For a long time I felt odd about taking videos (and photos) rather than 'being in the moment', but there is something special that happens when you begin to play with video. You actually become more present and aware of what you're seeing and hearing. You become aware of capturing the feeling of the moment.
What do you see?
The action, light, what's happening around it. Stillness, movement. Movement like wind, trees, the way waves roll up the sand.
What do you hear?
Not only do you hear the obvious sounds, with video you tune into noticing background noise that you may not normally.
What detail can you tune into?
Perhaps you notice a little nuance in the way someone's foot lands on the sand as they walk.
How are you capturing it?
What is your focus?
What is in the background, the foreground?
Creating how your vision fits into the frame can change the feeling. Is your camera still and something passes through or do you follow the action. The orientation of your camera for both the action and how you'll use the footage.
What I love about shooting video with my phone is while I'm recording I'm able to also see what's around the action I'm choosing to focus on.
Filming dolphins and whales was about all of these things. Where on the boat I stood, how I framed my shot, bracing myself against the swell and managing the camera movement. Noticing the sound of the water, the splashes, the water spouts and the background voices and boat sounds. All of these things results in what was dubbed 'the footage of the day' ...and all using my phone.
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