Page 13 - May June 2001

you jump and so does the camera. Above all, ensure you are standing in a safe position. Be aware of both rail and road traffic. Pacing is great fun but only advisable if someone else is driving the car and keeping their attention focussed on the road! You can help to keep the camera steady by resting on a jumper or jacket over the window frame.
Plan your shot.
Like any form of railway photography, don’t forget you’re shooting a moving subject, so, plan your shot beforehand. Work out the best angles and try a dummy pan, particularly if you are using a tripod. There’s nothing worse than panning round and shooting the sky! I’ve also ruined many a good shot by kicking the tripod half way around. Look out for railway furniture getting between you and your subject. A few years ago, I set up for what I hoped was the perfect shot of a CP/NS RoadRailer. As the train approached, a crossing barrier came down, completely obscuring my shot! Be aware of extraneous noises e.g. the scanner in your pocket, your wife’s camera shutter next to the microphone, a crossing bell, engine noise from cars waiting at crossings, etc. Don’t forget lighting. Where is the sun? Will it affect your shot as you pan around?
Don’t overdo the zoom.
The zoom is a great feature on a video camera but don’t overdo it. Use it for some shots to ‘pull back’ from that distant telephoto angle, but keep it slow. You can sometimes edit out an overdone zoom but use them sparingly anyway.
Watch that focus.
Be careful of ‘hunting’, particularly in low light. Modern video cameras have very good auto focus abilities but sometimes are caught out with moving subjects. They try to ‘hunt’ their subject (change the focus) and you get a momentary loss of focus. Use manual focus where you can.
Don’t get carried away.
Off-line video editing software on a PC or Mac is now cheaper and more accessible than ever. It’s the way to go if you want to be serious about your videography. But be careful! Don’t overuse all those transitions. Most have up to at least 99 different transitions and some people want to use every one! Fade from black, fade from sequence to sequence and fade to black are all you really need - unless you are trying something special. But don’t overdo it. You can use text captions or commentary where necessary, but keep it simple and don’t obscure good shots or talk over great engine noises.
Overall it should be fun and you must enjoy watching the video you take because if you don’t enjoy it then will anyone else? So on that next trip to an exhibition or across the pond, take the camera and you too can be a Schneider, or even a Spielberg!
the competition and win that splendid decanter (and get to keep the SPV paperweight!).
The competition’s rules have been simplified for 2001 but the fundamental principle is still the same. The judges are looking for imagination and atmosphere - and this great hobby of ours is brimming over with these. The video can be of either the prototype or model with, at least, a loose North American connection (and that can include American locomotives on British railways!). Models make good subjects and the standard of exhibition layouts at district or regional meets cries out for them to be captured on video. Always ask the operator but most are honoured to think their work will be recorded for posterity. Think about videoing your own layout, perhaps from the bare baseboard to completion.
Camera format can be any of the standards available: VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, Hi8, S-VHS, DV but the final copy should be edited down to VHS to play on a standard PAL VHS VCR. Editing can be done either as straight camera to VCR or by using one of the hardware based or PC/Mac based editing packages. The whole thing must be no longer than ten minutes but could be a ten minute section of a longer video. It’s surprising how much you can put into a ten minute programme.
Remember, editing can be as simple as putting together some of the best bits you’ve taken on a recent trip or at a district or regional meet. Don’t be afraid to have a go - plug the camera into the back of your VCR and see what you can do with the play, record and pause buttons!
Points are awarded for:
Content:
(interesting, atmospheric) 40
Standard of photography: 30 Editing: (crispness, style, interest) 30
Learning the hard way!
Good videography isn’t just about pointing a video camera at a passing train and hoping for the best. All the rules of photography apply to this subject and a few extra ones as well. I’m no expert but here are a few simple tips, some pitfalls to avoid and a few of the things I have learnt the hard way!
Plan your trip.
Make sure you have a good map. Mark good locations on your map so you know where to go next time (pull ins, etc). The internet is great for finding out hot spots before you travel and you may even bump into the web site author, as we did one year in a remote part of Canada! Before you go, take time to study how the professionals do it, Kalmbach, etc. Think about the shots they take and angles they use. What looks good? What makes their video different or interesting? Try to emulate their style then develop your
own. Remember to take shots of scenery, wildlife, structures, etc., to add to the overall feel. Take as much of the train as possible, different freight cars, the end car, etc. You can always edit out the boring bits afterwards but you can’t magic up more footage when you get back home.
Be Prepared.
Make sure you carry spare batteries and film with you, particularly if you are away from your camera bag/car, etc. Keep an eye on the weather and be prepared for sudden changes. If you haven’t got a purpose made cover, you can keep your camera dry using a variety of means ranging from an umbrella, woolly hat and a rucksack cover!
Be patient, using a scanner helps to know what is about and where. Always stay vigilant and look both ways. It surprising how even the noisiest SD40-2 can creep up quietly and you find you’ve missed your shot because you were looking the other way.
Keep it steady.
Use a tripod as much as possible. I know it’s extra weight in the luggage, but a sturdy tripod is a great asset for stable shooting. However, watch the set-up (use a spirit level) and don’t get obsessed with the fixed shot. I’ve seen great train approaches ruined by all the action going on off picture when the locomotives have gone past! Hand-held shots can be used in some situations, but try and keep everything steady. Think about the location of the tripod. How close are you to the track? Vibration can cause all sorts of problems with tripod shooting and if you are that close, maybe you are too close for comfort. If you really want a close up perhaps you can leave the camera going while you retreat to a safe distance. Don’t hold onto the tripod too tightly as otherwise, when a horn blasts,
Keep an eye on the weather and be
prepared for sudden changes. If you haven’t
got a purpose made cover, you can keep your camera dry using a variety of means ranging
from an umbrella, woolly hat and a rucksack cover!
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