Starting to shoot! Guidance please...

[Matt Hutchings]

Hi all,

I hope you are all well.

I've been stalking the forum and the new Raven for quite sometime. I'm looking at purchasing the Raven and a Nauticam underwater housing and starting to venture into underwater wildlife television! That's the plan anyway...

I've worked in the TV industry for some time, mostly in post, and I have a basic understanding of cameras and there workings. However, I haven't really shoot all that much.

Are there any recommended books that can help me brush up on the general principals of using a camera/cinematography. There are so many 'guides' aimed at the amateur level and it's hard to know if they really are worth their weight. Obviously, I don't know what I don't know so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Especially towards wildlife documentary (other than it's really really hard to get into!).

Thanks in advance.
Matt

 

[Stacey Spears]

Digital Cinematography by David Stump, ASC.
The DV Rebels Guide.

 

[Robino_J]

My advice would be to grab a still camera, set it to manual mode and take pictures until you have a complete understanding of ISO/ASA, Shutter speeds and Lens aperture. Once you understand those 3 things and how they work together you will be able to get creative and start using lights, natural or artificial to fulfill your visions.

I would even recommend a 35mm still camera, something like a k1000 - that way you'll really focus on learning ISO, SHUTTER and Aperture...without all the bazillion settings on modern digital cameras but that's just me. A digital can would work as good obviously.

THEN when you get to video, a good starting point for your shutter speed is to set it to be double your frame rate. For example if you shoot 24fps, set your shutter to 1/48th. If you shoot at 60fps set your shutter to 1/120 etc. Your videos should look good, good luck!

 

[Marc Wielage]

My advice is to get a case of 5-Hour Energy drinks and pace yourself. The energy needed to maintain 12 hours a day on set is worse than 10 hours a day in post. Maybe a different kind of energy, but physically more exerting.

 

[Zeb B]

Shoot manual, document settings and analyze the results. Rinse and repeat

 

[Christoffer Glans]

There are no books or quick fixes. Take a camera and go out and shoot and do it a lot. Try looking at something you've seen on TV and try to replicate it. When it comes to wildlife or documentaries you are not in control of the light, you seek the light. You need to predict where things happen, how they will happen and how to get the best shots of it before they actually happen. But you also need storytelling, what are you going to tell with your images. Just going under water shooting stuff is probably not gonna cut it. Tell a story about the wild, find them and be very very patient.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Always remember that you make the camera come to life, not the other way around. Practice, practice, practice, and never lose faith in yourself. This community is the best out there on the interwebs...so always come back here for help/tips/tricks.

 

[Nicholas Austin Skinner]

There are no books or quick fixes. Take a camera and go out and shoot and do it a lot. Try looking at something you've seen on TV and try to replicate it. When it comes to wildlife or documentaries you are not in control of the light, you seek the light. You need to predict where things happen, how they will happen and how to get the best shots of it before they actually happen. But you also need storytelling, what are you going to tell with your images. Just going under water shooting stuff is probably not gonna cut it. Tell a story about the wild, find them and be very very patient.

+1

but also +1 on starting with fully manual stills to learn and start to master ISO, shutter speed (180 degree shutter angle is a good place to start i.e. 2x your FPS, although it's also good to know how and why to use other speeds for applications like eliminating banding, getting an "edgier" feeling with a faster shutter, more open shutter for creamy time-lapse motion blur, faster speeds for fake slow motion in post, crispier still grabs, etc), and aperture/DOF.

I would add to this starting out with manual focus lenses and even cine lenses if you can (Rokinons are super cheap), and getting used to pulling focus manually. When I made the transition from writing to production years ago, the "full manual" approach cut my teeth on nailing exposure and cultivating focus pulling instincts and rudimentary skills that have been invaluable to me as I've developed my production abilities.

 

[Stacey Spears]

I would also recommend you attend Reducation. It is a fun 3-day course and you network with others.

 

[Owen Rennie]

Just buy it and do it.. Not that hard to figure out. Don't waste your money buying other cameras to learn in, go straight for your camera of choice and get swimming!

 

[Matt Hutchings]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Great to have a bit of a mixed response!