Our Med cruise on Seabourn Sojourn

A 2 week cruise, Monte Carlo to Athens on board the lovely Seabourn Sojourn.

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Henry :)

Thanks for sharing! That was beautiful!! :D

Henry, thank you for sharing your video.

Keith

Wow. This is great.

Thanks for the kind words.

I find cruises perfect for making a home movie, gives you something to do onboard and a purpose to wander round ashore. A bit like taking the dog for a walk. Only without the dog :)

I gave a little impromptu talk whilst onboard Sojourn about how to make better videos. Not claiming to be the best on the planet but I have evolved some simple techniques which make a big difference and are easily taught.

I nearly fell off my chair when I saw the video on the CC home page. Great stuff !!!

Off to Asia in a few days onboard Sojourn again so hopefully another one to follow.

Henry :)

Could you share some of your tips/thoughts? What editing and color correction software do you use? If not here maybe a different post?

Could you share some of your tips/thoughts? What editing and color correction software do you use? If not here maybe a different post?

I don't adjust for colour at all. Anything like that gets done on the camera whilst filming but to be honest I don't mess with the basic settings on the camera. The one thing I do use a bit, particularly around water is a polarising filter.

I edit everything on the ship using my MacBook & upgraded from iMovie to Final Cut Pro largely because it imports footage from my camcorder much easier. I think later MacBooks and versions of iMovie probably make it easier to get footage off a camcorder.

In terms of technique if you have an eye for a good image you're half way there. Remember to keep the camera still and let what you're filming do the movement. As soon as you zoom or pan whilst recording you've most likely destined that bit of footage to the cutting room floor.

Be hard on yourself. Just because a shot took you 4 hours to get doesn't mean it works in the context of what you're trying to achieve.

I find editing the hardest bit.

Henry :)

Thank you. Great advice! I'm learning the hard way that pans and zooms are a bad idea when filming.

Do you have a DSLR which is capable of shooting video?

If so put it on a tripod and try using that.

You will be forced to keep the camera still and concentrate on subject and composition. Do short 4 or 5 second snippets and then edit them together using simple cross dissolve transitions. Lay the whole lot on top of a backing track of your choosing.

Henry :)

I have a DSLR, but don't use it much any more, especially for videos. I use GoPros and my iPhone now for videos. I have tripods but clearly I don't use them enough.

I have a DSLR, but don't use it much any more, especially for videos. I use GoPros and my iPhone now for videos. I have tripods but clearly I don't use them enough.

There lies your problem.

Neither of those are conducive to making good videos. They are too easy to wave around.

The Go-pro has it's uses but only for small inserts. It's an action camera, not a main camera. The iphone is just that a phone which has the ability to quickly capture surprise events whilst you are out and about. The trouble is we all get lazy and just use them because they're there.

Fall in love with your DSLR again on your next cruise and explore it's video making potential.

Henry :)

Henry,

Thank you for sharing this beautiful video. Love it.

John

Henry,

 

Thank you for sharing this beautiful video. Love it.

 

John

My pleasure :)

Henry :)

Wow! This is a perfectly composed moving postcard! Great job!

Wow! This is a perfectly composed moving postcard! Great job!

Thanks for the kind words.

I need to brush up on my editing to compete :)

Henry :)