Andre: Illuminations advice if you have a mo =)

[AndyJ]

Looking at your very cool Illuminations clip on your PhotoBucket site, and the advice you gave me before about exposure...

Did you change the exposure at any time during the 3 or 4 different shots?

IE: If I get it set exposure manually for a good shot of the images on the globe, will that work for shots of the fountains too? Did you have to do much "on the fly" changing of settings?

Thanks for your time!

[AndyJ]

My worry is this: I have two nights that I can film Illuminations on.

I doubt that I will be 100% certain (especially as this is new kung-fu to me) to see of the exposure is good on the ickle camera screen.

So it's kinda 1st session test, back to hotel and view on lappy, 2nd session nail it.

=)

[Andre]

Need to adjust on the fly, I'm afraid. The fireworks need totally different settings to the globe or fountains. Just watch your screen closely and adjust as you go. You can use the zebra-stripe mode on your camcorder to check for over-exposed areas, that's a very useful pro feature.

And the final burst of white fireworks will be overexposed pretty much whatever you do, unless you stop it right down before they go off.

The real trick is to do several runs (as you know, the show is identical) and on one run concentrate only a long safety shot of the fireworks only, then the next time get the fountains/pavilion lights, etc and the next time the globe. Maybe even get a few reaction shots too, you can always use them as cutaway inserts if all else fails.

The clip I uploaded was chopped together from one evening's performance, so that shows how much I follow my own advice, eh?

Andre

[Andre]

Originally Posted by AndyJ72

My worry is this: I have two nights that I can film Illuminations on.

See more...

Oh that's easy, just book a longer holiday.

Andre

[AndyJ]

Thank you, thank you.

That's my other prob, as my run from last time concentrated on the globe (thinking the autofocus would get it) so I need to get globe, fountains and a long shot or two from two viewings =)

I might leave my party a third night. Kids will prolly drive me nuts anyway!

[AndyJ]

Originally Posted by andrewilley

Oh that's easy, just book a longer holiday.

Andre

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It had crossed my mind

[Andre]

If you can afford the weight allowance, something like this tripod will make the job much easier (NOT cheap though!):

sony/view/ShowProdu...=A CC+Tripods

The quality of the head is the most important thing. And the handgrip zoom control is really nice too (it's the same one I've got, which gives proportional speed control - although my actual tripod is a bit lighter weight). Without handgrip zoom control, you'll need one hand to adjust the exposure, one hand to operate the camcorder's zoom and the other to actually point the thing in the right direction. Oh, and a fourth hand may be needed to adjust the focus if the automatic doesn't cope - but maybe that job could be shared with the exposure hand? You'll need a straw for the beer, though.

[ Edit: a couple of cheaper versions with the same control grip but more basic heads: sony/view/ShowProdu...=A CC+Tripods or sony/view/ShowProdu...=AC C+Tripods ]

Andre

[AndyJ]

That tripod looks real nice =)

Have you been ok setting up a tripod in Epcot?

I have only tried once but I was in a roped off area with a CM guarding it, and was asked to not use it. (Hence the video on my website below being obviously on a wall.)

[AndyJ]

I can see the 1170RM at Amazon for £269.
PG10RM for £679...

Thats a big difference in price, whats the main difference?

[Andre]

Epcot is probably the easiest of all the parks in which to set up a night-time tripod because the crowds are less deep. Just to the Mexican side of the bridge between Mexico and the central shops worked well for me. Or anywhere where there are no tress around and you can put your tripod on the grass on the other side of the low fence is great. Right at the front of the park, just to the Canadian side of the central roped off area by the shops, was good. Scout it out during daylight, but after the fountain barges have been floated into place so you can see how the shot will frame.

Andre