learning digital HD video

[peterlyons]

I'm becoming more and more interested in learning to shoot and work with digital HD video. But I don't

have a clue where to start. I don't even have a video camera!

 

Does anyone here know of book(s) or online forums which would be a good starting point for translating

my knowledge of still photography into working, useful knowledge of shooting pro-quality video?

[aaron_lam]

Hmm... no one has answered your question :)

 

What do you want to do? Wedding videography, sports video or movies?

 

Afterdawn.com is a good place to get technical answers about file formats etc. and hardware problems. For reviews and discussions... check out http://www.dv.com/

 

As for translating your photography skills... that will translate already as far as framing, composition and lighting. Also your knowledge or lenses, focal lengths, DOF etc. All directly translates.

 

What I think is more important is learning how to edit. Getting the coverage is one thing, piecing it together to tell a story is the key that will make your videos different from regular home videos. For that, read the gold standard in introduction to film editing: Walter Murch's In a Blink of an Eye... http://www.amazon.com/Blink-Eye-Revised-2nd/dp/1879505622/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199562238&sr=8-1

 

Good luck!

[peterlyons]

Thanks Aaron!

 

I shoot primarily watersports, and would continue doing the same with video.

 

I've read of some photographers shooting video and taking stills from it as needed. I'm not

personally looking to transition to that myself; I love shooting stills. But hey, video is cool

too, and I just want to have a clue. I've never shot video with anything more than a

handycam, so I don't know even how simple concepts like exposure are controlled when

shooting video.

 

I'll be checking out the links you sent.

 

Thanks!

[aaron_lam]

Wow... you have some really beautiful shots on your website. Good luck with the video. I think you'll need to research into a camera that lets you change out the lenses (Canon XL or Panasonic HVX types) or attach a tele onto it since... just think what lenses you use when shooting stills.

 

Just remember, when shooting video... more than shooting still... you are trying to tell a story.