Richard Harrington - Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots

From Snapshots to Great Shots

Richard Harrington

Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots
Richard Harrington

Peachpit Press
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Berkeley, CA 94710
510/524-2178
510/524-2221 (fax)

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Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson Education

Copyright 2012 by Richard Harrington

Editor: Nancy Peterson
Production editor and compositor: Danielle Foster
Development editor and copyeditor: Anne Marie Walker
Proofreader: Liz Welch
Indexer: Jack Lewis
Cover design: Aren Straiger
Cover production: Mike Tanamachi
Interior design: RHDG - Riezebos Holzbaur Design Group
Cover Image: Richard Harrington
Back cover author photo: Vanelli

Notice of Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact .

Notice of Liability

The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit Press shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Trademarks

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit Press was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

ISBN 13: 978-0-321-81487-6
ISBN 10: 0-321-81487-8

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed and bound in the United States of America

To my wife Meghan, your patience and humor make each day a joy to live.

To my children Michael and Colleen, you make me want to be a better man.

To my family who has always supported me and blessed me with many talents, thanks for all that you do.

Richard Harrington

Bringing a book to life is a lot of work. Id like to specifically thank the folks who provided support or gave of their talents. A special thanks to my friends and family for enduring time in front of the camera. Thank you as well to Robert Vanelli, Lisa Robinson, and Meghan Ryan-Harrington, who contributed behind-the-scenes photography to help explain the techniques discussed in this book.

Gary Adcock

Adorama

Adobe

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RC Concepcion

Scott Cowlin

Sam Crawford

Creative COW

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Matt Gottshalk

Jeff Greenberg

Mimi Heft

Frederick Johnson

Karyn Johnson

Scott Kelby

Ben Kozuch

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Lynda.com

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Nancy Peterson

Redrock Micro

Lisa Robinson

Abba Shapiro

Jeff Snyder

Cindy Tuten

Alec Vanelli

Robert Vanelli

Anne Marie Walker

Mark Weiser

John Woody

Zacuto

I truly love the power of video. Its my favorite medium for telling stories because it gives me the ability to capture life and emotion. For more than 25 years, Ive been shooting video, capturing family moments on the weekend and creating television commercials, broadcast news, and web video on the weekdays.

However, the best feeling is not seeing my own work, but rather watching others catch enthusiasm and decide to become visual storytellers. Two years ago I set out to document the merger of photography and video when I co-wrote From Still to Motion: A photographers guide to creating video with your DSLR for Peachpit Press. The book was well received by the pro community, but I heard from many that they needed a foundation to build on. I also talked to friends, relatives, and even perfect strangers who wanted to learn how to shoot great video on a tight budget (without having to rope their friends into being part of the crew).

To this end, I present Creating DSLR Video: From Snapshots to Great Shots. I set out to teach people how to make better video and short films using minimal gear and resources. The goal is to make the most of what you have and focus on building the core skills you need to succeed. Whether youre just getting started with video or youre an enthusiastic still shooter whos been at it for years, Ill guide you through how video works and help you get the best shots.

The book begins by illustrating whats so great about shooting DSLR video. Youll understand why youd choose to shoot video on a stills camera as well as some of the problems to look out for. then walks you through equipment choices. Whether youve bought a new camera or just want to get more from your existing gear, Ill explain how here. I also focus on what new gear is most useful as you grow into your hobby and start to invest.

In explains how to properly expose your shots and maintain critical focus.

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Watch Sample Clips Online

Throughout this book youll see several instances of an icon and number superimposed on a video image.

This icon indicates that Ive placed a short video clip online so you can see the actual footage. To view the clips, just visit vimeopro.com/dslrfstgs/examples. You dont need to have a Vimeo account to access the videos. If youd like to comment or post your own videos to the group, just sign up for one of the free or paid account options.

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The important skills needed for composition are covered in depth in . Youll learn the language of cinematography and how to think about linking multiple shots into a narrative sequence.

The next three chapters tackle several common shooting scenarios..

youll learn how to record better audio with your camera. Youll also learn about essential equipment and workflows if you want to record the best sound possible.

The last three chapters describe what happens after you shoot. In walks you through the essentials involved in editing video. Youll still want to pick up some dedicated training for whatever nonlinear editing software you choose, but this chapter will help you understand the creative choices youll need to make. The final chapter explores how to publish your video so others can see it. Youll learn how to target popular websites to share online and how to export a backup copy.

Now, just turn the page to begin your journey to become a better videographer.

Whether you stumbled across the video options in your DSLR camera or specifically selected your camera with video shooting in mind, I welcome you to the world of DSLR video. Telling stories with video is enjoyable and challenging. Your camera is a great tool, but by its very nature, video is a complex medium. Throughout this book Ill focus on teaching you the most important techniques. It doesnt matter which camera youre shooting with, my goal is to help you master the skills you need to become a motion storyteller.