Probably my best video to date

Hello friends,

So... I've just uploaded what I've considered the best video I've made to date, but it's not like there's a bias or anything here 🤷.

Here's the video if you missed it.

Anyways, I have some after thoughts after publishing this video that I thought would be interesting to share: The importance of making things that you enjoy, first and foremost.

Prologue

I started my photographic journey maybe 8 to 9 years ago now.

And for a long time, I have grappled with the idea of what I want to do with my photography.

I basically just shot anything and everything that sort of catches my eye, without any semblance of a plan. And that led me down a path of G.A.S (happens quite often when you're not being creative), and then losing all interests for a few years.

I slowly went back to photography maybe around 3 years ago. I started with just a few simple digicams, just want something to capture what catches my eye again. And then I got a Ricoh GR3x as a solution for a pretty much all in one photography camera, with a versatile lens and built in jpeg looks. I loved that camera, but then I eventually sold it so I can get back into an interchangeable lens system (Fujifilm FX specifically), and the rest is history as they said.

(I'm getting my hands on a Ricoh GR3x again btw, maybe this time I'll finally keep it for good, but that's a teaser for a story for another day I guess)

The G.A.S is still here in me (it never left), but I think this time I actually had some kind of interests in what I do with the tools. The cameras I have now actually serve a purpose of fulfilling my evolving creative vision, rather than just have materials for the sake of it.

Ali from One Month Two Cameras in this video probably said it best: The gear you acquire reflects what you aspire to be.

Your vision

Anyways, I've come to learn what I enjoy from the visual medium itself (photos, paintings, movies, et cetera)

And knowing what you like really is half the battle if you want to do creative work that has meaning.

Specifically, for photographic work, there's a few themes that I found myself enjoying again and again: Lights, loneliness and isolation, the impermanence of things, the passage of time, a touch of retrofuturism, the old school Vietnam, and last but not least, love and memories.

Funnily enough, it's the same themes that I seemed to like when I listen and discover music. So I guess it's just knowing who you are as a person.

And that finally brings me to the topic of today: Youtube video.

The things I enjoy

The thing that finally makes me enjoy making youtube videos is knowing what I like.

I like watching long videos that tells a story, or takes me through a journey.

I do have a few favorite creators in this category like Kyle McDougall and Thomas Heaton. But Jason (grainydays) is obviously the biggest inspiration for me, both in photographic and videographic work. I love his videos, especially the ones where he went on long journeys.

I'd even go so far to say that this video (Ektachrome Christmas 7) is the best photography documentary that I've ever watched (albeit it's a low bar to beat because I never watch any documentaries 🤷).

I find myself watching his videos over and over again, almost religiously every night when I go to bed now for some reasons. It just relaxes me. The videos are relaxing and calm, about a topic that I love, with just a dash of toilet humor here and there to keep it interesting.

And while I could never replicate his "scatological charm", nor would I want to, I really do like the other aspects and it's one of my main inspirations for making my own videos.

The realization

This latest video I made really embodies everything that I like to watch and do myself.

If you haven't watched, in it, I retold the story of how I went on a pretty challenging hike to one of Vietnam's beautiful mountain peaks and try to take some photos in between with my new and shiny, used Fujifilm GFX50sII 🤷.

Maybe it's because the journey in itself was pretty special to me, I get way more attached to this video as well. There are a lot of emotional responses in my mind every time I look at the photos and the footage.

And so I was just mainly trying to do them justice. I try to cut a tight story, as much as I can. My commentary was nothing to write home about, but it was the best I could do without sinking days into it (I used to hate my own voice too, but now I'm learning to accept and like myself better, so there's that).

Also, I took a lot of time to find the right music for the right sequence. And not to toot my own horn but in the end I think I did great in this regard, as every time I rewatch, I just love how the music really ties everything together.

Some thoughts about the footage

The footage was neither here or there, but the quality of the footage is just not that important to me.

For once, my main "thing" is still photography, and I try to not detract anything from it by distracting myself with trying to record "cool shots". As long as I have enough footage to tell the story, that's all I needed.

Ideally I could be recording more angles sometimes, but otherwise I don't really see myself doing anything fancier than what I'm already doing.

I've consolidated my recording workflow on the field down to literally just one DJI Action 5 strapped to my chests with magnets. There's not even ND filters or anything anymore. Shutter angles be damned, I've never heard of you. Anything more just create more friction and makes the experience more fiddly.

Now I just turn the thing on when something is about to happen and get on with my life. If I really fancy myself, I'd handhold the camera and do some stationary/panning shots, but that's it.

Stabilization for me is realistically the most important part of the footage anyways. That's what drew me in with the DJI Pocket 3 before this (that thing is great, just still a bit too much friction to use for me in the end).

I just don't like vomit inducing footage, and the DJI Action 5 is excellent in this regard. Pretty much gimbal like footage with only electronic stabilization. You'd never get this good of stabilization with most fancy mirrorless setup.

Internal audio is excellent for ambient sound recording (especially with this "deadcat case cover" thing I found to cut down the wind noise). And audio is more important to me than the footage anyways.

The thing also has Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), which both simplifies the color grading pipeline for me and adds more dynamic range to the footage, which is a nice bonus.

And so I sacrificed all the fancy image quality, shallow depth of field, sensor size, noise performance, etc for a streamlined workflow. I think it's worth it. The footage is still more than good enough.

I don't really "notice" better video quality most of the times when I'm watching these videos anyways, and I apply the same logic to my workflow. Having a "nostalgic color grade" I think also ties everything together pretty well. And then the DJI Pocket 3 is downgraded to being a "studio camera", which is pretty nice for B rolls still.

So, what’s the conclusion?

I guess what I wanted to say is, I really loved this little video that I've put together. And I found myself rewatching this video over and over again, which is not something that happens often (you usually get sick of watching your own videos by the end of the editing process, because you already rewatched everything so much by then).

And that led me to the conclusion that the video will do great.

Even if it's not well received, who cares, because I loved it and that's all that matters.

But also because I loved the video, it must be great and it will find the right audience for it.

You're the most important critic of your own art is the point, I guess.

It's not a trendy tiktok style short. It's not some video that's exactly 10 minutes to satisfy some "retention rate" and "ad placements" algorithm overlords. It doesn't have some fancy graphics and fancy whooshy sound effects (I actually have become very annoyed with this audio editing trend). 

It is has a slow build up, and it takes a while to get to what I think are the best parts of the video. "Conventional wisdom" says no one has any attention span anymore and this won't work.

And yet I have faith that this video will find the audience it deserves.

Until next time,
Peter.

This photo, and a few others on this post is available on my print shop here if you want to support the newsletter in this way.

As always, subscribe to the newsletter to see more mediocre photos. Check out my Youtube channel for the best videos in the damn universe (totally unbiased).

Disclaimer: Some links in the post might be affiliate links. You know the drill. Oh and please click them links. Costs you nothing and I’ll make a few cents here and there when you purchase anything from Amazon 🥲 .