And This While We Are At It.

Tin House Studio again with this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA5eB-Xwmik

and this,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDV-i7l0M-c

Don’t like surfing off another’s wave, but I totally agree and admit to being guilty, guilty, guilty!

I am probably mid-youtuber influenced with video, but also find (as has been written before), that the use of misinformation is rife and a danger in real terms. If misconceptions are accepted, they are only relevant within the circle of acceptance.

Terminology, trends, actual technical information are all tainted by poor understanding by a presenter. I have been doing this (stills) for a long time and the bulk of my information came from trusted and accurate sources*, so I am happy to share my thoughts and skills, confident I will “do no harm”.

Video opened up my eyes to the reality that, thanks to the old school cameramen being few and far between and probably out of the loop anyway, a raft of learn-as-you-go, think you know enough to share, then share, then realise you were off track, so do a follow up video, not admitting fault, just sharing “new learnings”, while sticking to the same bad terminology and ideas people, are running things.

Grains of salt.

Why is it, I listen to what they say and often dislike what I see and worse than that, it contradicts what I do see on TV and in the movies? Dull, wishy-washy muted tones, odd colours, an unrealistic vibe, too much “mist”. Cinematic or just a reaction to trends based on not knowing any better?

It is a worry when you want to learn something, but don’t trust the majority of the sources you are encountering. I would go to university if I needed to, but I live in hope there are other routes.

Traditional wisdom when using the G9 Mk1 was Natural profile at -5 everything. I tried it and had mixed success, so in frustration I switched to Standard, no changes and lo-and-behold, my footage just looked how I wanted, basically like a still image. Dynamic range may be down, so I simply avoided unwanted highlight blowout (not afraid of inky blacks) and situations that would bite me (just like the top cinematographers do every day).

I have found that YouTube info is good, but it must only ever be a start to your own thought processes, not the beginning, middle and end without question.

I shoot Panasonic, not Sony, in Flat or Standard, with camera to eye, without a gimbal, usually without even a screen, which all flies in the face of most common wisdom, but it works for me.