video

"A Phraction Of A Second 002" Is Online!

Wow talk about being late to the announcement game. I released my Episode 002 of "A Phraction of a Second" a couple weeks back but if you haven't seen it yet. Check it out in the link below!

In the 2nd “Street Vlography” POV tutorial, we explore the technique of using a cheap kit lens for street photography and explore how much our gear matters in getting good results.

Music By:
DJ Quads - "Life In Stereo"
●Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/aka-dj-quads
●Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/djquads/
●Twitter - https://twitter.com/DjQuads

"Critiques From The Cutting Room Floor"
http://www.ryantacayphoto.com/blog/?c...

Special thanks to @elmatic for helping me get the clips of me shooting - https://www.instagram.com/elmatic/

Edited on: FCPX
Shot with: Fuji X70, XT2, GoPro Hero 5 Session, Samsung S7, DJI Osmo Mobile

New Episode Of "A Phraction Of A Second" Is Now Online

In the 1st official “Street Vlography” POV tutorial, we explore the technique of incorporating transparent objects to give a unique look while shooting street photography.

Music By:
The Loyalist - "Amber" https://soundcloud.com/why_you_look_a...

Edited on: FCPX
Shot with: Fuji X70, XT2 GoPro Hero 5 Session

Multitasking While Marching With Women

Saturday was an important day to show solidarity and try to capture the moments of the Women's March movement. I was glad to be a part of it but I had no idea just how much energy this would require until I actually got there...

It's one thing to be a part of the demonstration and to stand with those with a significant message to say, it's another to do so while walking and trying to capture the event using both stills and video.

Imagine a photographer having to capture his own wedding and try to take part in all the festivities, while trying to use Facebook live to share the event with those who want to see it as it happens. I mean, it's not too hard to fathom as our insatiable lust for media consumption is just that real these days folks.

I wasn't on assignment, but to be honest, when you're at something like this, it's hard to shut off your mind from always being in documentation mode.

I mean just because you're not being paid to do something, doesn't mean that you shouldn't use available opportunities to learn more about yourself, hone your craft, and improve problem-solving skills. This is why, even though it was such an exhausting event, I still felt that I was able to come away with something that was both beneficial to myself and to others.
 

My takeaway from documenting the event:
Judging from what I think is underwhelming stills and footage (because I know that I can shoot better than this,) I learned that splitting your focus between two mediums can split the quality you come away with. If you decide to shoot video, then just shoot video. If you decide to shoot stills then just shoot stills.

If you are overly ambitious (stubborn) as I am and decide to do both anyway, at least go in with an idea of what you want to accomplish. I usually don't do this as sometimes inspiration happens on the spot, but don't risk it if you know you have to deliver. Understand when you've got enough images and frames to tell the story you want to tell and use the rest of the time to enjoy the moment.

Get more than 3hrs of sleep the night before an event.
 

I wanted this post to be simply about my experience at an event, but as I kept writing it went from simply sharing images to sharing a message that surpasses the actual media itself. A fine example of how you can go into something with one set of ideas but completely come out the other side with a new understanding. Hopefully this theme of adaptation and openness to new ideas as they present themselves will go beyond this page and rub off on places in the world where it could really be beneficial.

Above are the snaps I took from the event and below is the video I managed to put together with the random clips I captured throughout the day.

Scenes from the Toronto Women's March on January 21, 2017. 12:00 pm at Queen's Park.
A peaceful march in solidarity with the Women's March on Washington.

Music by:
Dyalla - Fight For You

Shot on:
Fuji X70
Fuji XT2
Samsung S7
GoPro Session 5

Starting A YouTube Channel: "A Phraction Of A Second"

With a new year starts a new experiment and there’s no better way to really see what you’re made of than to try something you have absolutely no experience in and see how well you do. For me that’s video.  I’ve always known that this medium has always been at the top and up until the last few years or so, it’s become so increasingly accessible for the general public to be able to create high-quality content that rivals what we see coming out of professional studios. I mean, for the longest time that’s been the case for photography - just ask any grumpy pro photog and the phrase ‘undercutting the industry’ and ‘weekend warriors’ will be said a few times or ten.

I guess I’ve decided to jump on the bandwagon and start kind of a vlog-esque web series focused on street photography because up until 2 months ago, I had no idea what kind of stuff was circulating around YouTube and I honestly found myself really captivated by it. I was curious to see if I could somehow merge this style of filming, along with point-of-view street photography, and post-production screen capture editing tutorials into one. Very ambitious for someone who didn’t know the differences between frame rates or even how to use any editing programs. Good thing iMovie is so intuitive otherwise it would’ve been super frustrating and I would’ve never gotten anything off the ground.

I’m still trying to figure out the best way to shoot video and stills all in one outing because honestly, it’s tough as it is to get a good shot if I’m not focused. While videography may seem to be a sibling of photography, it’s really more like the distant cousin, twice removed (whatever that means). It’s SO different you guys. What Im trying to say is that, getting my video work to match my photo level is something that will take some time and I embrace the challenge.

With any divergence from the path of stills and more specifically street photography, I feel that I will take a bit of a step back when it comes to the quality of work I’m doing with my shots. I look at it as a "1 step back, 2 steps forward" situation where hopefully the skills I learn from shooting motion pictures will somehow strengthen my still images.

I know one day I’ll look back on this video and see all the cliches, rookie mistakes, and the hack job I did on the audio, but if I consider something like this cringe-worthy in the near future, that just means that at that point in time, I’m at a much better place than when I started. To me, this is one New Year’s resolution that I hope to keep.

Anyways, enough talk (there’s enough of that in the video below) so here it is, enjoy!