Geoff Thompson of the AMCHAM Marketing Committee moderated Thursday lunchtime's workshop, the latest in the series that started 18 months ago and which addressed photography and videography; he recalled the origins of the lunchtime workshops around 18 months ago and likened cameras, both still and video, to Microsoft Word, a tool of which most of us use just 10% of the features and functionalities.
Robin Jensen, photographer, talked about photography where many topics are similar to videography. He explained that the term "photography" comes from the Greek "painting with light".
He explained how to overcome a number of standard issues: blurred pictures are normally associted with shutter speed, also with stabilising your camera (tripod, etc.); and bad lighting can also be a common issue. "Red Eye" is associated with the flash being situated close to the lens; the further the distance, the lower the probability of "red eye".
He explained that composition is all about creating visual impact. He recounted that over the centuries, painters have come up with techniques to counteract the problem of having uninteresting paintings, and these apply too to photography. Robin also suggested to place the main subject off-centre amongst other tips and techniques he shared with the attendees.
He also addressed the issue of camera settings: he stressed that one does not need to use most of the settings.
Next up was videographer Artur Kurkowiak who had two volunteers from the participants for a practical video session, with one being a cameraman and the other being an interviewer. He showed how it is well worth spending some time to get the right focus, the balance, the correct lighting, etc. He went over a number of steps to take in order to take professional videos with non-expensive equipment.
Artur said that you can use modern smartphones for such video recordings too, and suggested that one a tripod or other stand to ensure the picture does not wobble. He also explained why always to include a roll of gaffer tape with one's technical equipment which can be used for a number of applications.
Photo (L-R): Geoff Thompson, AMCHAM; Artur Kurkowiak; Robin Jensen
