WinFast DTV2000 H. It allows you to watch both Analog or Digital TV, as well as listen to FM radio.

Installation was no problem at all, I've installed several devices in my PCs over the years and the software configuration was reasonably straight forward.

As I don't have a direct line to my TV antenna here in my study, I have just been using some standard cheap rabit ears. Surprisingly the quality has been excellent! The card clearly has a strength with the digital reception, which is far superior to the standard analog.

Something that I have enjoyed using is the PVR function. It is so easy to schedule recordings for TV programs, to be able to watch later. Sometimes I burn these to DVD to watch on the TV or watch them straight off the computer. This was especially helpful during the recent 24 season. The software does also have the ability to burn directly to DVD as it records, which would save time later on.

Overall I'm really happy with the card. I haven't really had any problems with it, and it has been useful when I have had to convert NTSC VHS tapes to DVD. As my previous card only supported PAL. I have noticed that if the signal quality is low, then the program will seem to hang, however this is quickly resolved with adjusting the rabit ears. I also find that it mainly occurs when watching High Definition channels, as opposed to Standard Definition.

I think in the not to distant future, I will make a dedicated PVR PC to use for all my TV viewing. All you really need is a good TV Tuner card, such as the Leadtek WinFast DTV2000 H mentioned here, a good graphics card and plenty of harddrive space.

2006-08-07T14:02:00.000+10:00

Shopping on eBay - For Photograph Prints

For those that love to shop on eBay, I have recently added 6 of my recent shots for sale. Its the first time I have listed them, so I would be interested to hear what people have to say.

You can view them here at these locations if your interested. They are landscape and architecture shots. Feel free to make a bid if you like what you see. Thanks !

Photo 1:
Photo 2:
Photo 3:
Photo 4:
Photo 5:
Photo 6:

2006-08-07T13:08:00.000+10:00

Well, this is my first blog on Digital Life. Welcome!!

Here I will be publishing various articles relating to all sorts of topics, but in particular - Digital Photography, Digital Video and Wedding Videos.

I have been a Wedding Videographer now for almost 5 years and have a business called Platinum Vision (www.platinumvision.com.au). My website is soon to be updated (when I have some spare time!) However if you are after a Wedding Videographer in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, feel free to send me an email.

I am also interested in the great outdoors and am training to hike to Base Camp, Mt Everest later this year. More will follow on this topic in the near future.

Thanks for viewing and I'm looking forward to posting very very soon.

Matt