Aug 02 2010

Beautiful, Buzzing Natural History from Rob Sheppard

Category: Multimedia & Video, PhotographersEthan G. Salwen @ 9:02 am

“In terms of a still image, the bees just looked like a brown splotch on a brown background — not interesting at all — but the video that I captured was truly amazing.” This is what Rob Sheppard told me about an image-making experience he had a few months back while exploring the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. He shared this as an example the value of using HD-DSLR video to better share nature.

At the time we talked, I had to trust Sheppard that his video captures were amazing. Now, thanks to his new “Buzz” video, we can all enjoy Sheppard’s great hi-def video of digger bees in action. Amazing, indeed — especially the fantastic close-ups!

This is wonderful natural history storytelling, well conceived, excellently executed. It fits in perfectly with Sheppard’s expanding goals as an image maker. As he said: “I want to focus more on creating natural history pieces.”

Sheppard, the editor-at-large of Outdoor Photographer, told me that technology is only a means to an end. He explained that the reason he is so excited about HD-DSLR technology is that it will help him with his greatest passion: exploring, sharing and helping conserve the natural environment.

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Jul 14 2010

Wide, Medium and Close – The Key to Crafting Cool Videos

Category: Creative Process, In-Camera Techniques, Multimedia & VideoEthan G. Salwen @ 3:24 pm

“When capturing motion and stills for use in multimedia it is essential to record all subjects in wide, medium and close-up shots,” Mary Lynn Price told me recently. As a video journalist focusing on “one-man-band” reporting, Price uses all three perspectives to carefully construct rich reporting experiences. One great example is her “Conserving Shackleton’s Historic Hut in Antarctica,” which she produced in 2008 for “Women Working in Antarctica.”

“The wide shot is the establishing shot, the medium shot clearly shows the subject, and the close-ups give us the ‘wow’ factor,” Price explains. She uses all of these to her storytelling advantage throughout “Shackleton’s Historic Hut.”

Even though it’s only five minutes, “Shackleton’s Historic Hut” asks a lot from Web viewers with short, fickle attention spans. Price holds our interest by presenting as much information as many, slower-paced TV documentaries would in a half hour.

Not only do get to know three different Continue reading “Wide, Medium and Close – The Key to Crafting Cool Videos”

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