A cloudy day
 

Hello !

For the first time I was able to go out and play with my brand new XL2. It was a beautifull cloudy day, so I went to the Berkeley pier and shot some footage. Then I edited it all in Vegas.

Here is the result of my very first tryout with my XL2. Sorry for the compression, wanted to keep it small.

http://home.comcast.net/~chalbers/cloudyday.wmvx

Download, take out the last x in wmvx and play.

Hope you like it.

Frank

Those clouds are absolutely breathetaking. Very nice scenery.

Around here, all of our clouds look 2D. The scenery has to have the right light hitting on it to look even close to decent. Otherwise it looks dead, dull, and dreary. Especially in the winter.

Consider yourself lucky, I would love to go outside and see that kinda stuff every day.

Vibrant greens, different shades of blue. Ahh, Makes me feel like Im living in black and white.

Thanks Travis !

I can assure you though , these clouds don't happen here very often eighter . I was just very lucky yesterday !

Frank

Frank,

Very nice footage.

There appears to be some dirt on your XL2's sensor - a spot almost centre of the screen.

Thanks !

Yeah ! I noticed the spec on the lens too late. Bummer !

Frank

Nice stuff. I am down there pretty frequently but never really stopped to notice the nice staging the clouds could make. Glad you captured it and thanks for posting.
-Jon

I was just lucky the clouds went berzerk that day ! :-)

The clip has been moved to ...

http://www.thexl2.com/clips/cloudyday.wmv

Frank

Very nice work Frank. Even I, a total newbie, can appreciate that.

Question: did you use a tripod while filming this?

Settings?
 

Very nice footage. Any particular settings or filters?

Hopefully I can get my camera before the end of storm season here in Oklahoma. Those types of clouds are a 2 or 3 days a week occurence...and lightning galore!! I can't wait!


Andy

Great video! Did you have that score in mind when you got those shots? You did a great job editing with the music.

I really liked the choice of music (what was that track called, by the way?).

Some great footage of the stormy cloud formations, and quite a nice editing job, although I think it was spoiled by some unsteady handheld scenes, judder pans, fast zooming and some soft focus on the seagull. The smoother pan across the water with a black, brooding storm cloud in the background, helped smoothen out the other handheld sequences.
The very last sequence at the end of the day was the worst, like being in a rocky boat, and I think the very last section of a film needs to be as powerful as the first, so this let things down.

However, there was a tremendous sense of feeling and atmosphere, helped along by that strong background music. A great section of work considering this was your first time out with a new camera! I look forward to seeing more.

<<<-- Originally posted by Michael OKeefe : Very nice work Frank. Even I, a total newbie, can appreciate that.

Question: did you use a tripod while filming this? -->>>

Some where tripod. But other where handheld. Even some tripod ones where shaky because of the fierce wind.

Glad you liked it. And yes ... that was my very first tryout of the cam. :-)

Frank

Re: Settings?
 

<<<-- Originally posted by Andrew C. Stewart : Very nice footage. Any particular settings or filters?

Hopefully I can get my camera before the end of storm season here in Oklahoma. Those types of clouds are a 2 or 3 days a week occurence...and lightning galore!! I can't wait!


Andy -->>>

Just some post color correctiong with levels, colorcurves, etc.

I love the beauty if nature going wild ! :-) Good luck on the thunderstorms !

Frank

<<<-- Originally posted by Scott Agne : Great video! Did you have that score in mind when you got those shots? You did a great job editing with the music. -->>>

Thanks !

I selected the music after I shot it. It was fun editing on the music.

Glad you liked it.

Frank

<<<-- Originally posted by Tony Davies-Patrick : I really liked the choice of music (what was that track called, by the way?).
-->>>

<<<--Some great footage of the stormy cloud formations, and quite a nice editing job, although I think it was spoiled by some unsteady handheld scenes, judder pans, fast zooming and some soft focus on the seagull. -->>>

Yeah ! I know what you mean. I'm still learning and I really appreciate the feedback. Even the tripod shots where shaky sometimes because of the fierce winds that day.

<<<--
The very last sequence at the end of the day was the worst, like being in a rocky boat, and I think the very last section of a film needs to be as powerful as the first, so this let things down. -->>>

I know ! I was late for an appointment and running back to the car I saw that shot and had to take it, I did it handheld. :-)


<<<--
However, there was a tremendous sense of feeling and atmosphere, helped along by that strong background music. A great section of work considering this was your first time out with a new camera! I look forward to seeing more. -->>>

Thanks for the GREAT feedback ! Wanna get good at my new hobby ! ;-)

Frank