Perfect weather = perfect footage. at DVinfo.net

Dustin Waits · February 15th, 2004, 10:04 PM

Today I woke up and was excited to realize that the weather was perfect for a video shoot at the skatepark. When making a BMX video, natural light is all you can rely on. And living in Florida makes this a nightmare because it rains constantly. Which in turn makes the footage look like crap. Anyways here is a video still I retrieved from my footage just to show the clarity...

http://www.bmxbums.com/dlwimages/dustin.jpg

Shot with a Trv950 with an ND.

Sorry if this thread seems too random.

Ram Nagarajan · February 15th, 2004, 10:45 PM

Dustin:
No, actually, it isn't too random at all! :-)
while I appreciate what you're saying about the image on a brightly lit day in terms of the perceived sharpness and the srisp definition/shadows, sometimes an overcast day can be your best friend:
1. ..if you like the low contrast, blued out look, and it goes with your script.
2. ...If you're shooting a multi-cam fiction setup, where matching continuity of light becomes a nightmare if you're shooting through the day. A good overcast day gives you a great deal of flexibility in setting up for a good part of the day, becaue the light remains essentially directionless, and doesn't look different from shot to shot. (Try Sidney Lumet's 'Making Movies': He's got a section about an action sequence he shot on an overcast day where the light saved him the bother of an extensive matching process!)
Having said that, sunlight is probably the way to go for your BMX shoot!
Ram

Dustin Waits · February 16th, 2004, 10:01 PM

Hmm. I have never thought about it that way. It makes alot of sense though.

Gary Chavez · February 17th, 2004, 09:59 AM

we news photogs love the overcast day.

makes it much easier shooting a reporter stand up in the middle of the day.

February 15th, 2004, 10:04 PM	#1
Dustin Waits Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ft. Myers Beach, Fl Posts: 243	Perfect weather = perfect footage. Today I woke up and was excited to realize that the weather was perfect for a video shoot at the skatepark. When making a BMX video, natural light is all you can rely on. And living in Florida makes this a nightmare because it rains constantly. Which in turn makes the footage look like crap. Anyways here is a video still I retrieved from my footage just to show the clarity... http://www.bmxbums.com/dlwimages/dustin.jpg Shot with a Trv950 with an ND. Sorry if this thread seems too random.

February 15th, 2004, 10:45 PM	#2
Ram Nagarajan Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: New Delhi, India Posts: 107	Dustin: No, actually, it isn't too random at all! :-) while I appreciate what you're saying about the image on a brightly lit day in terms of the perceived sharpness and the srisp definition/shadows, sometimes an overcast day can be your best friend: 1. ..if you like the low contrast, blued out look, and it goes with your script. 2. ...If you're shooting a multi-cam fiction setup, where matching continuity of light becomes a nightmare if you're shooting through the day. A good overcast day gives you a great deal of flexibility in setting up for a good part of the day, becaue the light remains essentially directionless, and doesn't look different from shot to shot. (Try Sidney Lumet's 'Making Movies': He's got a section about an action sequence he shot on an overcast day where the light saved him the bother of an extensive matching process!) Having said that, sunlight is probably the way to go for your BMX shoot! Ram __________________ First they laugh at you Then they fight you Then they negotiate with you ...Then you win!

February 16th, 2004, 10:01 PM	#3
Dustin Waits Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ft. Myers Beach, Fl Posts: 243	Hmm. I have never thought about it that way. It makes alot of sense though.

February 17th, 2004, 09:59 AM	#4
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	we news photogs love the overcast day. makes it much easier shooting a reporter stand up in the middle of the day.