iStopMotion – Still images in Motion

I embark now on a new bit of photographic fun. Not only photo’s but video as well. I decided to play with iStopMotion. This was a very fun tool to use. The interface is simple and takes very little time to learn. Like those Claymation holiday movies this program creates a video from still frames. You position your character/object then snap an image. The program imports the file (if you have a web Camera/live view video camera you can see the image preview) then you move your character/object a little and take a picture. Repeat this process and your character comes to life.

The program has several tools to assist you like color correction and tilt shift controls. You can use a grid layout to help track motion. The program can also be use to capture time lapse photography. Additional tools like onion skin lets you overlay the current image over the previous on to insure you movement is fluid and not off. One of the other useful tools is the robo sync. You can for instance record an actor then use the footage to mimic the actors motion with the character/object. The program also comes with some preset foregrounds and backgrounds. Over all I say if you enjoy those old Claymation movies and want to create your own then you need to try iStopMotion.

Below is my first sample movie. I used iStopMotion then imported the project in After Effects to give it that night look and create the ghost. It was fun to make, hope to make another one soon! Thanks for reading!

Go Pro…. Go Fun!!

I decided to get a GoPro camera. If you have not heard of these it may be due to the fact the main purpose of this camera is for extreme sports. I myself don’t do crazy sports or stunts but still I though I could have some fun with the camera.

Lets start with the basic stuff. You want to have good light. So far the performance has not been too great in low light. In daylight the color and quality are top notch. I like the widest view as it give a semi-fisheye effect to the video. I also like to use the 60 frames so I can slow down my video and not loose quality. The drawback is only shooting in 720 not 1080. If you don’t plan to use slow-motion effects then I say go all out and use the 1080p mode.

I have the helmet kit so it came with a lot of different mounts and a headband mount. I also purchased the roll-bar mount and the wrist mounts. The camera case has 2 backs. One is open allowing better sound while the solid back is better suited for high-speeds and rated up to 160’ under water. Did I mention this is a sports camera? Other mounts for surf boards, skateboards, suction cup, and different adhesives are available as well.

I have posted a couple quick videos I put together. 1 is using a helmet mount and attaching it to my dog’s collar and the other I used different mounts on my motorcycle.