Category Archives: Video

Vesper Sparrow at Troy Meadows NJ

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Yesterday was my first day out in the field using the Metabones T Smart Adapter.  I am using the Metabones with my arsenal of lenses for the Canon EF mount in order to pair them with my Panasonic Lumix GH4 and G7.  I think this can be a great combination for wildlife videography especially given the GH4’s large crop factor for 4K filming of 2.49x!  The effective reach of my Tamron SP 150-600mm VC G2 is nearly 1500mm which can be very effective for filming small or distant wildlife such as birds.

 

Vesper Sparrow

Troy Meadows, Parsippany NJ
December 1, 2018

Tamron SP 150-600mm VC G2 + Lumix GH4

More info on Vesper Sparrows here – https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Vesper_Sparrow/overview

Full ebird checklist here – https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S50352117

Hatchling Snapping Turtle Video from Great Swamp NWR

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September 3rd 2018

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Morris County NJ

2 of these young ones out on the gravel trails near the Helen C Fenske visitor center on Pleasant Plains Road.  I already had my camera low to the ground for macrophotography so I threw caution to the wind and let the “videotapes” run.

Canon 5Dsr + Sigma 50mmm EX macro

Still images of the young Snapping Turtle here – https://www.facebook.com/daveblinderphotography/posts/1116588538513960

Recent Video Production: Denville Beekeeping

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I recently completed a short digital video project on beekeeping to be used as a learning tool for the Denville Community Gardens. I filmed local resident, naturalist and beekeeper Mike Leone, of Rockaway Township New Jersey, to provide both the action and dialogue.

 

Conceptually, Mike and I wanted to keep the video informative but also upbeat.  This was easy to achieve as Mike knows many pearls of wisdom about the importance of honeybees and the work which goes into beekeeping.

I found a terrific poppy royalty-free soundtrack online by Kevin MacLeod to set the tone.  I created the intro animation myself by drawing a cartoon bee from reference images. I then drew basic animation paths to bring our pollinator to life.

The filming was done in two stages. For outdoor filming I utilized the Tamron 16-300mm VC PZD All-In-One lens. The broad zoom range lens allowed me to frame environmental and detail shots. Mike and I recorded the voice-over indoors using the R0DE VideoMic Go wired into my Canon SL2 DSLR.

I have received great positive feedback from this Beekeeping production and I look forward to taking on more educational projects in the future. Let me know if you have feedback or comments on this video.  I have included a few affiliate links above if you wish to purchase the same equipment I use.

Are you interested in collaborating with me on your own video project? Get in touch today by emailing me at daveblinderphotography@gmail.com

Sony A7R for Wildlife Video

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As Spring warms up our Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, wildlife activity in general does pick up.  I am mostly resuming where I left off last year with local wildlife videography in attempts to challenge myself, and also to entertain viewers.  My “new used” Sony A7R has been my primary camera of late, and for wildlife jaunts, I have my trusty Canon EF mount Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens paired using a Fotodio Pro adapter.

DSC_0482

Below are three recent wildlife shorts that I have filmed and edited in various natural areas in New Jersey.

 

March Waterfowl at the Manasquan Reservoir

 

Wood Duck at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

 

Tree Swallows at the New Jersey Meadowlands

 

More recent wildlife photography and videography is viewable on Dave Blinder Nature Photography on Facebook

New Jersey Wildlife Videography

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I recently filmed and edited 3 new short wildlife DSLR videos… in high definition of course.  The opportunities for getting high quality and up close footage of wild animals are few and far between.  More often then not, the view of a wild bird or mammal is obscured by a foreground element like a branch or shrub.  Also, even with a long lens like a 600mm zoom getting good proximity on the subject can be a challenge.  Anyways, on to my newest videos… all of the video editing was performed in Adobe Premiere Pro and I laid down the audio tracks in Audacity.  Filming performed via Canon 60D DSLR and Tamron lenses.

Harbor Seal:

Harbor Seal filmed with Tamron 16-300mm VC PZD lens + Canon 60D

Northern Cardinal

Cardinal filmed with Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens + Canon 60D

Brant (geese)

Brant filmed with Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens + Canon 60D

For video licensing info, freelance video editing, or for further info on my techniques just ask.

New Jersey Videography: Drum Test 12.10.2014

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Last night I decided to point my Tamron macro lens and my RODE microphone at my small electronic drum pad for a few seconds and let the video roll.  The most challenging and rewarding parts of home audio recordings to me are getting the proper levels, avoiding clipping, and making sure the tones don’t sound lifeless.  Sounds easy, but not necessarily so.  Luckily, as I continue to do these projects for fun, the workflow gets more intuitive.

Equipment used for the recording:

Tamron SP AF 90mm Di macro lens
Canon EOS 6D DSLR
RODE Videomic Go
Zoom H1N

Yamaha DD-55C drum pad

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New Jersey Videography: Lint

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I was strumming my acoustic guitar over the weekend (as I often do), and when I come up with a little progression that I think sounds good I will flip on my DSLR and try to make a quick video out of it.  This video that I put together over the weekend was the first time I’ve incorporated creative blending modes to make some interesting opacity effects in my video edits.  I first recorded the passage on guitar with my Tamron SP 90mm VC macro lens directed into my dusty lint-filled soundhole.  Next I played the same guitar bit again, but this time I had the macro lens focused closely on my face to see what happens.

Using my own judgement I spliced up bits of the two video streams to add to the visual interest of my end product.  The HD audio was recorded straight to my Canon EOS 60D via my RODE Videomic GO shotgun microphone.  I had to adjust the manual audio recording level to avoid clipping the punchy treble tones from my Washburn acoustic guitar.

Please leave any comments and questions you do have about the video or post-processing.

Do you need filming or video editing done for your small business or family functions?  I’m available!

New Jersey Videography – Acoustic 11 21 14

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A short music clip I performed, filmed, and edited this morning at home.

Acoustic Guitar – Washburn
Denville, New Jersey

Filmed in 1080p
Tamron SP 90MM F/2.8 Di VC USD 1:1 Macro lens
Canon EOS 60D DSLR
RODE Videomic GO

All audio and video is exclusive property of:
Dave Blinder

New Jersey Videography: Macro in C Major

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This morning I wanted to record HD video with a very closeup view of my fingers on the fretboard of my acoustic guitar.  I also hoped to get high quality audio from the brief recording.  All of this can be quite a challenge for a hackjob of a guitar player like myself!

Anyways, I aligned my Canon EOS 60D DSLR into position, manually prefocused my Tamron SP 90mm VC macro lens, moved an articulating LED lamp close to my hand for lighting, and dialed in my exposure settings on the camera.  Many many takes later I did an acceptable job of playing a short musical package, and was able to get some portions of my hand and fretboard partially in focus while doing so.  The post-processing was no walk in the park either!

Snakes!

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I did film a good amount of HD DSLR video this summer, especially closeup views of herpetiles (reptiles and amphibians) and dragonflies.  I just edited a little bit of footage of two different species of snakes found in New Jersey, and threw in a bit of my guitar playing for good (or bad) measure.

Northern Watersnakes are very common and sometimes large serpents that are most often seen in or near fresh water rivers, ponds, and lakes. Northern Ringneck Snakes are not commonly seen above ground, so that was a quite a lucky find by me.

Filmed with the Tamron SP 180mm macro lens and Canon DSLRs.  I use my phone for the audio recording of my Yamaha nylon-string guitar.