Abstract: Video cameras are becoming more and more popular in our lives, but it seems that most people have not yet mastered the skills of how to shoot. Here are the top ten DV shooting skills, whether you are Novices and veterans alike can play with the camera.
Camera TipsDigital Camera Shooting TipsTop Ten DV Shooting Tips for Novices and Veterans
It can be said that the threshold for playing with digital cameras is getting lower and lower, and shooting is getting easier and easier. Just like SLR cameras can be seen everywhere when going out, cameras are gradually entering the homes of ordinary people with their ultra-low prices, becoming an indispensable digital equipment for everyone to travel and record their lives.
However, there is another problem after digital cameras enter the majority of households, that is, the early recording is not good, let alone the later editing, which must be terrible. Because the threshold for photography is relatively high in the later stage, the requirements for the early stage are relatively high. If you want to shoot a more beautiful video, you still need to put in some effort. Unlike the early stage photos with poor composition or color, we can Photoshop them later. , and if you want to Photoshop the video, I guess many friends will be scratching their heads. Therefore, for friends who play with video cameras, you must remember that pre-shooting is very important, because it involves the question of whether the video you shot can be used and whether it can be shared with friends.
So it is necessary to master certain DV usage skills, so that the videos you shoot can have higher use value, so today we will take a look at what is involved in shooting videos. skills can be mastered.
1. Image stabilization is the core of DV shooting
For most home digital cameras, many friends hold them with one hand when using them. Although it is convenient, it does not make it easier to shoot. The stability can be imagined. Some friends will say that my machine has an anti-shake function, so you can shoot casually. Yes, the camera anti-shake function has basically become standard equipment, and some new technologies have been introduced in some high-end machines to enhance the optics of the camera. The anti-shake effect, such as Sony's enhanced optical anti-shake this year, can provide a relatively stable shooting environment while walking. But this does not mean that you can just hold the camera with one hand and shoot casually. You must know that the video you shoot is to be enjoyed in the end, not just recorded, so if you don’t want your video to be like a roller coaster, then Hurry up and read below.
A tripod is the most stable solution, but most home users will not carry this burden when going out, so ensuring stability when shooting DV is the fundamental way. Maybe your film is not very good, maybe your use The light is mediocre, maybe you just record daily life, and a stable picture can make your film more outstanding. Therefore, when shooting videos, those who can hold the phone with both hands must use both hands. In addition to holding the phone normally with the right hand, the left hand must also participate in holding the screen to stabilize the machine. If the elbow can support the body, it can provide three tearing points. pivot point, then the camera will be more stable.
This is the standard way to hold a camera. Of course, the method of use is different depending on the specific environment, but in general, there are several principles. Hold the DV with both hands and the center of gravity of the machine should be At the wrist, while keeping the body stable, you can find an object to rely on (such as a wall, pillar, tree) to stabilize the center of gravity. If you need to move and shoot, be sure to hold the DV with both hands, put the center of gravity of the machine on the wrist, and hold the DV with both hands. Clamp your ribs with your elbows, stand astride your legs, and stabilize your body's center of gravity. This can ensure that the captured video is stable to a large extent, which is beneficial for later viewing.
2. Keep the picture level
Many friends use DV to shoot at an angle just for fun. I was like this when I first started playing DV, but if the picture is tilted seriously, it will affect the picture. The mood of the viewer. Therefore, during the shooting process, you should ensure that the horizontal lines (such as the horizon) and vertical lines (such as telephone poles, buildings) in the viewfinder and the frame of the viewfinder or LCD screen remain parallel.
Keep the picture level consistent with objective facts
This is still very different from using a camera. In the process of taking pictures, sometimes in order to pursue a special effect, use Oblique composition is used to highlight certain elements in the picture, but this is not very suitable for cameras. I personally think that keeping the level is based on objective facts, because everything we see is based on the horizontal plane in the general direction. At this time, if you use a tilted camera position to shoot, it will make the viewer feel very uncomfortable, because it goes against the world we see with our eyes. Of course, this is only for home users. You may see that oblique compositions are sometimes used in TV programs. This is done by professional videographers. They are already very familiar with the push, pull and pan of the lens, but for us It's better not to try it easily.
3. Grasp the shooting time
I remember that when SLR cameras just had video shooting functions, many machines had shooting time limits, which was largely out of the question. Regarding the protection of the machine, because the area of ??the photosensitive device of a SLR camera is relatively large and it generates high heat when working for a long time, a time limit is added to ensure the image quality and sensor.
For example, when the D90 (Quotation Parameters Evaluation Gallery) came out, the 5-minute shooting time was controversial. I remember hearing friends around me say that it can only shoot for 5 minutes. What can I do!
Yes, 5 minutes is not enough for shooting videos, but what everyone needs to know is that all the movies, TV series, etc. you watch are countless 5 minutes (in fact, the time of each shot is very short, only (from a few seconds to more than ten seconds), so five minutes is already very luxurious for a shot. Just imagine, if you were asked to watch a video of the same angle and the same action for 5 minutes, you would probably have lost interest long ago. If you were asked to hold the camera to shoot for 5 minutes, you would probably lose consciousness in your arms. Therefore, the video must be shot in separate shots, with the same action. Or if a scene is displayed continuously through several or even a dozen videos of a few seconds, it will be much more vivid.
By shooting multiple videos, they are finally edited together to form a complete shot
So when shooting videos in the future, you might as well reduce the time control to the following levels, and control the close-up shot to 2- 3 seconds, medium and close shot 3-4 seconds, medium shot 5-6 seconds, panorama 6-7 seconds, large panorama 6-11 seconds, and 4-6 seconds is appropriate for general lens shooting. Only by mastering and controlling the shooting according to this time can the post-production and viewers understand the photographer's intention and clearly see the shooting scene. In this way, when the videos you shoot are edited together, they will become more vivid, and one scene will not drag out for several minutes.
4. Ensure the balance of the composition and capture a unique perspective
The problem of composition is a test of personal skills. Friends who are familiar with taking pictures know that the same scene can appear in different compositions Different effects, and friends who are new to photography will feel the same scene, but their photos are always lack of vitality. This is a problem of composition. There are many composition rules for various environments, and it is possible to publish a book once they are finished.
Composition is a test of internal skills. Good composition requires long-term practice to realize it.
The key to composition is balance. When shooting natural scenery, try to avoid the horizon line being on the contour line of the picture, because doing so will divide the picture into two halves, giving people a dull feeling. When the horizon is at the bottom of the picture, it will give people a sense of tranquility, while when it is above it, it will give people a lively and powerful feeling. Most cameras have a nine-square grid logo inside. If you are not very skilled, you can adjust the nine-square grid on the screen. This will ensure the basic composition, which is very useful for novices.
Using different camera positions during shooting can easily obtain different perspectives and create different lens atmospheres. Shooting the subject from bottom to top can highlight the tall image of the subject; shooting the subject from top to bottom can make the subject smaller and produce a dramatic effect. Therefore, you need to read more about the composition rules of various environments. Only in this way can you easily and skillfully cope with various environments and ensure that the videos you shoot are vivid and lively.
5. Learn to use depth of field
When watching movies, especially love movies, you can often see scenes like this. The male and female protagonists embrace each other, and the background is dotted with stars. The picture is very warm, which is the depth of field at work. Although we usually cannot create such a dreamlike effect when shooting videos (mainly because the sensors of home machines are too small to create such an effect), we can also use depth of field to create and use different images according to the environment. Depth of field will add charm to your videos.
Use the telephoto end to shoot such a shallow depth of field effect
The basic common sense of depth of field is that a large aperture means a small depth of field; a small aperture means a large depth of field. The large depth of field is a good helper for amateur users, which can effectively compensate for focusing errors caused by inexperience. The use of small depth of field can help us achieve good results when we need to highlight the subject. In addition, we can also obtain a shallower depth of field by lengthening the lens to highlight the subject, so when the subject you are shooting is very bright, you might as well make good use of this subject and shoot with the telephoto end, so that the subject of the picture is clear and the background is blurred. It’s clear what you want to say.
6. Use the in-lens zoom with caution
Here we say to use it with caution, not to prevent everyone from using it, but to tell everyone what to pay attention to when zooming in video shooting. Nowadays, the zoom levers of cameras adopt a segmented design. As you adjust the amplitude, the zoom speed is also different. From the perspective of the later stage, the best way to shoot videos is to slightly move the zoom lever to let the lens zoom slowly. It is the best choice. Remember not to instantly change from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end like a digital camera when shooting videos. Because when shooting videos, continuous images are recorded. Fast zooming will make you look dizzy during playback, so slow zooming makes watching Readers clearly see that video is the bottom line of zoom speed.
In addition, frequent zooming will increase DV power consumption and greatly reduce shooting time. I think that for the lens expression of the same scene, it may be better to use fixed focus shots at different angles and distances.
7. Try to avoid shooting with backlight
Frontlight can make the subject clearer. In most cases, you should keep the subject under sufficient light intensity.
When shooting backlight, due to the insufficient camera latitude, it is easy to overexpose the highlights and make the shadows unclear under high-contrast conditions. As a result, all details are lost and the picture has no beauty at all. So try to shoot with the light. Unless you are shooting a sunset silhouette, don’t easily try to shoot a video with backlight. There is a saying: A good photographer always keeps the sun behind him. This is not unreasonable.
8. How to get a smooth panning shot
On holidays, we often go out to shoot handheld, and it is inconvenient to carry a tripod. But if we want to capture a big scene, everyone will shake up the DV. , the basic posture to pay attention to is: first stand with your feet about 50 cm apart, with your toes pointing slightly outward into a figure-eight shape, and then shake your waist. This can make the panning action proceed more smoothly. Whether it is panning up and down or left and right, the movement should be smooth and smooth, the picture should be smooth, there should be no pauses in the middle, and it should not be fast or slow.
Be careful not to move the camera excessively or move the camera unnecessarily. The starting point and end point of the panning must be grasped just right, and the technique must be used in a measured way. Also avoid rocking it around like watering flowers. Once you have panned in the past, do not pan back again. You can only take a panoramic shot of left and right or up and down.
The panning of the camera must be steady
One thing you should also pay attention to when panning the camera is to ensure the stability of the picture. This goes back to what was said at the beginning of the article about maintaining stability. You need to know a slight The shaking will be reflected in the final video, which will affect the viewing, so the camera must be panned to ensure a stable picture.
9. Night scene shooting
Using DV to shoot night scenes is a very headache. I believe many users have painful experiences. The beautiful scenery with bright lights in front of them is really difficult to shoot. It's completely out of shape, even pale, with no desired details or desired beautiful scenery, which makes you start to complain about the camera. The problem actually lies with the camera, but rather with you not knowing how to use the manual adjustment function to deal with it. At this time, you can use the manual exposure function of the camera. When shooting night scenes, because the light is relatively dark, the camera will automatically increase the exposure. This increase will brighten the overall picture, so the above problems will occur. At this time You need to manually control the exposure, so that the dark places can be pressed down so that the light is not completely pale. Generally speaking, manual exposure focuses on bright areas.
When shooting night scenes, I use manual exposure, focusing on bright spots.
It’s like shooting a concert again. Due to the lack of light at the scene, when shooting automatically, the entire stage has no atmosphere. , the singer's face turned pale due to the lighting, and basically no facial features could be seen. When manual exposure was used and the face was used as the criterion, the quiet effect of the entire stage came out, and the face was correctly restored.
In addition, if you don’t know how to control it manually, you can use the night camera function. For example, you can use this function to take photos of beautiful night scenery with satisfaction. The method is very simple: start the DV's night scene shooting function, which is a function that all DVs currently have.
10. Mastering white balance
When we shoot during travel, the scene we are in often changes rapidly. One moment it is sunny outside, and the next moment it may be the interplay of light and shadow indoors. Generally, the automatic white balance of our DV machines can basically adapt automatically. In most cases, the white balance does not require too much intervention from us, because the camera will automatically adjust without too much deviation. Even if you are pursuing effects, you can also use the built-in white balance of the camera, such as indoors and outdoors. The highest level is manual setting, but manual setting is more troublesome, especially when you often travel between indoors and outdoors. So for most people, this point can basically be ignored, but for veterans, accurately setting the white balance or making full use of the white balance will also make the video very outstanding.
Entry-level users can ignore white balance, and advanced users can make full use of white balance.
Since most of the natural scenery during travel is red flowers and green grass, for green performance, if you adjust the white balance It should be warmer and the performance will be better. In addition, if you use automatic white balance, when entering indoors from outdoors, you need to turn off the DV and turn it on again to allow the white balance to automatically adjust. In fact, there are quite a lot of situations like this when traveling. For example, when we shoot in temples at many scenic spots, we need to pay attention to this.
Summary:
DV shooting requires flexibility and change. It is necessary to capture the scene as well as take in the scene. Pan the empty lens of the scene to the characters and let the characters walk into the space. The camera lens pans out the scene from the character's line of sight or walking direction, or the panoramic character pushes toward the scene to end the video, so that people and objects can be organically integrated. The videos shot in this way are more in line with viewing habits. Of course, during the shooting process, you can also consciously intersperse some shots of pure scenery. In short, if you want your DV images to be attractive, you must use your brain more when shooting, experience more, learn more, and record every bit of your own life.