"Nature Trip" - a bit of experimental fun :)

[Carl Middleton]

Thanks for the feedback!

My background is mainly in run and gun shooting, though I'm trying to get away from that. Most of the footage was just stopping at random places between appointments... I was just too lazy to tripod it or I would have :D Only shot I really wanted to do handheld was that spider... it was actually a vertigo effect but I think a lot of that was lost due to a bit of slow mo I added. I'm regretting that now, but it smoothed out some of the shakiness. Live and learn. =D

I'm glad you liked the colors. Moreso than anything, I'm trying to get good with the 3 way color corrector, I've always used curves, and I'm trying to transition to FCP which my understanding is that it really emphasizes the 3 way color corrector. So... a lot of the reason for this project was practice with color. :)

Thanks again, and the honesty is appreciated! I've become somewhat of a homebody lately, barely have friends due to the work schedule, you guys are the main way I can get critiqued. :)

C

[Dale Guthormsen]

Karl,

I enjoyed the short flick!! I like the pace for the most part, but a few shots might have been held a little longer. the bright roof should go, very distracting.
Yes, it is shakey but with the fast pace I did not find it abtrusive to the images you were trying to get across.

thank you for sharing!!

[Carl Middleton]

Thank you for the kind words, Dale!

Carl

[Per Johan Naesje]

Carl,
finally got time to view your film. As you said: "And now for something completely different!"
First I will say I don't get your message if this is about - save the environment.
The different kind of picture don't make up the story IMHO!

When that said: You got some nice clips there, that's for sure! The quality of the pictures is stunning, the spider, the flowers....
on the other hand the shark and butterfly scenes is not so good, is that filmed with the same camcorder?
I also think that using some kind of ND-filters and/or polarization filter on the sunset will help you get more out of it.

I'm a tripod guy - which mean handheld footage looks almost ruined to my eyes if it's not a special purpose to use handheld.
As I said I'm not sure about your purpose here...

Well Carl, hope you not get an impression that I'm totally slaughtering your piece, I'm not! You ask for comments and I've given you my impression. Your style is a bit different from what I've seen from others.

[Carl Middleton]

Per,

I could never ask for anything other than honesty in feedback. Never worry about hurting my feelings. :)

That said, I'm normally a tripod guy too, but this was all random quick footage I filmed in between meetings in places right off of major highways ;) I understand what you mean, and I had to fight the urge to try to steady the footage with horrid steadishot effects. :) My background is in adventure video, so I always think I can pull off the nice, pretty shots handheld, but always regret it. But it does allow for dolly moves and vertigoes, I guess that just can't be a whole video though. :)

The message, well, I just put that at the end for lack of anything else to put there. If it doesn't seem cohesive, it's because I didn't think it through well enough, I completely understand :D

The shark and butterfly are, ironically, the 2 shots that I filmed a decent while ago. The butterfly was in Costa Rica, it flew off right when I was trying to hurry over and find it, hence the quick, shaky clip. The shark I was on a tripod zip-tied to the roof of a boat 5 miles offshore. :) I wish I could have drawn out more detail on him, but he was pretty blown out. :(

I'm really in a process of trying to transition to doing more nature videography, but I don't have time with everything else in my life (learning final cut right now!) to really go deep into the woods, it'd take at least a day to get away from the urban sprawl here. :( The majority of majestic animals are very hard to find now, here in Florida we mainly have alligators, seagulls, & mosquitos now. :)

I especially appreciate the feedback from you, Per (not knocking everyone else's, though) as I've really taken a big liking to your work! If the finances are there, I may just have to come to that workshop, that looks like a BLAST!

Carl

[Per Johan Naesje]

Originally Posted by Carl Middleton

I'm really in a process of trying to transition to doing more nature videography, but I don't have time with everything else in my life (learning final cut right now!) to really go deep into the woods, it'd take at least a day to get away from the urban sprawl here.

Hmmm... don't tell any, I'm doing the same thing!
Yes, I've ordered a Mac (a real beast) with Final Cut Pro 2! Think my learning curve will raise the next couple of months...

Originally Posted by Carl Middleton

I especially appreciate the feedback from you, Per (not knocking everyone else's, though) as I've really taken a big liking to your work! If the finances are there, I may just have to come to that workshop, that looks like a BLAST!

Carl

You are very welcome Carl, think this could be THE ONCE IN YOUR LIFETIME TRAVEL!