View Full Version : XL2, Autumn


Brian J. Harris
November 12th, 2006, 10:37 PM
Hello all,

During much of October, we experienced some unseasonably cool weather. With the ever-encroaching colder temperatures, my usual six and eight-legged friends were a bit scarce. However, the Autumn colors were lovely, and the spent plants created intriguing, almost architectural, shapes.

Please option-click or right-click and save to your computer.
http://www.unumpictures.com/downloads/autumn_at_silvadecorus.mov

Equipment:
XL2, 20x stock lens

Greg Boston
November 12th, 2006, 11:38 PM
Nice footage, Brian. Having just driven clear across your state a couple weeks ago, I can attest to the beautiful fall foilage. The drive on I40 was awesome because it had been raining and in one particular view out the window, I had breaking clouds with setting sun, interspersed with tree covered mountains and wisps of fog hanging in the middle of them.

If I had my camera with me, I'd probably still be there getting footage! My first time in Tennessee BTW.

-gb-

Per Johan Naesje
November 13th, 2006, 12:32 PM
Brian, very nice colors and close ups, but you can enhange the footage with some cross dissolves in the editing process. I would also remove the sound or put sound through all footage. It was disturbing with the sound on and off.

Did you use any special setting or filter?

Gabriel Yeager
November 13th, 2006, 12:49 PM
Beautiful shots Brian! Great job, and thanks for sharing! I believe I will be doing some of this footage this week (If the weather behaves). Nice video, and excellent job on focus! I always seem to have a hard time keeping leaves in focus.

Thanks!
~Gabriel~

Brian J. Harris
November 13th, 2006, 01:09 PM
Nice footage, Brian. Having just driven clear across your state a couple weeks ago, I can attest to the beautiful fall foilage. The drive on I40 was awesome because it had been raining and in one particular view out the window, I had breaking clouds with setting sun, interspersed with tree covered mountains and wisps of fog hanging in the middle of them.

If I had my camera with me, I'd probably still be there getting footage! My first time in Tennessee BTW.

-gb-

Hey Greg,
Thanks! That sounds beautiful. I have too many of those moments without the camera; I'm ashamed to admit.

Brian J. Harris
November 13th, 2006, 02:22 PM
Brian, very nice colors and close ups, but you can enhange the footage with some cross dissolves in the editing process. I would also remove the sound or put sound through all footage. It was disturbing with the sound on and off.

Did you use any special setting or filter?

Hey Per,

Thanks! I'm not a big fan of cross dissolves, hence only one in the clip. I'm from the school of thought that there needs to be reason for a cross dissolve. IMHO cross dissolves are overused in much nature footage. But hey, I know I'm in the minority on that opinion, and I respect that others may see things differently.

This file is heavily compressed, which will definitely affect sound quality, but there is sound through all of the footage. There are sections which are louder and sections which are softer. The wind is blowing briskly during some scenes and much softer during others, and it is nearly still in some. Likewise, there are some scenes with loud environmental noise and some with a rather low environmental noise.

Someone requested my XL2 preset:

Gamma: Cine
Knee: Low
Black: Press
Color Matrix: Cine
Color Gain: +2
Color Phase: +2
Red Gain: +1
Green Gain: 0
Blue Gain: +3
V Detail: Low
Sharpness: -4
Coring: 0
Setup Level: 0
Master Ped: -3
NR: Off

I also use WarmCards and CoolCards depending on the season. I keep a couple of white balance presets with different values to give the footage a bit of oomph. These scenes were shot with a WarmCard #1.

I appreciate the comments!

Brian J. Harris
November 13th, 2006, 02:28 PM
Beautiful shots Brian! Great job, and thanks for sharing! I believe I will be doing some of this footage this week (If the weather behaves). Nice video, and excellent job on focus! I always seem to have a hard time keeping leaves in focus.

Thanks!
~Gabriel~

Hey Gabriel,

I appreciate the comments! Our leaves have changed now, so I'm looking forward to some upcoming Winter shots.

Keep practicing!

Gabriel Yeager
November 13th, 2006, 02:48 PM
Yes, most of our leaves have fallen off here, and so they are all pretty bare. I too am hoping for some winter shots this year. We hardly ever get snow where I live. But I am having high hopes some some this year...

~Gabriel~

Greg Boston
November 13th, 2006, 03:36 PM
I also use WarmCards and CoolCards depending on the season.

Now that's funny! Thanks for the chuckle even though I know you weren't going for a laugh.

I think you should add that line to your sig....

"I use WarmCards and CoolCards depending on the season."

-gb-