Don’t Worry About Your Gear: Casey Neistat’s Guide to Getting Started

Do you yearn to express your creative vision, but don’t have access to the latest and greatest gear? Don’t despair! Casey Neistat shows you how to capture the story you want to tell while maximizing the equipment at your immediate disposal. If you’re just getting into the world of video, this highly practical workshop is the perfect launchpad for your ideas.

Make sure you check out Casey’s Vimeo channel on the link below:

https://vimeo.com/search?q=casey+neistat

What a Portrait Should Be: Behind the Scenes with Edward Snowden

Dispatched to Moscow, famed portrait photographer Platon captured a never-before-seen side of Edward Snowden for WIRED. In this riveting montage, the elusive whistleblower explains the thinking behind his decision to reveal the extent of domestic surveillance being conducted by US intelligence services.

When it comes to portrait photography, your camera, your light, your years of photographic know-how counts for little if you don’t have a subject with substance.  The power of a portrait is in the people.  Do you reveal their essence?  Do you tell their story?

Choosing a subject with substance was not a problem for Wired Magazine but for journalist James Bamford and photographer Platon finding him was.

It took almost a year to arrange to interview and photograph Edward Snowden in Moscow, where he has sought asylum.

 

In 2013 Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, leaked a number of classified documents to various media outlets, exposing the US government for what some would call crimes against the people.  Since then Snowden has been the most wanted man in the world as authorities try to bring him to “justice”.

 

My name is Ed Snowden.  I use to work for the government and now I work for the public.

Producer: Editor in Chief – Scott Dadich

Creative Director: Billy Sorrentino

Director of Photography: Patrick Witty

Photographer: Platon

Editor: Sowjanya Kudva

Composer: Julia Kent

To learn more about the decoded files of the NSA and what they mean for you click here.

Hasselblad Continues CMOS Craze with 200 Megapixel H5D-200c MS

As one might expect (though perhaps not quite so soon after the H5D-50c announcement), Hasselblad has taken to Instagram to announce the H5D-200c MS, a 200-megapixel, multi-shot variant of the H5D-50c. The camera, which can still produce normal 50-megapixel stills at 6200 x 8272 pixels, also ads 4- and 6-shot capabilities for applications such as fine art reproduction, product photography, and more. At its highest resolution, the 200c MS produces massive and glory-clenching 600MB, 16-bit TIFF files.

With the same CMOS back as its little brother, the 200c MS still offers astounding medium format ISO performance range of 100-6400. While I haven’t seen any actual figures, the pixel dimensions for those 200MP files should be in the neighborhood of 12,300 x 16,400, if not just a hair more.

For more information, visit Hasselblad’s H5D-200c MS page or the data sheet.

Sneaking into Coachella Lands This Guy the Career of his Dreams

Have you ever snuck into a concert before? How about a huge festival? Well, in 2010 James Marcus Haney really wanted to attend Coachella… the only problem was he didn’t have the money to get a ticket. So what’s the next best thing? He figured out a way to bypass security and get in for free and got to see some of the bands he had admired for years. He continued sneaking into festivals around the world for the next few years, and filmed every minute of it.

After a few years James had quite the archive of festival footage. He managed to sneak into concerts and festivals seemingly at will, though he did get kicked out of a handful of shows (which is to be expected). He got access to the photo pits, backstage VIP areas, and eventually was able to get on stage during some big-time performances.

Using all of the footage from his experiences at Coachella, Bonaroo, Glastonbury and Austin City Limits (just to name a few), James made a movie and called it “No Cameras Allowed.” Luckily for him, his movie was picked up by MTV and has led to James being one of the most sought-after music photographers in the country.

Arcade Fire
Foo Fighters
Mumford and Sons train tour with Edward Sharpe and Old Crow Medicine Show

Though, as James points out, many people are looking at the film as a roadmap to breaking into music festivals. But that wasn’t his intention.

The problem with the pitch trailer is that it sets up the film to be all about sneaking in. The film is much more personal than that. It’s like a coming of age story set against the music festival background. It’s not like a “how to” guide. A lot of festival folks aren’t stoked because they think a feature film is coming out as a guidebook to show how to breach security.

 

“No Cameras Allowed” airs on MTV this Saturday, August 23rd.

​You can view more of James’ work here, and read an interview with him about his experiences in the link below.

[via HuffingtonPost]

Woman with Vitiligo Proves Bullies of her Past Wrong as She Turns Top Model

Chantelle Brown-Young was teased in school, often called “zebra” or “cow” becuase of her skin condition, vitiligo. However, things began to change when a Toronto photographer encouraged her to model at 16. Her alter-ego-named Instagram (@winnieharlow) became an outlet for her modeling photos and soon enough, Tyra Banks contacted her to become a part of America’s Next Top Model (ANTM).

Brown-Young’s success began even before ANTM, however, as Desigual announced her as the face of its Autumn-Winter 2014 campaign. Her success has even gotten her a place in JMSN‘s “The One” music video.

The first episode of Banks’ show featuring Brown-Young aired last night, but the entire phenomenon — if it hasn’t already accosted your Facebook News Feed — refreshed the conversation of outer looks, inner personality, social acceptance and race.

In an era that seems to be producing younger generations more accepting of various racial issues, there are still plenty of stories to speak to the contrary. On one hand, shows like America’s Next Top Model with personalities such as Brown-Young’s, and even modeling agencies like UGLY, push us forward. Yet on the other, people still comment and criticize harshly when it comes to racial issues and bias in the media, especially when folded into the topic of Photoshop. And we haven’t even touched on the topic of the body image that the fashion industry does or doesn’t impress upon our young and impressionable children.

In any case, the fashion industry seems to be moving forward with the rest of us. We all have our own pace. But do you think this is a step forward? Is there a such thing as a martyr in fashion? In the context of society’s racial issues? What more should or shouldn’t be done when it comes to changing mindsets when it comes to how we look?

Fashion — or at least Tyra — is doing what it can. Can we say we’re doing the same?

Photographer Anthony Carbajal and the Greatest ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Video Yet

We have all seen the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos flooding our Facebook feeds and various social platforms the last couple weeks. If you have grown annoyed by them please remember that the cause is real and the people affected by the disease truly do appreciate all the extra support they have received from the exposure the challenge has created. Here is an incredible video featuring photographer Anothony Carbajal explaining the disease and the harsh truth behind it. 

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord (via ALS.org). Anthony was diagnosed with ALS in Janurary of 2014 and has taken on the disease full time to the detriment of his photography business, but hopes to continue his love for shooting despite his diagnosis. His passion for helping others and making sure to spread all the love he has to those in need is incredible and admirable.

His video immediately made me laugh, but also made me recognize the absolute pain that comes with this terrible disesase. My wife’s grandmother had passed from ALS  just before I had met her, making it a very emotional topic to her family and for myself. Having never heard of the disease 8 years ago its very present how real it effects an entire family. For some, it might be seen as annoying but just remember for any cause its incredible to see the added outreach from everyday people that may not have known about the disease. The enormous outreach the Ice Bucket Challenge so far has helped the ALS Association reach $22.9 million in donations compared to $1.9 million during the same time frame last year. For more information please visit ALSA.org. 

A huge thank you goes out to Anthony for helping spread awareness about ALS and also for wearing a bikini for the cause. 

New Blackmagic URSA 4K Footage is Simply Beautiful

 
The Bear in NZ Winter – Beta URSA Footage

While there aren’t too many Blackmagic URSA 4K cameras in the wild, we’ve got another set of beautiful test clips. Shot by Hook — who has been involved with Blackmagic test shoots before (and now works for the company) — this footage is the first we’ve seen from the EF version of the new URSA 4K Cinema Camera. While the previous footage was shot with old PL cinema glass, Hook used very new and sharp Canon EF glass throughout the video, and was able to come up with some spectacular results. Here are the technical details:

Edited and Graded in DaVinci Resolve 11

Mostly shot at 60fps Prores 422HQ in camera and conformed to 24fps.

LENSES: Sigma 18-35/1.8 Art, Sigma 50/1.4 Art, Canon 70-200/2.8L II IS
Hoya ProNDs and Tiffen VariND+Hoya IR Cut
Schneider Hollywood Blackmagic 1/4 and Tiffen Soft FX 1
MUSIC: “By Your Side” – used with permission from Alan Poettcker of “The Runaway Club”

What is obviously different about this footage from other Blackmagic cameras is the slow motion. It’s something none of them have been capable of until now, and as a tool it’s obviously very useful for plenty of situations. 60fps at 4K and 1080p, with possibly higher frame rates coming this year, are part of the reason this camera costs more, and is so much bigger and heavier than anything they’ve made so far (it’s the size of an ALEXA).

The next part in the process is Blackmagic actually getting these out the door so people can start using them. Shipping has been one of their major issues with cameras, so hopefully the URSA doesn’t follow in the same footsteps as other models and have significant shortages right out of the gate.

The person operating the camera has a lot to do with what footage looks like, but everything we’re seeing looks nice and crisp, with great colors. The sensors in the Blackmagic 4K and the URSA are the same, so footage will be very comparable, though fixed pattern noise should be improved on the new camera due to better hardware internally. As John Brawley mentioned though, black spots on the sun are still an issue, so hopefully it can be something that’s worked out down the road, especially since this camera has so much powerful hardware under the hood.

What is obviously different about this footage from other Blackmagic cameras is the slow motion. It’s something none of them have been capable of until now, and as a tool it’s obviously very useful for plenty of situations. 60fps at 4K and 1080p, with possibly higher frame rates coming this year, are part of the reason this camera costs more, and is so much bigger and heavier than anything they’ve made so far (it’s the size of an ALEXA).

The next part in the process is Blackmagic actually getting these out the door so people can start using them. Shipping has been one of their major issues with cameras, so hopefully the URSA doesn’t follow in the same footsteps as other models and have significant shortages right out of the gate.

7 Reasons Why You Might Be an Ask-hole

1. do you always ask for advice, yet never take it to heart or act upon it?

2. do you have it all figured out, yet you’re stuck in the muck spinning your tires?

3. after you’ve asked someone a question, do you tend to tune out when it’s being answered? 

4. do you roll your eyes and scoff at the educated replies that come from those around you with more experience and wisdom on the matter?

5. do you ask industry professionals pointless and mundane questions, just for the sake of getting an introduction or in the name of “networking“?

6. do you ask, ask, ask… and then constantly become distracted by your phone, rendering you mentally distant and distracted from the corresponding reply?

7. do you find yourself asking the same question over and over again simply because you don’t like the answer you’re being given and think the answer might change the more you ask it?

if you answered yes, then you might just be an Askhole.

regardless of the industry or circles you run in, kindness, sincerity and respect play a vital role in one’s career development. these positive social behaviours create an open dialogue for potential mentorship to occur with peers who can help and educate you in your industry ambitions.

having personable traits make you a more likeable person and easier to get along with. people will want to be around you, rather than run away. 

these PMA’s (positive mental attitudes, for those unfamiliar with author Napoleon Hill or punk pioneers,Bad Brains) also create a welcoming environment for potential business relationships and partnerships to blossom. 

people prefer doing business with those whom they like and respect.

so if this sounds like you… it’s never too late. take off your selfish blinders and the next interaction you have with someone try this: 

listen. absorb. reflect.
respect the opinion of those from whom you ask it.

don’t be an Askhole.

An FBI Counterterrorism Agent Tracked Me Down Because I Took a Picture of This

 

This is a statement from one of the plaintiffs speaking at Thursday’s press conference announcing the ACLU’s lawsuit challenging the government’s controversial Suspicious Activity Reporting program.

Good morning. My name is James Prigoff. I am 86 years old and a retired senior corporate executive, having been president of a Levi Strauss division and previously the senior vice president of the Sara Lee Corporation in Chicago. I am also a professional photographer – in fact, I have been a photographer for most of my life. My specialty is photographing murals, graffiti art, and other community public art. I am the co-author of three books utilizing my photographs, one of which, Spraycan Art, has sold over 200,000 copies. My photographs appear in countless other publications and my photography has been exhibited at the Smithsonian in Washington and in many other galleries. I have lectured on photography and public art in museums, universities, and venues worldwide.

I have never had an experience like I had when attempting to photograph the “Rainbow Swash” outside Boston in 2004. Let me explain.

The Rainbow Swash is an iconic piece of public art near Boston painted on the circumference of a 140-foot high liquefied natural gas storage tank in 1971 and repainted in 1992 at an adjacent site. It is actually one of the largest copyrighted pieces of art in the world. The original artist was Korita Kent.

I went to Dorchester, Mass., to photograph it, but before I could take a picture, I was confronted by two security guards who came through their gate and told me I could not because the tank was on private property. I pointed out that I, being well outside the fenced area, was not on private property – but they insisted I leave. If one goes to Wikipedia there are number of excellent close-up shots for the entire world to see.

A few months later, I found a business card on the front door of my home in Sacramento from Agent A. Ayaz of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, asking me to call him. One of my neighbors, an elderly woman, told me that two men wearing suits had come to her door to ask her about me, her neighbor.

When I called Agent Ayaz, he asked if I had been in Boston recently. At that moment I realized that the security guards at the Rainbow Swash site must have taken down the rental car license plate number and reported me to a law enforcement agency. I never gave the guards any information about myself, so I must have been traced across country via my rental car record.

So, consider this: A professional photographer taking a photo of a well-known Boston landmark is now considered to be engaged in suspicious terrorist activity?

I lived through the McCarthy era, so I know how false accusations, surveillance, and keeping files on innocent people can destroy their careers and lives. I am deeply troubled that the SAR program may be recreating that same climate of false accusation and fear today.

Photography is an important part of my life, and I plan to keep photographing public art and public places that contain WPA murals and other architectural sites – as I have been doing for 69 years. Why have my artistic pursuits landed me in a national database potentially linking me to “terrorist” activities? There is no reason for it. This program must be stopped.

Apple announce ProRes XQ and Arri announce support for Alexa

A new, higher quality version of ProRes is immediately supported by the ARRI Alexa

Apple have announced a new flavour of ProRes: Apple ProRes 4444 XQ. It is similar in features to Apple ProRes 4444 except that it brings a higher target bit rate of 500 Mb/s to the table (for 1080p video at 29.97 fps). Previously ProRes maxed out at 330 Mb/s for ProRes 4444 so this new mode features much lower compression. Apparently the compression ratio in the new XQ mode is as low as 4.5:1. There’s no indication of what the X in XQ means. I’m guessing it is short for Xtreme but it could be short for Xtra too I suppose. My suspicion is that over time ProRes 4444 XQ will become more well known as just ProRes XQ.

Apple are promoting the new format for use in animation and CGI, making much of the support for 12bit colour depth and lossless alpha channels, however these features are not actually new to ProRes. I expect Apple are looking to draw peoples attention to these features as they are a good match for the increased bitrate and they want to get across the message that this new flavour of ProRes will be really useful for computer generated imagery.

The news of the new flavour of ProRes was fast followed by an announcement from Arri that ProRes XQ will be supported on the Alexa XR and XT cameras. This will surface with the next software update packet: SUP10. The software update is scheduled for an open beta in July and will be released properly in August.

Using ProRes XQ will of course mean that the space on your media will be used up much more quickly, increasing your media costs but it is expected that it will still be a popular choice for those working with Log-C and wishing to carry out more extreme grading or those who are shooting footage for VFX work. Of course for those who find the costs of media are not significant it may prove popular anyway for the slight extra quality it gives and lets not forget that there are of course still cost savings to be had over shooting in raw, so it may also end up finding a home where productions can’t quite stretch to shooting raw and are looking to compromise.

It’s great to have different codec options on cameras like this as media costs can be a significant headache sometimes and having the flexibility to choose the level of codec that best suits the amount of data your production is capable of handling is certainly good news for users. It also can’t hurt Arri to have such a great way of making sure that the camera is flexible enough to work across a wider range of the diversity of productions and budgets that are out there!

Check out the table below where Arri shows the different features for the various flavours of ProRes. Oddly all with a framerate of 29.97 fps but it does give you and idea of how the modes compare to one another: