With such a high interest in both photography and videography, I find it getting a bit hard to not take any photos while I'm out shooting video. What can I say. I just have a huge passion for both!
But... now that I have a couple of cameras that shoot beautiful HD video, it is time that I start rolling with my list of videos that I've been wanting to shoot!
I'm a bit picky of what I put together and upload so that the world can see. So if I'm not happy with my footage then I won't even bother trying to edit something out of it. You may think it's weird but that's just the way I'm built.
As I said earlier, I've had a list of videos that I've wanted to shoot and until recently, I haven't had any kind of a camera to shoot with. Thankfully, I've been able to invest in a Canon 7D and a Sony FX1. And I can't be any happier with a pair of cameras that shoots beautiful HD video.
So... since I haven't shot any photos lately, I thought I'd post a few screenshots of the video footage I'm working on.
I never thought I'd say this but I have seriously fell madly in love with photography and videography! Yep, even more than riding itself. Then again that might be easy to say since I haven't thrown my legs over a bike in a few years. I know the urge to ride is still there so maybe it's become numb. Or maybe it's because I can have my cake and eat it too. You know... do something I love, with something I love!
As much as I love to shoot stills, here lately, I have been trying to amp up my video side. It's only been a couple of months since I've had a nice video camera to shoot with.I've been working with HD content for over a year know and the clarity is just incredible. Plus, those old videos I have on you tube just aren't cutting it. Can you say cheesy! I've also grown a lot with shooting styles and even editing. So if you see me out and about, you're more than likely going to be on video in the near future.
I've actually been absent from the likes of anything motocross as the only income I have at the moment would be weddings. And I honestly can't believe how much I love to shoot weddings. There are moments that just doesn't seem to exist unless it's at a wedding.
With that being said, it's the weddings that's keeping the fuel burning for me to go out to tracks. I have a ton of things in mind that I'd love to see through. So the more weddings I get, the better the chances to me being able to carry out my ideas stuck in my head.
So stay tuned... I am going to be making a big announcement about something I am very excited about. I just want to make sure all my ducks are in a row before I send the message!
After a what seems like a long summer break, Windy Hill is back in action with a District 29 Ultra Series race event. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Anytime there is a race or practice on the schedule for this track, I try my hardest to be out there. I don't know what it is but there is just something in the atmosphere at Windy Hill. Maybe it's because the track is located out in the peaceful country lands of Ellerbe NC or maybe it's because I can visit with old friends while I'm in town. Either way, I always have a great time when I'm there.
On to the racing!
Photo by Shonda Wallace
Perfect timing! Time enough to get my bright orange vest, time to talk with a good friend and time enough to get my photo gear ready. Practice was about a lap from being finished and the 1st class of the morning was already at the starting gate.
For the first motos, I decided to give my video camera a shot. I been itching to put some mx footage together but with other engagements already book, I really haven't had a chance to shoot any video. So this was a great opportunity to strut my stuff.
For the second motos, I decided to give my new Canon camera a chance to show me what it had. And I gotta say. I'm grateful to own these two cameras. Now that I have a good batch of photos, I am going to start focusing a little more on video. I think it's always great to see a good shot of someone blowing out a berm or throwing a whip in the air but it's even better when it's on video.
Joe Ussery watching over the race
Just before I was about to head out for the day, I noticed Joe Ussery ( owner of Windy Hill ) standing by and wanted to thank him for having me out. As always, Joe was extremely nice and even thanked me for coming out and shooting. I tell you what - now matter where you go or what you do in life, a good personality goes a really, long ways. And that's something Joe has perfected!
If you didn't make it to this Labor Day weekend racing event, then you definitely missed out on some good racing.
I've had this idea on my mind for a while now and I am finally getting some lead way on the first video. I've seen several versions of profile videos but I plan on stepping it up a quite bit. I'm not going for just the good ole "riding footage with music"... I want to go much more in depth than that. Now there is clearly nothing wrong with riding footage with music but I plan to make these videos stand out from the rest. It's gonna be intense but exciting.
I am currently underway with the first profile and once it's finished, you'll have a better idea of what I'm shooting for.
Here is the details.
Cost: $75.00 - if you live far away, then a small addition fee may apply. Full amount is needed before any shooting begins.
I always try to be sensitive to riders since all their money goes to bikes and parts but if you want your very own video, then you'll have to bypass getting that new tire.
Location: Wherever you want
That's right! If there is a specific track you like better than others then I'll shoot your riding footage there.
Time: That depends
With the amount of footage that I want to capture, it will take a good 2 different days. If you can't swing 2 days then you may want to set aside an entire day. And I mean the entire day.
How will this whole thing work?
First you'll need to get in touch with me so we can talk about it. Then I'll need your full amount before I get started. Then we'll make a plan on meeting to get shots of you riding. There will also be shots that I'll need you to do several times. If all possible I'd like to meet at your place for extra footage but if that's not possible,we'll work something else out. You can choose the music you want for your video.
That's pretty much it.
So what are you waiting for? Get in touch via cell or e-mail and we'll begin planing your profile video.
Now that I've had a few weekends to get some practice under my belt with my new camera, I felt that it was time to let loose. And let me tell ya. I did just that. In fact, I may have skipped over drive altogether and went straight to overkill cause I came back home with nearly 1,900 photos! That's what happens when you've got a rock solid camera and a fast group of riders on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.
I always try to get the photos up as fast as I can cause it's nice to be able to wake up the next morning and check out your style. Being able to have them up overnight is the goal but I really try to make it easy to find your photos.
Back in the day when I was riding; if I saw someone out shooting. I would always hope to see them that next morning but more so than that, I wanted to see all of mine together and not have to look through all the shots just to find the few of me. So I take a little extra time to organize your shots so you can see all of them together. But seeing how this batch of photos was so large, I only went as far as organizing by bike brand. Enough talk about that..
Revolution was definitely a treat to shoot. Not only was I visiting a new track but I caught word that a few of my friends we're gonna be there. It just doesn't get any better than that. I must also mention that this track brought out the most vintage riders I've ever seen. There were some great looking bikes on hand that a few guys were riding.
Oh and one more thing. The track owners of Revolution MX are definitely committed to providing a nice track for riders. Once the dust got a little heavy, I noticed a few workers came out and grabbed a hose to lay down some water. With the summer we've had this year, having a track with no dust is pretty much unheard of. They also kept a close eye out for any type of accidents with a 4 wheeler ready to get to any point of the track within a minute. That alone says a lot!
And with that being said, I'm definitely looking forward to going back.
I'll try to be as straight to the point as I can but first understand this. I have a huge passion for both photography and videography. I've always loved video cameras but with the new trend of DSLR cameras being able to shoot true HD, I've been in deep thought on what to get if I could only have one. Lucky for me, I was fortunate to get both but I was very interested in know which camera is better for what. By the way, this is only my opinion and it's what works for me. The real test is when you do your very own based on whatever it is that you shoot.
Canon 7D vs Sony FX1:
Before I delve into my testing let me say that there is a ton of thinking ahead that needs to be done before you even try to compare these two cameras. Both cameras produce out of this world amazing footage. My results may not mean diddly-squat to you so. If anything, maybe what I have discovered will give you something extra to think about. Now that we have that straight, let's begin.
First you need to do this: Think about what and where you're shooting. This includes, location, the ground where you're shooting, is it indoors, outdoors, are your subjects going to be moving or sitting still... that kinda stuff.
Then think about what kind of program you'll be using to edit ( Final Cut, Adobe Premier, Avid, Sony Vegas ). Now lets get to the nitty-gritty.
I shoot a lot of motocross. This involves high speed movement, outdoor shooting and most of the time the ground is never level. My choice... Sony FX1.
Likes of the FX1 on motocross...
1. The Sony FX1 is a video camera, so it's made for... you guessed it, video. The auto focusing is fast enough that you'll be able to follow any kind of movement and do any kind of zooming, all at once. You'll hardly ever see your subject out of focus.
2. Their big or bigger than the DSLR cameras so there much easier to hold steady. You can easily get away without a tripod when you have to. This is what I meat about looking at the terrain you'll be shooting. Try centering a tripod up on a small hill will all kinds of small dirt mounds or gaps... no fun there!
3. The Sony FX1 uses DV tapes. While this may be old technology, you'll never have to worry about your memory card filling up and being out of room for footage. Unless you have big bucks and can buy a pocket full of huge compact flash cards. If not then I hope you have your computer with you to empty your cards. With the FX1, you just pop in another tape and your rolling, plus you'll always have the hard copy as back up. If something ever happened to your footage, you can always go back and re-capture the DV tape. If it's all digital and you loose your computer to hard drive failure... you have nothing. And it's gone forever!
4. The DV tapes are cheap but you gotta remember that this is an ongoing expense. So that's something you'll have to think about.
5. Your battery will more than likely last way longer than your DSLR battery and lastly, they seem to be built stronger for hot temperatures. And we all know what a hot summer it has been. Keep your DSLR out in the heat and that thing will feel like a hot bowl of soup.
Dis likes of FX1 for motocross...
1. I really can't think of any to be honest. Just to make it seem like I really did test both of these cameras, I'll just say that the Sony is heavier than the Canon 7D!!!
2. Quality??? That's really your decision. I think their both great.
3.The one think the real nice thing the Canon 7D has to offer over the Sony FX1 is the ability to upload hours worth of footage in minutes. How fast your footage uploades depends on what kind of computer you have and if you have fast card and card reader. With the FX1 you have to capture in real time. If you shoot a couple hours worth of footage, then it's gonna take a couple of hours to capture.
I also shoot weddings. My choice, the Sony FX1. Here's why...
The DSLR camera will shut off in 12 minutes. Most people will say... " who and when do youever need to shoot longer than 12 minutes ". And I say, " I do and when I'm shooting a wedding " You might be surprised with the times you'll need your camera to record longer than 12 minutes!
Here's the deal. The FX1 is just a work horse camera with amazing quality. You can use auto focus or manual focus with ease and it has nice audio. The Canon 7D has audio but I don't think it's as nice as the Sony FX1. Plus there is no auto focus. This makes it extremely difficult to keep moving targets in focus. Especially if they're fast moving targets.
If you're shooting inside and you don't have to follow a moving target and you're computer is by your side. Then it's Canon 7D all the way. This camera produces amazing high quality in any kind of situation but since it's so light, you have to have some kind of stabilization. Whether it's a tripod or a shoulder mount. Remember when I said to look at the terrain? A level floor is way easier to set up and get it level than a hill with gaps.
The bottom line for me is this... The Canon 7D does not have auto focusing so if you're gonna use it for action or movement, you better get to know your focus ring. And the fact that it's so light, you absolutely have to have a tripod or something to hold it steady. If you can hold a SLR camera steady without a tripod then you must be dead!
Although I had big concerns with the Canon 7D shutting off after running for 12 minutes, it has turned out to be one of the least of my concerns. But note that it's because I have a nice video camera.
Oh and I almost forgot. Are you in to photography? Then you'll know what I mean when I say you've got dust on your sensor. Those aggravating specs are easy to clean on a still photo but try doing it with video footage! Think about it. You're in a hurry and you rush out the door. All you can think about is the nice footage the Canon 7D creates, You shoot the entire day only to get home and see very noticeable, dark dust specs all throughout you're precious video. Yeah... lets not think about that nightmare.
So here is my last and final draw on the Canon 7D.What editing software do you use? I use and love Final Cut Pro but in order to work with video files from the 7D, you have to use a different codec. After your footage is re-formatted, then your sitting on go. If you're using Adobe Premiere CS5, then you should be able to work with the files straight from your Canon 7D.
Okay so enough talk, here is my bullet list of likes and dislikes on both cameras.
Sony FX1 likes:
Built for video
Has fast auto focus
Manual focus
Ability to hod camera without stabilization
There is no need of a computer or huge expensive memory cards for footage
You'll always have a hard copy to re-capture if anything horrible happens to your computer
Beautiful amazing quality
Batteries last a long time
People see you with a video camera so they know you're shooting video
Sony FX1 dislike
Have to capture in real time. Hours worth of footage means hours worth of capturing
DV tapes is an on-going expense
Canon 7D likes
Beautiful amazing quality
Light and easy to carry around
The ability to take amazing photo but with the flip of a switch, you can take amazing, true HD video
Easy and very fast uploading to your computer
Killer depth of field
You can use all your nice glass
Canon 7D dislikes
You need big memory cards if you want to be able to hold a good hours worth of footage
You need your computer with you if you want to empty your card
Nearly impossible to hold steady, you must have a tripod or something equivalent
No auto focus
In 12 minutes, your camera movie mode will shut down, whether you're recording or not
It take extra time to re-format your footage
Way, way, way too easy to get dust on the sensor
Now after all of this talk I used a small video clip from both cameras so you can see for yourself. Like I said you'll need to do your own testing to see which one you like better.
I had a great time shooting all the riders at Andrews MX this past Saturday. Maybe it was the weather cause it wasn't quiet as muggy and humid out ( although I'm almost holding my breath for fall ) and the track layout was worked up to my most favorite layout.
Another thing I like about Andrews is that you really don't get to rest much. Especially with this new layout. There are lots of turns and lots of braking bumps. But that's a good thing you know... it's what separates the men from the boys. Feel free to approach Mike with that phrase and I'll bet he'll say the exact same.
Anyhoo, back to the subject! I had a great time. The track was in great shape and I even got a huge sand-spray sandwich ( cough, Cory Brambert, cough ).
If you didn't make it out then you missed a good one.
I'm already looking forward to next weekend already!
After what seems like a lifetime away from shooting motocross, I finally made it back out to the track. I headed back out to Andrews and witnessed a record breaking crowd on hand. And let me tell ya, there were definitely some fast riders out there.
I was a little hesitant to break out my camera since the dust was getting out of control but with so many riders on hand and the heat bearing down, controlling the dust was nearly impossible. Still, there was no way I could leave with getting at least a few shots.
Check out a few that I snapped from Saturday.
This is proof that Mike Andrews is dedicated to his track. All throughout the day, he would pick times when not many riders were out so he could water the track. The guy is just dedicated to what he does.
I was out on a 10 day vacation so I'm just now getting to this. I had all intentions of working on it a bit over the last several days but to put it simple... the internet connection where I was staying was a bit slow.
I really don't have much about this days event. I purchased a new camera and decided to head back out to Andrews and put it to the test. I mention in an earlier post that Andrews will keep you on your photo toes and I thought this would be perfect for getting a new camera broke in.
I started out with 1 good shot followed by 1 bad shot but by the end of the day, I think I had a good setting figured out... or at least my ratio of better shots vs bad shots started got a lot better.
I'm also tickled with the glass I was shooting with. With a 70-300mm lens, I was definitely able to get shots from the other side of the track with very little movement.
Anyways... here a few that turned out good.
This shot was actually taken by Tom Kraft. Good one Tom!!!
With Andrews Motorsports being close to home, it's easy to slip out that way when a plan hasn't been made to visit and shoot at any other tracks. Plus, there's a bonus when it comes to Andrews.
1. It's always the greatest feeling when you show up at the track and you see a dozen or more of your motocross buddies. This is almostalways the case when I visit here.
2. The track is great for keeping you on your ( photo ) toes. Meaning there are places where sun is shining bright and there are places where the sun doesn't shine at all. The track is covered with trees and if you know anything about photography, you'll agree with me when I say... "you better keep your hand on that dial". If you're metered on that nice sunny spot, then good luck when they get to the heavy shaded spots. And then vice versa!
3. Bench racing! For those of you that don't know what that is, it's when we all sit around and talk about the old days of riding/racing. Whether it's you, your friends or someone else, there is always something to talk about. Believe it or not, we sometimes joke about our experiences with a bad crash. You'd be surprised of the healing powers that comes from bench racing. It's just what we do!
Moving on-
I got to the track around 11:30 am to help my friend Paul Ashmann get a few video shots with his new camera while no one was riding. But once 12 noon came around, one by one, riders began to make there way out on the track.
They say the early bird gets the worm! And with the track being so fresh with water, those greasy spots sure did make for some good "out of control" photos! Especially in the corners!
Some days are better than the others. This was the first lap of the day for #72. A few minutes later, she came up a little too short on a big double. Thus ending her day.
Spectating at Andrews is some of the best. You can pretty much go anywhere you want to watch the action.
The always fast Aaron Stancil ( #792 ) was out pounding some laps today in the heat. Aaron has also raced at the Atlanta Supercross and several AMA National tracks. In laymen terms, this guy is on the gas!
Other than crashing, a flat is the next to worst thing that can ruin your day. Especially in the heat!
To see all the photos from today's practice, click the Photo Store link in the top navigation.
We've been anxiously waiting for the chance to get back out to Center Rd MX for some photos. On Sunday June 13th, we got our chance, albeit with a slight twist.
First of all, I must say that Center Rd is at the top of my list of tracks that I love. It's a combination of several things that make Center Rd a delight. I've been going to this track for several years now and I've never seen a time when Sandy or whoever has the sign in sheet, isn't smiling. It's almost like she is more excited about you being there to ride, than you are, about riding!
In addition to their great personalities, a concession stand is available for your raging sweet tooth or if you just need more water. Most importantly, they've always, and I mean always... had flaggers out on the track to help out during practice days. Now tell me these guys aren't committed! Who else does this on practice days! I've spoken with Sandy several times and it's very evident that they are passionate about motocross.
Next is the track layout. If you like big jumps, they have em! If you like super fast sections, they have em! If you like technical sections, they have em! You get the idea right? It's just an all around, great place to ride. I always have a blast when I'm there.
There is one more thing I have to mention about Center Rd. It's the condition of the track. Out of all the years I've been going to this place, only once; the track wasn't watered. And that was due to a mechanical issue with their irrigation system. All other times, the track was just as good at 4 pm as it was when the gates open.
Just one more reason that lets you know. Center Rd is serious about motocross.
Remember that twist I mentioned earlier. Shortly after 3pm, a massive thunderstorm swept through and anyone who had a pop-up awning set up to shield off the sun were holding onto the rails so the wind wouldn't blow it away. Thank goodness I made it back to my truck before the bottom decided to fall out of the sky! This shot was taken after the rain slacked off. Any amount of time out in this storm with no cover meant you were soaked from head to toe!
