Hi All,

I have been in the "Shark Tank," which I even named, since UWOL #1. I wanted to get one completed this time.

Between visits by two sons, one with his wife and my three granddaughters, trips to Sea World and other "FUN" hot spots, taking them all to see and shoot the last Space Shuttle launch, re-roofing my motorhome, a trip to Mobile, Alabama for our feature length movie and documentary project, being sick and many other obligations----I did it.

It is just a simple little movie, showing some of the diverse wildlife around me here in Southeast Florida. If we had had more time I would have included more species. Many species were shot in my back yard and many I had to walk and or drive and walk miles to find. Don't worry, I needed the exercise.

I hope that you get some enjoyment out of it and I will try to do better for next time.

Thanks----Mike

Wow… that’s a lot of wildlife… I hade some problem viewing you film, it stops every 10 second. You hade a few shot that you hade put together to a sequence and I liked that, now it’s too many thing going on (I think). You live in a beautiful place with so many “big” things to film… I’m a bit jealous.

Wow, this is so different from the wildlife I'm use to, up here in the Northern Europe, even if you showed us some known species. I understand that this was quick and dirty put toghether but you managed to keep my interest all the way through your film! Some shaky scenes which I dislike (you might have seen my huge tripod, which I always use!).
The film played very well on my computer.

Thank you guys! Yes is was down and dirty because of too many obligations, but it was fun. Just want to show some of the wildlife here in Florida. Other than Costa Rica and perhaps some other Central American countries, there are few places in the world with more diverse wildlife.

I especially love the birds and did not get all that I wanted. Got rained out many days and did not get my Sandhill Cranes. I really love them.

So, thanks for the interest and I'll try to use a tripod more often next time. Much too much of this was hand held and some with XLH1 and some with the HV20. HV20 is very hard to hold still at full zoom and I spent most of the time at full zoom on both. I even put a 1.6 adapter on the XLH1 to get some of those shots and that made it worse.

Thanks---Mike

the title was certainly apt - a great variety of wildlife - I would love to see more of the pink flamingo, perhaps something devoted entirely to them but it was certainly diverse & entertaining

Hi Mike:

Well, your title says it all! You have a little of everything in there! Some of the subjects it would have been nice to focus in on them a bit longer and allow us to draw in. This is a solid entry though. You set out to show us that there is a lot going on in your neck of the woods, and you achieved that. Looking forward to your next entry.

So YOU named the shark tank! That was actually well though out and appropriate! Just hope we can get a round with NO one in it!

Cat

Mike: Made up for lost time, and you covered more animals than anyone has who shot over last eight challenges. This film was like riding on Noah's Ark. Lots of fun.

Hi Mike,

WOW, that's certainly a lot of diversity! Amazing the variety of wildlife and filmed very nicely.

You capture a nice look/color at times - in particular the shots like the squirrel on the tree. Lovely color and almost a film sort of look. Same with the shots of the flamingo and cranes? I notice some of your shots seemed over-saturated Did you turn the saturation up a lot on the timeline?

The film certainly lived up to it's title however, I think you should pick half the species (the more exotic ones), and pick the very best footage you have, ie more time for the viewer to experience/feel the scene, before moving on.

The camera bumping is always a disappointment - especially when you get some great footage. Believe me, I know how it feels! However, if the footage is not rock solid, I think it needs to be an extremely interesting scene to get away with it.

You must have put in a huge effort to capture all this material and I can personally say that I enjoyed it immensely.

Well done Mike, you have finally broken the drought! No more Shark Tank for you from here on, eh:)

Nice overview of the wildlife in your area Mike. I was taken with the beautiful pelican with its rich brown neck - never seen a peli like that before!
Although I like it, I feel your music overwhelms the wildlife a bit. Retaining some natural sound would have been better.
Too much movement of the camera makes everything appear very busy and is difficult to follow.

The title sure fit the film. What an incredible area to live in regards to diversity. Nice work for a being a quick job.

Hope to see you in the next round.

I always like to see everyone's part of the planet and you've certainly shown us yours...

I would have liked to see or hear something to let me know just what part of the planet it is...

Aside from that, there was lots of nice shots and some really great ones. I think a polorizing filter would have made the water shots more interesting, but they were still good.

And you made it! No shark tank!

Bob

Mike,

That was worth watching for the shot of the dragonfly(?) at 0:19. The red squirrel waving his tail around was another highlight - beautifully framed shot, that.

You packed a lot in there, and most of it was very well shot considering the lack of tripod. As I said for Lorinda's film, sometimes the hand held can work and make things more energetic - and isn't necessarily bad.

There was no real theme to your film, but that became the theme - just hitting us with animal after animal, wondering what would come next, you are lucky to have such variety so close to home.

Good film, well done.

And you do realise that you're not allowed back into the dhark tank again?

Wow--that's a lot of wildlife within 60 miles!

I loved the "standoff" at :55, the gorgeous framing of the flamingos at 1:19.

Hated the scavenger scene at 1:08, but that's Nature for ya.

Um, was that a shark there at 2:30? If so, how far from the shore were you? I ask, because I've been swimming twice from the beach in Ft. Lauderdale and wonder how bad I want to do it again... :)

Thanks so much for the overview, Mike. It was fun!

Hi Mike,

Those were some great closeup shots (dragon fly). You certainly do have quite the variety of wild life in your neck of the woods. Very nice.

Oliver

Out of the tank and onto the playing field at last! Nice job, Mike!

The record holder for time in the tank is held by the guy who named it the Shark Tank, it's fitting to have you out of there at last.

And a lot fun to see the diversity of animal life near you.

So welcome to UWOL. I've been wanting to say that for a very loooong time!

Wow--that's a lot of wildlife within 60 miles!

I loved the "standoff" at :55, the gorgeous framing of the flamingos at 1:19.

Hated the scavenger scene at 1:08, but that's Nature for ya.

Um, was that a shark there at 2:30? If so, how far from the shore were you? I ask, because I've been swimming twice from the beach in Ft. Lauderdale and wonder how bad I want to do it again... :)

Thanks so much for the overview, Mike. It was fun!


The shark was shot during a fishing trip with the grandkids just about 2 miles off shore. It is a nurse shark, which was caught and released.

Sharks are around all of the time, you just don't see them and they are generally harmless. I can remember as a kid fishing off of Lake Worth pier and seeing sharks all around in the beach surf. You just never see them unless you are up high like on the pier.

Thanks for the kind words my friend.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Those were some great closeup shots (dragon fly). You certainly do have quite the variety of wild life in your neck of the woods. Very nice.

Oliver

I too loved the dragon fly. Took a long time to finally get one to light and sit still for the camera. They like to keep moving. I inched closer and closer until I finally got the shot. I loved the eyes and the reflection when he moved his head. Almost like it's winking.

Thanks----Mike

Out of the tank and onto the playing field at last! Nice job, Mike!

The record holder for time in the tank is held by the guy who named it the Shark Tank, it's fitting to have you out of there at last.

And a lot fun to see the diversity of animal life near you.

So welcome to UWOL. I've been wanting to say that for a very loooong time!

Now that I am finally dry, I'll try to stay that way! :)

I had fun and the next one will be better.

Mike

Hi Mike,

You have so many different animals in your area. This was fun and entertaining!
A little shaky here and there, but the stunning footage made up for that.

Keep up your great work!
I am looking forward to see your future videos.
Thank you for sharing your part of the world.

Hi Mike,

You have so many different animals in your area. This was fun and entertaining!
A little shaky here and there, but the stunning footage made up for that.

Keep up your great work!
I am looking forward to see your future videos.
Thank you for sharing your part of the world.

Thanks Trond,

Yes, we have a very diverse area here. I hope to enter more of these and I'll make some big improvements.

I have been spending most of my time and money on a feature film with friends. Really eating up my time. It also cut into my learning time and that I am changing now.

When my grand daughters were here a few weeks ago, we went to watch the recent launch of the space shuttle Discovery. It is very hard to follow it smoothly, but I don't do to bad. There was one part of the launch that I wanted show better in the video I'm making for them and that was the separation of the solid rocket boosters. The problem is that when they do separate, the shuttle is about 70+ miles away and keeping the camera steady, at full telephoto, is very very hard. So the other day I took that section into After Effects and applied motion smoothing to it. I had never used it before and took a little time to get it worked out, but got it done. Then I re-imported it into Premiere and scaled it up to 300%. It was not perfect, but you could actually see the blast when they release them and see the boosters falling away. It really is cool for bring over 70 miles away.

So, what I'm saying is that I will fix any unstable shots from now on. It takes some processing time, but it is worth it.

Thanks again-----Mike

Good luck with your feature film, Mike!
I bet filming the Discovery launch must have been awesome. I have only seen a couple launches on tv, and it looks amazing.
Impressive that you were able to film the boosters separating from the shuttle at that distance.

Please let us know if/when we will be able to watch your feature.
Would be fun to watch it.

Mike,


And to think I thought I was busy this round!!!!

Ditto to what others have said.

The point Per Johan made I have to emphesize (he is the one that has driven me to work at cutting out the shakey stuff) you have some great shots that would have been totally awesome if they were steady!!!!

I truly enjoyed seeing all your wildlife you presented!!! It is another one a vocie over was not necessary through out!!! for a theme of diversity you did really well.

I liked that you seperated the aquatic life as a seperate section of the film.

Favorite shots: the dragon fly, the squirrel, lizard close up!! What kind is it??


thanks for sharing!! and taking the time to complete!!!!