Light in the dark

Being a Video Journalist, is a challenging task to shoot in the night. But lack of light is an opportunity to let your creative juices flow. Below are just a few tips which can make your task a bit easier.

Shoot wide

When you shoot in wide, you get better shots and have a greater depth of field which results in crisp shots. As you zoom in especially in low light it becomes difficult to focus on the subject. It is always better to stay wide and move your camera closer on the subject. 

Do not zoom

Avoid zooming because when you do so you restrict the amount of light that enters the camera. Twice the amount of light is available at the widest angle of a lens than at the tele- photo angle of angle a lens.

Focus manually

Disable the auto focus function on your camera and set the focus manually. As in the dark the auto focus gets confused. To set the focus you can zoom in on your subject and set focus manually and pull back to compose the frame to your liking.

Use the gain

As the gain is increased (where increments of 3 decibels equal one f-stop), so does the grain. This effect can become significant at levels above 9db, but sometimes it means the difference between having an image or not.

On-camera light

An On-Camera light has to be used in conjunction with other lights as it does have enough power to reach out by itself. But it can be used to light the reporter or the subject if he is placed close to the camera and there is no action to be shown behind him.

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Close-up Videography

As a Video Journalist you have an opportunity to show your audiences images which they would normally not be able to see for themselves. And by shooting extreme close-up is one such way. But zoom lenses cannot take you as close as you would like to go. The solution? A close-up shot.

Close-up video is a great way to add production value to whole range of videos including news, features and documentaries. One can define close-up shot as a shot in which the object appears larger than the actual size.

Before you can start shooting you have to keep few technical issues in mind.

·         How close you can get:  Lens and its focal length will determine how close you can get. Generally, the rule is get as wide and as close you can get. So take your zoom and pull it as wide as you can and physically move closer to the subject.

·         Depth of field:  Very small area of the frame is going to be in focus. The best way to get a large area in focus is to stop your lens down to very small aperture e.g.  f11

·         Use manual focus:  Make sure you clean your lens before the shoot as even a little dust on the lens can be in sharp focus due to the shallow depth of field. And using manual focus will help choose the desired spot you want to be in focus.

Why Close-up?

Close-up shots have a variety of uses. They add variety, information and interest. Productions about hobbies or collections cry out for macro shots showing the details of coins or stamps

Footage of old photographs is another opportunity for the use of close-up techniques. Historical productions benefit from close-ups of old photographs or documents. They not only convey information but also relieve the visual monotony of a talking head.

Your dramatic presentations can benefit from close-up shots as well. Macro shots are easy to create and can add a great deal of interest to your productions. Start thinking about ways to enhance the videos you make, and you will find more uses for close-up shots if you look for them.

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Bring the covers on

Cover up
During the rains an umbrella is a must. It not only protects the camera but also covers you from the rains. But the only problem with an umbrella is the convenience of operating the camera.  Generally, the cameraman attaches the umbrella to the tripod but a strong wind can bring down the camera along with the tripod.  So, if you have an assistant it is a luxury you can afford.

If you are single-man-army use a plastic rain cover, which allows you to operate the camera and prevents the moisture from entering.

Shoot from inside
If the location permits, try and shoot from inside. You do not need to get wet to shoot the rains and scenes in the streets. You can shoot from a building or from inside a car.

Shut the door
Your camera is most vulnerable to moisture when the tape door is open. The open door exposes the record head to the weather, which can damage the camera. If you must open the door in bad weather close it as quickly as you can.

Wrap the cables
When you are using XLR cable to do sound during rain, make sure that you keep the ends dry. If the moisture makes its way through it can ruin the audio. You can wrap a plastic and put it in place with rubber-band to keep it dry.

Use the right tissue
During this weather your camera is will get wet but avoid wiping the lens with your handkerchief or with your sleeves. Even though they are soft they may scratch the lens. Get into the habit of using the photographic lens tissues and don’t use anything else for it.

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Frame it !

Composition is an artful arrangement of objects and people within the frame. You do it day in and day out while on shoot. The left-of and right-of frames you arrange for bytes are compositions. Even the centre looking frame for LIVE is a composed shot. And this arrangement of the frame decides how the audience interprets your video.

Camera positionCamera can be positioned at the eye level suggesting neutral relationship between the camera and the subject.

It can also be positioned below the subjects’ eye levels. When done so, the subject becomes grand and dominates the frame.
At times the camera can also be positioned above the subjects’ eye level to make it look mean in eyes of the viewers.

Rule of Thirds

This is the most widely used and propagated rule in visual art. It is nothing but two vertical and horizontal lines that divide the frame in equal halves.

It is believed that when you place your subject at one of the points where the lines intersect, it makes for a compelling composition. You can use the GUIDEFRAME or GRIDLINES in your camera to compose your subject in such a way.

Framing
When, you have to frame a tight close-up of a person you are always in a fix- where to place the head in the frame and from where to chop it from.

If you chop it from the chin, composition wise it does not look good. But if you chop it from the forehead it looks pleasing.

Looking Room
Always, leave some space in front of your subject because psychologically it creates a space for your subject to look through. If not it will seem as if the subject is looking into a wall and it is very uncomfortable for a viewer.

It's All About Communication
Composition is really about communicating. If your image communicates clearly, regardless of what you are trying to communicate, the composition works. And it is also subjective. One may like your composition someone may not.

With so much visual stuff out there we need something to cut through the clutter and make people look at our work. So keep exploring !

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Bon Voyage!

As part of a news team you will have ample opportunities to travel abroad. Example, uprising in Egypt, sporting events, launch of automobiles and media junkets.

So when the opportunity knocks on your door, do not be caught on the wrong foot. Below are just a few things to keep in mind before you are on your way and once you reach your destination.

Before you go
Even before you think of going make sure that at any given point of time your passport has minimum three months of validity. Otherwise when your passport is presented for Visa, it will be declined.

Most of the times, you are asked to present your details at last moment, so make sure you have scanned copies of your passport and photographs in your inbox.

Groundwork
Now that you have the visa stamped and the tickets ready for the travel, the actual preparations for travel starts.

As you are going abroad to shoot and not for leisure make sure you put your hands on the camera you are going to use there and pack the equipment yourself to familiarize yourself with the location of the things in your kit.

Make a list of all the equipments you are carrying along with their serial numbers and price. Mention the above details in a declaration mentioning your personal details and the reason for your travel stating that you will be bringing back these equipments along with you on your return.

At the Airport
When you are the at the Check-In counter let the crew know that you are carrying equipments for shoot. The crew will then let you now the formalities for the same and take you to the Customs.

At the Customs you can present the declaration you had made earlier. The official will ask you to present all the articles for inspection. He will cross check the serial number of the equipment with the one mentioned on the declaration.

Now that all the checks have been done, get the declaration endorsed (stamped) by the customs. It is the most important part of your travel. If you fail to do so, you will be liable for import duty on the equipment you are carrying.

Carry it with you

• Two Xerox copies of your passport and visa and Four PP size photographs
• Address of the India Embassy in the country you are visiting
• Emergency contact numbers (Doctor, Travel agent etc.)

You are now ready to fly. Enjoy your trip!

Sound for Beginners

In an audio-visual, if the ‘Video’ is the King then ‘Audio’ is the Queen. And no King is complete without a Queen.

How to capture audio?
Most of the amateur cameras today have in-built mic and one can capture decent audio through this. Only criteria may be the subject should be not more than 4-5 feet from the camera.

If the subject stands beyond this range say 10 feet, then the mic may pick other sounds in the background and ambient noise.

Ambient sound
Ambient sound is good to create an environment but my ruin your audio if it overrides your subjects’ audio. So isolate your subjects’ audio from other ambient sound like that of the A/C and wind.

The best way to avoid ambient noise is to move away from it and if possible stop it. Eg:  To cut out the hiss created by the wind you can place a cardboard between the mic and wind or you can place a windshield on the mic.

Mic Input
Most of the cameras today have a separate mic input and so it is not necessary for the subject to stay close to the camera. You can move the subject further away from the camera till the length of the cable permits.

But make sure to place the mic close to the subject.

AGC
AGC or Automatic Gain Control runs gains on the sound that comes into the camera. It is a good option but not always. At times it may pick sound which are not required and gives variations in the sound levels which are difficult to correct in post production.

So the best way to control sound is to do it manually, where you have the option to control the sound levels as desired.

Use Headphones
It will help you hear the sound better than the ear. It will help you pick up little noises which you cannot hear, like A/C and little tones.

The key to good video is great audio. So always pay utmost attention to it.

Basic Lighting

You do not need to have an expensive lighting setup to create a professionally lit scene. You can work wonders with the available light indoor and the most powerful source of light the Sun, outdoor.
But to do anything impressive you need to be aware of the light around us and how to work around it. For that you need to be aware of the buttons on your camera and how they work.

On Camera Controls

Many cameras have manual controls which allow you to set the focus, gain, iris, and even shutter speed of your camera. Together these will serve to determine aspects of your image such as the ability to catch fast motion without blurring, or focus on an area not in the center of your frame.

Iris/ Aperture
Iris an adjustable aperture used to control the amount of light coming through the lens. The more the iris is opened, the more light it lets in and the brighter the scene will be.

Gain (db level)
In low light situations it can be used to amplify the weaker light signals in the camera to brighten the scene. But using it on the higher side (above 6db) can give noise in the picture due to which it may look grainy.

ND Filters
It simply cuts out the amount of light that enters the camera. It can be used when you are out door and are not able to control the exposure due to bright light.

Shutter Speed
The shutter speed and aperture together control the total amount of light reaching the sensor. Shutter speeds are expressed in seconds or fractions of a second. For example,1/20, 1/50, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000. Each speed increment halves the amount of light.

Use of available light

The best time to shoot in available light is early in the morning till sometime before noon and from few hours after noon to late in the evening. During this time the light is diffused and even and does not give harsh shadows. Whereas, at noon the sun is right above us and cast harsh shadows.
But we cannot limit ourselves to this little space of time to shoot. By been aware of how to manipulate the light, we can shoot any time of the day.

Indoors
When indoors, you may feel the need for more light. But where do we get it from? Open all the windows to let more light in and switch on all the available light in the room. This will give you more light to play with.
If even this is not enough, try and get the source of light closer to subject or simply move the subject near a window.

Likewise, there my be times when the light is abundant and you need to cut the available light. Something, as little as pilling the curtains together will do the trick.

Lighting, is all about controlling it.

Outdoor
When shooting outdoors always make sure that the sun is behind your back and facing the subject. But this can be tricky at times. It may cast harsh shadows and make your subject look weird.
You can solve this problem by moving your subject in shade or use can use a reflector (whiteboard) to reflect light and lighten shadows cast by the sun.

These are just a few means through which you can use the available light to create a professional looking scene. For more, keep reading!

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