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How stills killed casual video for me


Mattias Burling
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I actually feel the opposite @Mattias Burling. Since video is becoming more convenient to do and better quality, I have been wanting to do more video recently because of the element of sound and movement in the picture. When done right it gives more of a sense of being there than a picture. And especially if your family or friends are involved, it makes it more personal and historical. In years time you may forget how a person or place sounded, but you will be reminded when you watch the footage again.

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@Inazuma Thats the beauty of it all imo. We are all different and remember and react differently. For some the sound and movement is better captured with a still. For others its video, story telling or through text. It depends on the personalities commonly defined by colors (red,yellow, green blue).
Im drifting further and further away from video. Lately Ive been more mesmerised by paintings than I ever had before. The "street shooters" from 1700, 1800 or even 1500 truly blows my mind :)

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In a sense, going from one medium into another is taking another step forward into seeing the beauty in everything.

I remember years ago when I was working on a music project with a friend and we were writing abstract minimal electronic music, we got to the point where everything had artistic value.  We were auditioning a song and quite by chance one of my neighbours unlocked their car, and the beep from that coincided spectacularly with the track.  Everything is about context, and so if you can change your brain to be open in the right ways then everything is art.

Moving from one medium into another is learning to see and appreciate things we hadn't before.

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My father drives a nice oldtimer. A very rare and nice one. It's a Mercedes-Benz. It's a very stylish and cool car. But for driving and transportation, it's far behind EVERY cheap Toyota at maximum of 2.000 $ you can get today. Driving this car regularly is simply a PAIN. The glorification of old film is BS. I have dozens of HQ (even on metal paper) prints proving this.

Just say: "I like it!" Saying it's unique, is saying you are not able to get the same look when working with digital RAW out of a modern camera. And no, you don't need hours to get the same look. It's a matter of minutes. Just do a blind A/B test...:grin:

MBLenkrad.thumb.jpg.d78c6d376415ccac1e5d4e56fee58a59.jpg

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1 hour ago, Arikhan said:

My father drives a nice oldtimer. A very rare and nice one. It's a Mercedes-Benz. It's a very stylish and cool car. But for driving and transportation, it's far behind EVERY cheap Toyota at maximum of 2.000 $ you can get today. Driving this car regularly is simply a PAIN. The glorification of old film is BS. I have dozens of HQ (even on metal paper) prints proving this.

Just say: "I like it!" Saying it's unique, is saying you are not able to get the same look when working with digital RAW out of a modern camera. And no, you don't need hours to get the same look. It's a matter of minutes. Just do a blind A/B test...:grin:

I used to drive a nice oldtimer. A classic Jeep. A nice one. It's a very stylish and cool car. And for driving and transportation, it's way ahead ot any cheap Toyota at maximum of 2.000 $ you can get today. Driving this car regularly was a joy. The glorification of modern digital is BS. I have dozens of HQ (even on metal paper) prints proving this.

Just say: "I don't like it!" Saying it's not unique, is saying you are not able to see the look when working with film out of a classic camera. And yes, you need hours to get the same look. With film it's a matter of minutes. Just do a blind A/B test...

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A-Tim Sewell: I've seen lots of digital files that look like analogue, but I've got lots of analogue images that could be nothing else.

B-Arikhan: Saying it's unique, is saying you are not able to get the same look when working with digital RAW out of a modern camera. And no, you don't need hours to get the same look.

I think A. nicely talks about dignity and beauty of process. B. precisely and exactly about results. A. maybe suggest that involving devoted emotions and love for the process could make secret ingredient? B. maybe suggest that efficacy of used instruments - because photography without doubt is greatly technical-depending - can resolve deeper qualities/ingredients of media?

Maybe there's no need for look of confrontation. One of the case where both side could easily be understand and united?

Thanks to both, Tim and Arikhan for nice and proper explanations - and Mattias for example of interesting thread.

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@Mattias Burling

Quoting a comment from: https://petapixel.com/2018/02/22/film-vs-digital-can-tell-difference/

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I can't tell the difference, really
And I shot for 10 years professionally with a Hasselblad (positive film tho)
I believe it's purely nostalgia that attracts people to film, no different than vintage cars do to motoring enthusiasts.

There are some guys jumping on most current gear bandwaggon. After that and considering many empty wallets and bored audience, they jump on the film bandwaggon. Nothing wrong about this. Just don't say, how much better or unique it is. Even if you repeat this 1.000 times, it doesn't get true. 

You will get an unque feeling but never ever unique photographs. And rich/serious clients don't pay for your personal unique feelings, but for getting unique photographs, you can make with every modern nowadays digital camera...

That's nothing but nostalgia hype.

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When you said you don't see a difference I respected that opinion. I gave my opinion but respected yours.

You however are trying to force your crap on me and are trying to say "Im right and anyone not agreeing is an idiot".

The only thing I take away from that is that you are not a photographer. You haven't convinced me of anything except that. In my eyes you are now a camera guy.

There is no need to debate or argue about this. You see one thing, I see another. Respect it and move on.

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I still remember the smell of all the chemicals used in the process. It's funny how that stays with you after so many years. Last time I processed negatives and went into the darkroom was about 1996.

My least favorite part of the process was loading the film into the canister for the chemical process to expose the negatives in complete darkness. Everything was done by touch. 

Man, thinking back, what a long multi-step process to get from A to B. It was all experiemental. I can't decide if I miss it or not.

At least I know I don't miss the cost or brain cell damage, nor the unforgiving nature of making a mistake. ?

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When I started imaging more seriously, I was shooting 95% video/5% stills.  I have now shifted to the opposite, and often when I head out my dedicated camera is incapable of shooting video.  A lot of my casual shooting involves family and the kids, and with video you just end up observing the moments behind a camera worrying about getting the shot rather than whats happening.  I find with stills, I can get the shots I want and still be involved for the majority of the activity.  For me the entire workflow has become key -take some shots-->pop SD card into iPad/iphone adapter-->load into LR mobile-->adjust then and there or later on desktop at home or on phone when have spare moment, very very fast and flexible and has changed the way I work.  I have just got an instax printer, and am enjoying the merging of digital and analog - its been great seeing how both adults and kids react to actually being to hold a photo of themselves rather than just seeing it on a phone screen (for most kids it all they know), and sticking 'real' photos of the kids on the fridge is magic.

 

 

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@mat33 it was similar for me in the beginning. I wanted to shot - edit on smartphone - publish. Lately I don't do that as often but I still prefer a camera with wifi or native DNGs for when I do.

I too have an instax and love that thing. Its my analog instagram. Later on I also got me a nice large printer. At my old job we had our own printing house so I started missing the occasional large print as well.

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4 hours ago, Arikhan said:

And rich/serious clients don't pay for your personal unique feelings, but for getting unique photographs, you can make with every modern nowadays digital camera...

I'm having trouble with this.

I wonder what Andy Worhol would say?

;)

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@Mattias Burling I used to mainly use Capture Pro on my desktop which is awesome but now most of my editing is on an 12.9 iPad Pro with LR - perfect for on the sofa editing and the big screen is much better experience than a phone. I’m about to head away for a night and I am taking my camera, iPad and instax printer - a nice portable setup. I do want to start doing some larger prints - what printer did you get?

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1 hour ago, mat33 said:

@Mattias Burling I used to mainly use Capture Pro on my desktop which is awesome but now most of my editing is on an 12.9 iPad Pro with LR - perfect for on the sofa editing and the big screen is much better experience than a phone. I’m about to head away for a night and I am taking my camera, iPad and instax printer - a nice portable setup. I do want to start doing some larger prints - what printer did you get?

Don't get a Canon! I have had 3 of the last high end ones, and their color print longevity just sucks ASS. Get a Epson! It is a 42 pound boat anchor now. I just use it to print out Airline tickets.  :blush:

IMG_1036.JPG

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I definitely took a big liking to stills. It's a fun challenge for the reasons you mentioned. Plus, it's quicker and easier in a lot of ways. Don't need a gimbal or a tripod. Just a camera and even one prime lens can make for an enjoyable day. Plus I quite like editing photos, whereas editing video can feel like a bit of a slog, even though the end result is satisfying.

Photos provide much more instant gratification. I can edit a few quickly and throw them on instagram. Video is a bigger investment, and you often don't even know if the edit is going to work until you put in some significant time.

What I've also noticed is that the subject matter determines whether I'm going to want to shoot video or stills.  On vacation or hiking with a bunch of landscapes and scenery? Stills all the way. In a gym with my buddies getting action shots? In that situation, I find video is way more satisfying. Movement is so key, and stills lose a lot of it, even if you get a good one.

So I like doing both.

Which means....when it comes time to upgrade, I'm going to gave a HELL of a time picking between the damn GH5 and GH5s. 

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