UWOL #14: "The Gazebo"

Victor Wilcox · August 3rd, 2009, 10:21 AM

Texas has been suffering from its worst drought in 50 year. That and triple digit temperatures have made things tough for the local wildlife. Sounds like the start of a good weather cycle theme.

OK, here come the excuses again. My backs still keeping me from getting very far, so this one was shot in the yard where I work. The little pond, next to a gazebo, is a great cool spot in our little green zone. Naturally none of the wildlife was thirsty, when I was not working, except for some amorous dragonflies. Now that could be a cycle.

In any event, this video makes it look cool outside. Just wish it was.

Victor Wilcox · August 3rd, 2009, 10:34 AM

I forgot to include a link the HD verion of "The Gazebo".

Wilcox Video Productions - UWOL Challenges

Mike Sims · August 3rd, 2009, 08:36 PM

Hi Victor,
Is it hot enough yet? Boy I hope so! You have a nice oasis there. Great shots of the crimson darners. I’ll bet you have lots of things coming in to drink at night. They’ve just made refilling outside water features illegal (for now) around here- even with non-potable water. I have to sneak water out to the birdbath and could catch a hefty fine for doing so. Sure hope this blasted drought breaks soon. Nice work.

Chris Barcellos · August 3rd, 2009, 09:57 PM

Victor, like you I had to stay in my home yard, due to health. But you know what. There is always something out there. Some great shots !

Dale Guthormsen · August 4th, 2009, 08:20 AM

Victor,

there were some terrific images. The dragon fly was spectacular!!! The pan to the left seemed shakey, but I have seen that be caused by compression the odd time.

You would never know you were in a drought.

Boy did that frog set still, eh?

Nice job!!!!

Victor Wilcox · August 4th, 2009, 09:32 AM

Thanks for the kind words. I can't blame all the jerkiness on compression. I forgot my trusty rubber band.

Meryem Ersoz · August 4th, 2009, 01:21 PM

what gorgeous dragonfly footage...not sure that the images carried the theme, without the text, but still very pretty...

hope your wife's leg is recovered...

Rich Ryan · August 4th, 2009, 08:49 PM

Victor,

Some really nice footage. I especially enjoyed the dragonfly sequences. I got a little laugh from the "wildlife" getting relief and the first wildlife we see is a ceramic frog (-:

The music selection fit the video very well.

rich

Mihali Moore · August 5th, 2009, 04:36 AM

Hi Victor,

Nice little set up you have there! I liked your dragonfly shots very much. Perhaps another shot from the other side would have been nice? As the others have said, a shame about the little shake on the pan. Good choice of music.

Mihali

Geir Inge · August 5th, 2009, 07:04 AM

Hi Victor.
Love your dragonfly footage.
At around 1:23 when it liftes it's head, how I sooo wish I could see it's front face :)
Just a word about looking-room/rule of thirds.
I think it is at :30, even if it's "only" a frog figure, I think it needs a little space/room in front. Or it's like it is banging its head against the left side. I think this clip could work fine with the frog figure out of focus, and instead focusing on the water in the background.

All the best.
Geir Inge

Sam Mendolia · August 5th, 2009, 07:44 AM

I love the dragonfly sequences- I've tried this myself, not the great sucess you had, very hard to do.
I guess you know the subject, and where patient to let the camera sit aimed at it's landing spot.

I am also a frog person, and have lots of these statues at home, but never thought to incorporae them, into anything I've done, cool idea.

If my wife sees this video, she will have me build a gazebo, next to the new pond and water fall, she is putting in. I have enough to do, on the "honeydo" list, lol.

What has impressed me the most by this round, is the fact that quite a few of the entries where filmed without leaving home, and they are all great, as you have total control of the area, and your imagination takes off, and you "see" the area in a different light/perspective.

Trond Saetre · August 5th, 2009, 03:07 PM

Hi Victor,

WOW to the dragonfly shots! Those were stunning!
To see it from the front would have been awesome, but as it was... very very good!

In the clip beginning at 1:33, maybe it would have been an idea to cut from the wide shot directly to the close up, or to the last part of the "zoom in" to avoid all the small framing corrections before you zoomed in?

Well done! I enjoyed every second.

Finn-Erik Faale · August 6th, 2009, 02:25 PM

I think you have made an evocative video from your home area. The shots of dragonfly are beautiful.

Per Johan Naesje · August 7th, 2009, 01:40 PM

Victor,
much have been said to your film already. I especially liked the dragonfly. Wow they was mating too, how could they in front of an audience :-)
I sat waiting for a real close-up of the action and when you start to zoom, I said yes... ...and then they fly away :-(

OK, you had some nice sequences there, think most of the pans was really nice. A couple of blow out pictures, but overall a niece piece, Victor!

Ron Chant · August 8th, 2009, 04:16 AM

Victor,
Nice pan from the small waterfall to the marginal plants but the cream was the various shots from wide to close of the Devils Horse/Dragonfly plus a short mating shot.
did you know that a few million years ago some of these insects had a three foot wing span.

It would be nice to have a bit of your hot weather here in the UK
we’ve had so much rain over the last three summers we are now growing webbed feet.

August 3rd, 2009, 10:34 AM	#2
Victor Wilcox Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Iron Horse Guest Ranch, Waller County, TX Posts: 340	I forgot to include a link the HD verion of "The Gazebo". Wilcox Video Productions - UWOL Challenges __________________ Vic Wilcox, http://wilcoxvideoproductions.com/Default.aspx Sony FDR-AX100, DJI Phantom 4 Pro, GoPro Hero 8 Blk, Vegas Pro 15, DaVinci Resolve 18

August 3rd, 2009, 09:57 PM	#4
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Victor, like you I had to stay in my home yard, due to health. But you know what. There is always something out there. Some great shots ! __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

August 4th, 2009, 08:20 AM	#5
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Victor, there were some terrific images. The dragon fly was spectacular!!! The pan to the left seemed shakey, but I have seen that be caused by compression the odd time. You would never know you were in a drought. Boy did that frog set still, eh? Nice job!!!! __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

August 4th, 2009, 09:32 AM	#6
Victor Wilcox Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Iron Horse Guest Ranch, Waller County, TX Posts: 340	Thanks for the kind words. I can't blame all the jerkiness on compression. I forgot my trusty rubber band. __________________ Vic Wilcox, http://wilcoxvideoproductions.com/Default.aspx Sony FDR-AX100, DJI Phantom 4 Pro, GoPro Hero 8 Blk, Vegas Pro 15, DaVinci Resolve 18

August 5th, 2009, 07:04 AM	#10
Geir Inge Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Larsnes, Norway Posts: 1,342	Hi Victor. Love your dragonfly footage. At around 1:23 when it liftes it's head, how I sooo wish I could see it's front face :) Just a word about looking-room/rule of thirds. I think it is at :30, even if it's "only" a frog figure, I think it needs a little space/room in front. Or it's like it is banging its head against the left side. I think this clip could work fine with the frog figure out of focus, and instead focusing on the water in the background. All the best. Geir Inge __________________ Geir Inge B. Brekke Visit me at: https://vimeo.com/gibbfilm

August 3rd, 2009, 10:21 AM	#1
Victor Wilcox Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Iron Horse Guest Ranch, Waller County, TX Posts: 340	UWOL #14: "The Gazebo" - by Victor Wilcox Texas has been suffering from its worst drought in 50 year. That and triple digit temperatures have made things tough for the local wildlife. Sounds like the start of a good weather cycle theme. OK, here come the excuses again. My backs still keeping me from getting very far, so this one was shot in the yard where I work. The little pond, next to a gazebo, is a great cool spot in our little green zone. Naturally none of the wildlife was thirsty, when I was not working, except for some amorous dragonflies. Now that could be a cycle. In any event, this video makes it look cool outside. Just wish it was. __________________ Vic Wilcox, http://wilcoxvideoproductions.com/Default.aspx Sony FDR-AX100, DJI Phantom 4 Pro, GoPro Hero 8 Blk, Vegas Pro 15, DaVinci Resolve 18

August 3rd, 2009, 08:36 PM	#3
Mike Sims Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 880	Hi Victor, Is it hot enough yet? Boy I hope so! You have a nice oasis there. Great shots of the crimson darners. I’ll bet you have lots of things coming in to drink at night. They’ve just made refilling outside water features illegal (for now) around here- even with non-potable water. I have to sneak water out to the birdbath and could catch a hefty fine for doing so. Sure hope this blasted drought breaks soon. Nice work.

August 4th, 2009, 01:21 PM	#7
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	what gorgeous dragonfly footage...not sure that the images carried the theme, without the text, but still very pretty... hope your wife's leg is recovered...

August 4th, 2009, 08:49 PM	#8
Rich Ryan Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Pleasanton, CA Posts: 127	Victor, Some really nice footage. I especially enjoyed the dragonfly sequences. I got a little laugh from the "wildlife" getting relief and the first wildlife we see is a ceramic frog (-: The music selection fit the video very well. rich

August 5th, 2009, 04:36 AM	#9
Mihali Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bristol Posts: 92	Hi Victor, Nice little set up you have there! I liked your dragonfly shots very much. Perhaps another shot from the other side would have been nice? As the others have said, a shame about the little shake on the pan. Good choice of music. Mihali

August 5th, 2009, 07:44 AM	#11
Sam Mendolia Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 217	I love the dragonfly sequences- I've tried this myself, not the great sucess you had, very hard to do. I guess you know the subject, and where patient to let the camera sit aimed at it's landing spot. I am also a frog person, and have lots of these statues at home, but never thought to incorporae them, into anything I've done, cool idea. If my wife sees this video, she will have me build a gazebo, next to the new pond and water fall, she is putting in. I have enough to do, on the "honeydo" list, lol. What has impressed me the most by this round, is the fact that quite a few of the entries where filmed without leaving home, and they are all great, as you have total control of the area, and your imagination takes off, and you "see" the area in a different light/perspective. __________________ I was told I have no vision, but boy do I see great!

August 5th, 2009, 03:07 PM	#12
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Hi Victor, WOW to the dragonfly shots! Those were stunning! To see it from the front would have been awesome, but as it was... very very good! In the clip beginning at 1:33, maybe it would have been an idea to cut from the wide shot directly to the close up, or to the last part of the "zoom in" to avoid all the small framing corrections before you zoomed in? Well done! I enjoyed every second.

August 6th, 2009, 02:25 PM	#13
Finn-Erik Faale Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Porsgrunn Norway Posts: 280	I think you have made an evocative video from your home area. The shots of dragonfly are beautiful.

August 7th, 2009, 01:40 PM	#14
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Victor, much have been said to your film already. I especially liked the dragonfly. Wow they was mating too, how could they in front of an audience :-) I sat waiting for a real close-up of the action and when you start to zoom, I said yes... ...and then they fly away :-( OK, you had some nice sequences there, think most of the pans was really nice. A couple of blow out pictures, but overall a niece piece, Victor! __________________ - Per Johan

August 8th, 2009, 04:16 AM	#15
Ron Chant Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: West-London - England Posts: 125	Victor, Nice pan from the small waterfall to the marginal plants but the cream was the various shots from wide to close of the Devils Horse/Dragonfly plus a short mating shot. did you know that a few million years ago some of these insects had a three foot wing span. It would be nice to have a bit of your hot weather here in the UK we’ve had so much rain over the last three summers we are now growing webbed feet. __________________ <')))>{