Prescription/Home VID

subtitled: How To Avoid The Most Common Mistakes Slightly dated ( autofocus didn't work so-well in 1988 ), but /damn/ good. It's a little book, in a simple and straight-forward style, with cartoons illustrating the concepts to /show/ us what is meant, like the Head First series of books by O'Reilly, sorta, and it would improve many /many/ a videographer's practice, believe-me. If you have been tasked with making a video for your group, no matter whether if you've done many before, strive to improve the work, eh? Because Them That Know(tm) are going to see what one ignored in doing the work. . . Here's the TOC: You're a Television Expert Get the Right Equipment Avoid the Shakes -- Make Steady Pictures Be a Sharp Shooter -- Focus First The Viewfinder -- A Window on the Video World The Art of Anticipation The Long and the Short of It Record Motion -- Don't Create It Edit in the Camcorder Let There Be Light -- The Right Light Sound Advice on Sound What Do You Shoot When You've Shot the Kids The Main Thing -- Have Fun Some of his recommendations, like journalling your realizations about how pro video/film was shot, or what you like about it or don't, are fundamental to getting steady long-term-learning & progress. . . In this or any-other field of practice. . . He recommends simple controls, low-light recording capability, automatic iris control ( *I* would recommend manual /as well/ because of what happens when some person fires a camera-flash while you're videoing. . . sudden dark then sweep up to bright again. . and then they shoot another shot. . . makes one sea-sick. Better, then, to find the right level, then lock the exposure to manual, and let the flashes be short overexposures, just like they are in real-life, rather-than have the exposure-motion-sickness go on and on. . . ), Automatic White Balance, Autofocus, Zoom Lens that covers what you want to shoot ( wildlife photography? loooong zoom lens: a teensy bird in a huge frame isn't interesting bird-videography, is it? ), Macro mode. Try the thing. Comfortable? Right Weight? Steady to hold? Viewfinder works for you? Works with glasses or has diopter adj? Southpaw functional? Carry case, tripod, ( I use a monopod with mini-ballhead with quick-release plate on it & bino-cam harness ), lights, spare ( best-quality, not shedding debris in the camera's mechanism ) tapes, spare batteries. Lean against a tree or building. . . ( improvised support ), or rest your arms on something ( car roof, parking meter ). . . Focus EVERY shot. Figure-out where autofocus will work, and where it won't: dark? particular colours? lack of contrast? where the stuff of interest is /beside/ the centre of the frame? Fence or glass between you and subject? Train in focussing in these conditions, and get good at it. . . Depth of field, using Push To Focus instead of continuous autofocus. . . Always be ready to shoot Accurate framing: Level with horizon. Right space above ( and beside ) subject.