See a live concert through your phone’s screen?
Photo from Fredrik Smedenborn
HD video recording is almost in every smartphone now. I believe the one in iPhone is among the best, with 8 Megapixel capture embedded in their elaborate light capturing technology. With only a clutch from our pockets, we can capture movie-like scenes.
A pitfall I see is people tend to use it extensively, and for the wrong purpose. In a recent Pyro Olympics that I’ve been to, people everywhere just shoot the entire show in their phones. Accounts of an eagle-eye told me they mostly watch the fireworks gleam against the Cimmerian sky through the small rectangular screen of their phone or camera. Their view is very limited, and they miss out the entirety of exaggerated lights show. I call it a camera view.
Another instance is in a concert. People just record it all; perhaps YouTube is a reinforcement. I went to the concert to loosen up, jump, wave, scream for the artist and all those fanatical liveliness. People recording missed that hella of fun. Sometimes they do jump and scream while recording, which only messed up the video so why bother then?
That’s the way I see video cameras. It is best for familial moments, or moments dear to us like our first born, graduation, or a legendary outing with friends. It saved us the bulk of VHS recording of the past and gave us the ease of digital sharing.
What’s your view on this?
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I have tons of video and really want to learn how to edit. I have this crazy idea for a Youtube video…
Yeah? I hope I can teach you but I don’t know how that’s gonna happen haha. Try playing around iMovie if you’re on Mac, or Cyberlink Powerstudio for PC. They’re good video-editing softwares. I think Cyberlink has demo version so you could try it first before buying =))
Thanks for the advice!
You are spot on! Even with just using a still camera, when I set out to get good pictures (typically of my kids and their sports), I risk missing the game. One cannot record and be in the moment at the same time. Fortunately for me, when it comes to my kids, I often get so involved in what they are doing, I forget to take any pictures/run the video. A thin scrapbook=a lot of REAL memories.
Rock on! You don’t need much pictures for show. What matters most is the stories we could share. Real memories indeed!
I agree…short clips only…besides, taking pics or video of kids’ sporting events through chain link or other fencing obstacle creates a crappy frame…I should know:)
Short clips are alright, yeah! But not the whole event, that’s crazy, with annoying crappy frames right? Better just cheer for your kids =))
Amen:)
Hard to catch the moments sometimes, and using phones: They don’t always capture the details! Thanks for the like on my blog!
Sure thing! Thanks for visiting too. You sound like a professional videographer, are you?
No – just a wanna be…any suggestions?
I’m not either. I have a friend who started in photography, then extended his expertise to videography. Maybe we could start learning to take excellent photos first, then the skill will translate into videos =))
I agree! I was a video-making fool when I first got my iPhone but when I realized storage was running thin and the majority of my videos were rarely watched even once after shooting them, I became more selective with my “subjects.”
Cool picture you included at the top of the post!
Yeah I was a fool too that’s why I came to realize that. It felt like I have to capture it all, but then I have to sacrifice some space, delete a few music which I really dislike. You’re right, shoot in moderation and select the apt subjects.
The photo says it all =))
this with collect negatives and video films .. how often do we look at them, after we have looked once ???? Carried all my negatives around when I moved, never ever looked at them once after I picked out the good ones. Why do we collect on all the memories on photos and video ???
In case our memory failure??? To show of for friends .. save for generations to come … ?? Will the generations bother looking ??? Just as you,2 ladies said .. it’s the real memories that is important not all the video and cd disc’s with photo. We can take new photo all ready tomorrow with the best cameras we have; our soul and heart.
That’s what I believe too! Other people have their own lives, they won’t bother looking at every clips I shot. That’s true regardless of generations.
Yes, when we don’t even look at them ourself. Very good post you shared with us.
Spot on! I agree with this whole heartedly! I remember trying to record a concert once, then I realized I was missing it and just kept my hand up and watched in real life. When I looked back on it, I realized my video was terrible, but the memory was forever! Taking pictures are much better. ;P
Very enjoyable! Glad someone else agrees.
Pictures are indeed better. Take a shot, then enjoy the rest of the concert. You’re the kind of person I’d want to be in a concert! Yeah let’s enjoy the real show!!
the camera on my phone serves no purpose to me. I always have a camera in my car for unexpected opportunities.
We don’t have the choice though, phone camera comes with the package. Thanks for your comment =))
I agree. I constantly have to remind myself to live the experience first, shoot second.
I like that principle! Now I’ll start reminding myself too. Thanks for sharing!
There is nothing worse than having someone begg to show you video only to suffer through agonizing endless minutes of stomach revotling, blurry, prancing video.
True true. Don’t know how to get way with that, especially when the video is 9 mins long, oh God! Do you have a way?
If you go to a concert and are not dancing and grooving on the music, then you really are not at the concert with your heart and mind.
I agree with your point of view.
Absolutely! Should have watched in Youtube instead if you’re watching the concert through the screen. Hope to hear more from you =))
i realized that there is definitely a balance between photo/video and “real life” moments – i will still at times catch myself trying to capture moments w/ pictures that should otherwise be stored as memory. i really enjoy sharing amazing things i may see, or even simple beautiful things, with ppl around me, so it is a constant tug-of-war btwn making both work : ) great post!
Moderation is the key. I mean, we better use our cameras at some point, but not we pick the exact situations. Thanks for your sentiment!
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head! Maybe it’s just my age, but at a recent concert I was pretty miffed at all the ‘younger’ people holding up their phones to take pictures and videos. I get it, you want a little something to remember it by. But watching the entire show through your camera takes away from the experience. Plus, I’m really short, so when you hold your phone up in the air, I can’t see anything! Glad you liked my pendulum painting post! This blog is the most interesting one I’ve come across. Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much, that’s a huge praise. I get you, it’s irritating to see cameras blocking the view. We’re the cool ones HAHA
So agree with this ! I was the victim of camera view last week where I missed out on some moments of a show in the midst of trying to record some of it for a friend. The friend accompanying me meanwhile seemed totally involved in the performance and looked at me quite disdainfully 😉 lesson learnt !
Thank you! And don’t worry about it, you’d be involved in more shows. I hope your friend watched the video though, at least?
Thanks, yeah he did 🙂
You’re totally right. For instance, I had some gigs as a sports photographer, at some basketball and tennis matches. I spent the whole time taking photographs, and I realized I completely missed the games.
I couldn’t even keep track of the score.
On the other hand, though, it’s great to have someone photograph stuff around us because that way, we have more material memories.