Posted by ryanjackson on Sep 18, 2011 in lighting, photos
Thirteen-year-old sprinter Tyree Harriott won four gold metals for Alberta last week at the tri-provincials in Regina. He poses for a photo at Strathcona high school in Edmonton on July 30, 2011. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal Read the Story.
Here is how I lit the picture. Three 580EX’s with Pocketwizard Flex5’s. 1/200, F8, ISO50. Canon 24mm f1.4L. A Honl grid on the back flash. Oh and his Mom holding a reflector to shine catchlights into his eyes.
I’m in Egypt for the next 11 days training the media staff at Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357 how to do better video, photography and online strategy. What a way to spend my summer vacation from the Journal!
I’ll be posting way more pictures and video later as well I’m going to blog about what I taught at NPAC in the next month.
Here is a shot of the hospital. It really sticks out like a sore thumb because of the modern architecture. It is 100% supported by donation which is where I come in. I’m going to help them strengthen their image and help them tell their story.
It’s funny how when you are in a foreign land EVERYTHING is a picture. I wonder if I took an Egyptian photographer and plunked her in downtown Edmonton what photographic opportunities she would see that I ignore every day…
Athabasca volunteer fire fighters (left to right) Ryan Bodnarchuk, Brant Marshall, Bryan Hall, Justin Zahara, Travis Shalapay and Denis Mathieu pose for a photo at the fire hall in Athabasca, Alta. on May 21, 2011. The fire department helped battle the wild fire that devastated Slave Lake last weekend. They celebrate the 100th anniversary of the department next week. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Athabasca residents (left to right) Lauren Perrott, Aleksey Schmidt, Roseanna Schmidt, Katrina Bulas, Kristie Nicholson, Holly Williamson, Jordon Major, Amber Schmidt and Tabitha Topola held a bikini car wash on Sunday and raised more than $1,500 for Slave Lake residents devastated by wildfires. Slave Lake, a town of more than 7,000 was evacuated on May 15th before wildfires destroyed nearly one third of the homes. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal).
Posted by ryanjackson on Jun 20, 2011 in photos, portrait
Marcel Desjarlais, Crew Leader with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development wipes his brow after fighting forrest fires for eight days in a row, at the south east corner of a fire near Fox Creek, Alta. on May 19, 2011. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal).
Brad Desjarlais, Crew Leader with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development poses for a photo at the south east corner of a forrest fire near Fox Creek, Alta. on May 19, 2011. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal).
I got the wonderful opportunity to cover Dreams Take Flight which is a charity that sends children from physically, mentally or socially challenged backgrounds to Disneyland for a day. We basically left Edmonton at 4:00 A.M. and then returned the next day at 2:00 A.M. It is a wonderful charity and means a lot to these kids. http://yeg.dreamstakeflight.ca
Eight-year-old Daniel Paradis, front left, and volunteer Tyler Loney ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011. More than 130 children from physically, mentally or socially challenged backgrounds took part in the Edmonton chapter of Dreams Take Flight, a national volunteer charitable organization that has taken more than 21,000 children to Disneyland over the last 19 years. More information at dreamstakeflight.ca. The Journal's Ryan Jackson documented the magical trip and created a photo gallery with dozens of images of the extremely happy children at "The happiest place on earth." Go to edmontonjournal.com/photos. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Young Gavin Sisson gives a tearful goodbye to his mother Karen before taking off on a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Twelve-year-old Daymon Halladay dances with excitement while going through security at the Edmonton International Airport before taking off for a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
More than 130 children gather at the Edmonton International Airport to take off on a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Children with Dreams Take Flight walk through security at the Edmonton International Airport before taking off on a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
James Loe with the Canadian Air Transport Security Agency gives Gi Gi the clown a full body scan at the Edmonton International Airport before taking off on a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Kaitlyn Harvey looks to get a hug from Micky and Minnie at the Edmonton International Airport before taking off on a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
The Dreams Take Flight party crew get ready to board the plane for a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Air Canada donates a Boeing 767 airplane and crew for Dreams Take Flight to travel to Disneyland. More than 130 children from physically, mentally or socially challenged backgrounds took part in the Edmonton chapter of Dreams Take Flight, a national volunteer charitable organization that has taken more than 21,000 children to Disneyland over the last 19 years. More information at dreamstakeflight.ca.
Six-year-olds Naomi Elgot, left, and Kaydence Taillon read the airplane safety booklet before taking off on a fun-filled trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Air Canada flight attendant Yan Tremblay gives a fun safety demonstration before taking off on a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Transportation security administration officers greet the children as they get off the plane in Los Angeles, California for a fun-filled day at Disneyland on May 4, 2011.
Ben the TSA K9 dog waits to greet the children as they get off the plane in Los Angeles, California before a fun-filled day at Disneyland on May 4, 2011.
Air Canada donates the Boeing 767 and crew for Dreams Take Flight to happen. More than 130 children from physically, mentally or socially challenged backgrounds took part in the Edmonton chapter of Dreams Take Flight, a national volunteer charitable organization that has taken more than 21,000 children to Disneyland over the last 19 years. More information at dreamstakeflight.ca. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Madison Mercer is excited as she enters Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Getting ready for a group photo in front of the Disneyland Railroad at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Everyone poses for a group photo in front of the Disneyland Railroad at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Seven-year-old Kaitlyn Harvey is excited as she enters Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
The crowds down Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Six-year-old Nayt Bedard checks out a map of Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011
Six-year-old Adam Nesom from Leduc, Alta. is excited as he enters Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Nine-year-old Brandon Dorward and his teacher Sheila Fraser are excited as they enter Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Twelve-year-old Sara Elder rides the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
A group rides Pirates of the Caribbean during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Ten-year-old Tayler Saulnier-Ferguson from Sherwood Park poses for a photo with Mickey Mouse during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Eight-year-olds Denise Clark-Sinclair, left, and Daniel Paradis ride the King Arthur Carrousel in Fantasyland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Seven-year-old Nayt Bedard sprays six-year-old Naomi Elgot with water during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Six-year-old Naomi Elgot enjoys the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage in Tommorowland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Children ride Dumbo the Flying Elephant during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Robert L'Hironvelle, 17, and Anthony Gahr, 16, sit back and enjoy the Mad Tea Party in Fantasyland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Ashley Crosty, left, and Jasmyn Bibby enjoy Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in Tomorrowland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Ashley Crosty, left, and Jasmyn Bibby enjoy Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in Tomorrowland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
12-year-old Bryanna Jansen and volunteer Kim Harvey ride the Matterhorn Bobsled in Fantasyland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Sarah Goguen, 10, left, and Bryanna Jansen ride "It's a Small World" in Fantasyland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Left to right. Volunteer Katelyn Semple, Mercedes Pattison, 9, and Adam Nesom, 6, from Leduc ride the Astro Orbitor in Tomorrowland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Volunteer Katelyn Semple has a water fight with Brandon Dorward, 9, from Leduc, Alta. during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Light trails in Space Mountain in Tomorrowland during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Journal photographer Ryan Jackson takes a picture while riding Space Mountain during a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011. More than 130 children from physically, mentally or socially challenged backgrounds took part in the Edmonton chapter of Dreams Take Flight, a national volunteer charitable organization that has taken more than 21,000 children to Disneyland over the last 19 years. More information at dreamstakeflight.ca. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Children walk back to the buses after a $50 shopping spree they were each given for free at the end of a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Walking back to the plane after a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Six-year-old Kaydence Taillon gets some much needed shuteye after a fun-filled day in Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
Left to right. Jessie Cardinal, 7, Denise Clark-Sinclair, 8, and Danielle Paradis, 8, get some much needed shuteye after a fun-filled day in Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011. More than 130 children from physically, mentally or socially challenged backgrounds took part in the Edmonton chapter of Dreams Take Flight, a national volunteer charitable organization that has taken more than 21,000 children to Disneyland over the last 19 years. More information at dreamstakeflight.ca. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton
Parents wait for their children to arrive at Edmonton International Airport after a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011.
A mother kisses her very tired child after a fun-filled day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on May 4, 2011. More than 130 children from physically, mentally or socially challenged backgrounds took part in the Edmonton chapter of Dreams Take Flight, a national volunteer charitable organization that has taken more than 21,000 children to Disneyland over the last 19 years. More information at dreamstakeflight.ca. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
So last year I shot this video of the University of Alberta setting a world record for most people playing dodgeball and the video got over 650,000 hits.
I’ve seen a few 360-degree videos out there but not as many as you would think considering how freaking cool they are.
Since 360-degree videos is pretty uncharted territory in the photojournalism world I absolutely had to take the challenge.
To shoot my 360-degree dodgeball video I used four GoPro Hero HD cameras on 1280×960 mode mounted vertically. This gives enough overlap to get a full 360-degree view as well the cameras are nice and small and light. Since the cameras shoot at 30 frames per second (actually 29.97) you can think of it as 30 still pictures per second which can be stitched together into panoramas.
The short version of this story is that I shot with four GoPros, extracted still images from video, stitched the stills together into panoramas then recombined them back into video.
For the much more detailed and nerdy answer read on….
I got tips for arranging the cameras properly at diy-streetview.org
I simply used a plastic leg from a table that was the same width as the naked GoPro cameras.
I used Gaffers tape and a lot of elastics to hold the cameras in place.
In the future I may build a proper aluminum box for everything.
Setting up a fifth GoPro camera in the catwalk to be used for an overhead view for livestream of the game.
I use a Telus Aircard pluged into a Cradlepoint CTR-379 wireless router for internet for livestreams.
Here was my shooting process.
Hit record on my Olympus LS-10 PCM recorder. Say “scene one” out loud.
Hit Record on Camera 1. Say “camera one” out loud.
Hit Record on Camera 2. Say “camera two” out loud.
Hit Record on Camera 3. Say “camera three”out loud.
Hit Record on Camera 4. Say “camera four” out loud.
Now that everything is recording I clap my hands really fast or yelp really loud so that I have a sharp audio cue that I can sync all the cameras with.
Some people say “You’re crazy for putting your cameras in a dodgeball game like that!”
I say. It’s not about the camera. It’s about the end result. A camera is a tool like a hammer. If your hammer breaks, you get it fixed.
Never let your camera get in the way of a good photo.
As soon as the game ended I ingested all my footage into my MacBook Pro. It’s always important to get video up as fast as possible if you want to get a lot of views.
I just selected the first 60-seconds of the game and plunked it into Final Cut Pro. I created a large canvas and lined up the different cameras so that they overlapped a bit.
There would be very noticeable seams between the videos but I knew people wouldn’t mind the seams if they got to see the video asap. It took an hour to render the 60-seconds of video in Final Cut Pro and another hour to export it as FLV. The game ended around 1:30pm and I had a quick and dirty 60-second version of the panorama up on edmontonjournal.com before the 6:00pm news on TV! In comparison I think I had last year’s video up at the same time.
First year NAIT photography Student Nathan Smith was doing a ridalong with me that day and he was a HUGE help! He also shot all these awesome photos of me. Thanks!
Okay now for the high quality version with properly stitched images.
For post-processing I created a new timeline in Final Cut Pro 7 with codec Apple Intermediate Codec and size 3840×1280.
Since the cameras are mounted vertically they are recording 960×1280 video. So 4×960=3840.
I find my audio sync point on each camera and set it to be the in-point for the video. I drag each video from each camera into my timeline and line them up so that all the audio sync points line up.
Once my video and audio is all synced then I select each clip and go to “File–>Export –>Export Using Quicktime Conversion–> Image Sequence”
Final Cut Pro 7 extracts JPEG still images for every frame of video. Each frame is about 1.2MBs and you are shooting about 120 frames per second.
That works out to 8.6GB of stills for each minute of video you shoot. Or 520GB per hour.
Since there are four cameras each “frame” of video is actually four pictures which need to be stitched together into a single panorama.
I organize all the images using Photo Mechanic and batch name them 0001a, 0001b, 0001c, 00001d, 0002a, 0002b, 0002c, 0002d, etc.
Then I used PTgui Pro to stitch all my panoramas together into equarectangular panoramas.
PTgui Pro has a great batch process where you can setup a template for your first panorama and then it will auto stitch the rest of the panoramas in file order. This meant that (0001a, 0001b, 0001c, 00001d)–>Panorama1.jpg , (0002a, 0002b, 0002c, 0002d)–>Panorama2.jpg, etc.
I stitched them together in the highest resolution so that each panorama would be 3561×1308 pixels big. About 5MB per panorama. You are now at 18GB per minute of video or about a Terabyte per hour.
This process took the longest. I had three MacBook Pro laptops and my home server all going at the same time. The laptops took around 12 seconds per panorama to stitch.
If you do the math that works out six hours to stitch one minute worth of panoramas together!
I basically had four laptops crunching for 24 hours straight to make all the panoramas.
Once the tens of thousands of panoramas were stitched together I used Quicktime Pro File–>Open Image Sequence (at 29.97) to open all the still panorama images as a video. I then exported the video as .mov’s in Apple Intermediate Codec 3561×1308 at 280Mb/sec
I then created a new sequence in Final Cut Pro 7 with the same settings and dragged back in the .mov files and synced them with the .wav audio from my Olympus LS-10.
I chose about 17 minutes of footage in total to convert to panoramas and I then cut that down to the best 5 mins and exported as full-quality Apple Intermediate Codec.
I then used Adobe Flash Video Encoder to convert and downsize my video to FLV 2722×1000, On2 VP6, 2000kb video, 96kb audio which I find to be a good balance of quality to file size. It took about 8hrs for my 2.6GHz MacBook Pro to compress 5 minutes of video into 2722×1000 On2 VP6 Flash video.
Here is my puppy Mr. Woofertons napping while I wait for my video to compress.
Once the video is done compressing into FLV I then used KrPano as the flash panorama player to display the panoramic video as a 360-degree video.
It’s THAT easy!
I actually did this same process for my Murder of Crows time lapse last year but this was way more intense.
Next time I do this though I will wire the GoPro’s together so that I can trigger them all at the same time. My Olympus LS-10 has a remote trigger port too so I should be able to trigger all four cameras and my audio recorder at the same time which saves time syncing the videos in Final Cut Pro.
There may also be a way to get KrPano to play .mp4 instead of .flv so I could use an Elgato turbo.264 HD to speed up exporting the final video.
You could also write a few simple Applescripts to speed up the file renaming and automate Quicktime Pro. This could eliminate the need for Photo Mechanic and manually moving files around.
What did all this cost?
Four GoPro HD’s would be 4 x $300 = $1,200
Final Cut Pro is $1,000
Quicktime Pro is $30
Photo Mechanic is $150
PTgui Pro is $210
Adobe Flash is $700
KrPano is $150
Cheaper than a $6,000 Ladybug camera and a better field of view and higher resolution than a Pano Pro mirror. Though a PanoPro would be much much easier to use.
As crazy complicated as this may sound I wouldn’t be surprised if whatever Smartphone we all use in a couple years will do this with a 99-cent app.
What I love about 360-video is that almost everyone who sees it is blown away. I love how it opens your mind to new and exiting ways to tell stories.
A heart-broken Robot tries to escape the clutches of his moonshine-making Hillbilly imprisoner.
“Slow, subtle and direct – a mesmerizing Canadian sound”, “stark, calming, and mildly trance inducing lullaby-makers”, “Pearson has carved out a niche as a slow-core band — playing intimate, slow and sparse folk music.”
This was my first music video and the most fun I have ever had shooting. I actually shot this back in August 2009 and it took over a year to get it edited, coloured and EFx’d.
I was the Director of Photography so I took James’ awesome script and made storyboards and then shot everything. It was really fun to work with a director as I could focus on getting the shots and he could focus on directing and organizing everything. We made a good team.
The entire thing was shot in a day and a half! I drove in to Manitou Beach on Saturday morning. We started filming at noon and did all the scenes with the hillbilly as he could only be there on Saturday. Then we got everything else on Sunday and shot right until sundown. It was a miracle we had the same weather two days in a row and got everything done.
I shot everything with the Canon 5D Mark-II. It was actually my first time using one. My friend Kenny lent me his for the weekend. I read the manual and researched as much as I could before the shoot.
I knew that if I wanted the video to have a “film look” that I would need to:
1. Shoot at 24fps
2. Keep the shutter speed at 1/50th (2x the frame rate. On film cameras you shoot at 1/48th)
3. Shoot wide-open to get a narrow depth of field.
4. Use Neutral Density filters so that I could do #2. and #3. in bright sunlight.
I used my heavy Libec LS-38 tripod and head as much as possible and used a shoulder-mounted stabilizer whenever I needed to move.
For lenses I used a 50mm f1.4, 24mm f1.4, 16mm f2.8, 16-35mm f2.8, 24-105mm f4 IS, 70-200mm f2.8 IS and a 300mm f2.8 IS.
I bought two Cokin Neutral Density filters for a combined light reduction of 8-stops. This let me shoot 1/50, f1.8, ISO100 in bright sunlight.
Here are some fun behind the scenes photos. Enjoy!
The sun setting behind me as a drive from Edmonton to Saskatoon, SK on the Friday night before the weekend shoot.
5:40 a.m. on my drive from Saskatoon to Manitou Beach on Saturday, the first day of the shoot.
You know you are in Saskatchewan when...
Sign
James the director had the final script for me Saturday morning. I quickly drew up story boards and made shot lists. We were going to start shooting at noon.
Early morning. Finishing the robot costumes. The paint was still drying!
Will is putting the finishing touches on his costume.
Arms
Hand
Duct taping antlers on the front of the Hillbilly's truck.
We rented a pontoon boat for the first water scene. The boat was perfect for shooting because it didn't wobble on the water.
I used a Hoodman LCD Loupe and rubber bands so that I could see my LCD screen in the sunlight and focus easier.
I used two Cokin ND filters together to get a total of 8 stops of light reduction. This allowed me to keep my shutter at 1/50th with a wide open f2.8 aperture. One of the secrets to the "film look".
Will had to get into the dingy and then get dressed after.
Our hillbilly was awesome. We only had him for the first day though so we had to be sure to get every shot in.
Will could hardly see while he drove the dingy. Of course our hillbilly had a fan boat!
Looks much cooler with digital explosions.
A family member was our chef for the weekend and prepared lots of yummy vegitarian dishes.
Here is Vera Debevc, the owner of the old abandoned shrimp factory that we used for the hillbilly hideout and robot prison.
Vera Debevc and our hero.
After lunch we filmed the scene where the hillbilly kidnaps the robot in a quarry.
It took forever to get dressed and undressed.
Robot Love
More Robot Love
Oh No! The hillbilly!
You're gonna squeal like a pig
Oh No!
The light was perfect that night.
God I love lens flare!
Perfect drunk
Me wearing hipwaiters.
This is the light we had in the old shrimp factory. A single hole in roof. The Canon 5D Mark-II held up amazing in low light.
Freedom!
Oh no you don't!
A shot we never used in the film of the robot getting away.
Vera with the robot again outside of the old shrimp factory. She was so cute!
Final shot of the first day of shooting. We were now done all the shots with the hillbilly.
Day two. We need some more romantic shots of robot and ladybot together. There is James the director on the left.
This is my desktop background. I love this picture. So weird!
Robot sex scene!
Here you see how I filmed the robot sex scene. I mounted a 5D Mark-II with a 16mm fisheye lens above the bed on a monopod.
We used a monitor to frame everything.
Getting some shots of the band. We were going to have the band pop in and out of the video but it didn't make the cut.
Beautiful day.
Getting dressed again for the final shots.
Filming the robot reunited with his long lost love.
We were soooo lucky to have the exact same sunset both nights. The weather was perfect!
Even more robot love.
Sun is setting fast. Running out of time.
Rushing to the junk yard for the final scene.
Only a few minutes left before the sun is down. Need to get those final shots.
The tragic surprise ending.
The final shot.
Group photo of almost everyone involved in making the film.
Heading back to the cabins after a very long perfect day!
Last week the idea floated around of doing a “streeters” video asking OIlers fans how they felt about the season so far. We’ve done that before and it is typically boring. Also there is no still photo component to go in the paper.
So I got the idea to buy small white boards and ask fans to draw how they feel about the season and then do Vortraits (video portraits) of all of them explaining what they drew. Turned out much more interesting and then we had art for the newspaper.
Journal Photographers Ryan Jackson and Shaughn Butts setup a camera outside Rexall Place before the Oilers game on Thursday and asked fans to illustrate how they felt about the season on small dry erase boards. Video by Ryan Jackson and Shaughn Butts / Edmonton Journal
I used a 7-inch LCD4VIDEO HDMI monitor to help focusing with my Canon 5D Mark-II and 24-105mm IS lens.
I had a Rode VideoMic on a Magic Arm for the audio so that my hands could be free for focusing
I had two 160LED video lights I got off of eBay for the fill lighting. I put orange gels on them to balance the blue LED light with the sodium vapor ambient lights.
Here is my sketch of the portraits I wanted. It is always good to draw your idea out and email it to your editors so that they know what you are talking about.
And here is how it ran on the front page of the Journal. When someone comes to you with an idea that you don't think is good - don't just roll your eyes and complain - take that idea and make it into something better. Nothing good comes from cynicism. Great things come from people who take okay ideas and make them great ideas.
Here is how I lit the picture. Three 580EX’s with Pocketwizard Flex5’s. 1/200, F8, ISO50. Canon 24mm f1.4L. A Honl grid on the back flash. Oh and his Mom holding a reflector to shine catchlights into his eyes.
