Scouting for Locations

[jonpais]

After being charged $50.00 to shoot at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, being denied entrance to the Saigon Zoo and being chased off the grass at Tao Dan park, I thought it might be about time to look for some locations that were a little less hostile to photographers. So this afternoon, we set off in search of some cool alleyways around town. We’re gonna return on Tuesday to do some shooting. Have you ever been prevented from shooting in a location? How do you scout for locations? 

[anonim]

I think that I share the same impression of many eoshd members: without any flattery, some of your last shots, with that beautifully fragile-and-selfaware-looking model-girl, are showing indeed very high-level of aesthetically pleasant composition and atmospheric texture. Some sort of, say, hyperimpresionistic camera painting.

Posted this so - judging to figure and face - tender and vulnerable, but at the same time so pride model inside the areas and nature mozenscen setup with character of intrinsic transience, results, at least to my eyes, in the poetic reminiscence of flowerish, or butterlflyish character of lives all of us.

... And yes, it is possible that manipulation with HLG profile bring some more pop impression of central object. But, in this case, I think that more even interflow of her face and body with ambience, gains better symbolic impression as stronger impact and achievement.

[jonpais]

@anonim Thanks anonim, but those are just iPhone shots I did while scouting locations. 

[anonim]

Yes, but at stills quality of iPhone is not "just"

I'm talking about general direction of something that is seems to me as your intention - consciously оr unconsciously - to communicate from inside of your experience and emotions, even with "just" testing.

[jonpais]

I really want to find some neat dilapidated buildings to shoot in, there must be thousands here, but I haven't been able to find anyone who can show me any. I don't ride a motorbike, so that's a handicap in Vietnam, too.

[mercer]

While I agree that new locations are always a good thing, I’m sure if you lessened your rig, you would gain access to your usual haunts and can get in and out of other questionable locations without notice. That is one of the beauties of DSLR filmmaking and especially the GH5 with its IBIS. You’re not on a Hollywood set, don’t shoot like you are.

But I also agree with @anonim ... your work has been stellar lately. I’d love to see a short film, shot handheld, with one of those Veydra lenses... or the Sigma. Keep it simple... small story, one lens and the GH5.

[jonpais]

@mercer For sure, I could pare down the gear a bit. I used an easyrig on my last shoot because I shake a lot, and even IBIS isn't enough to iron out the wiggles. The easyrig helps quite a bit, doesn't weigh much and takes up very little space. It also requires less setup time than a tripod - buckle the vest, attach the clamp to the cage, and I'm ready to go. I need the monitor, which means a cage, not only because 5% of the time, the camera's focusing on the background, but because I shoot at wide apertures, it's often focusing on a lock of hair, an earring or something other than the subject's eyes. Or, it's focusing on the far eye, when what I want to focus on is the near one. I'm also trying to get used to using cinema lenses, the matte box, follow focus and easyrig so I can learn to do things like nice focus pulls. So yeah, some of the stuff isn't absolutely necessary for what I'm shooting today, but I'm learning skills that will come in handy in the future, either for my own short films, or for commercial shoots after I've built up my portfolio. Because I won't be able to afford doing this as a hobby for much longer. Of all the things that I've purchased over the years though, I'd say it is the least expensive piece of kit that has made the greatest difference - a $9.00 reflector!

[mercer]

@jonpais it sounds like you have a well thought out plan. But I still question the need for the easy rig and a matte box for what you’re working on now? If your hands are shakey, a video monopod with IBIS would cure that and be a little less conspicuous... or even IBIS and the strap method would surely be enough?

Obviously, shoot as you wish, just addressing why you may be having some issues shooting in some places... but I guess you don’t need me to tell you that.

I keep picturing that BTS shot of Luke on top of the car handholding the GH5+ (or whatever it’s called) with that monstrous anamorphic lens. The Veydras are smaller than that lens, right?

[jonpais]

A lot smaller - and a lot cheaper too! Since the Arri/Zeiss weighs around 6 pounds, I don’t think you’d normally want to use that thing without rails and a lens support.

[mercer]

Yeah it looked like a beast, didn’t know it was 6 pounds though. Have you tried looking into some old Zeiss or Arri Super speeds? I think Andrew had a post of his and the GH5 a while back... they looked really organic. And small. Lol.