Still Photographs, Video, or Both?

[Andrew Pritchard]

As expected, I'm in the overwhelming minority on this poll. Being a purely video guy, I'm rapidly becoming a novelty in the chasing world. There's just something about motion I can't get over.

When I saw this, the one person I knew would agree with me was Shane. I too rarely shoot stills at this point while chasing. I love photography and consider it one of my bigger hobbies, but it just doesn't happen when chasing. If I shoot a still photo, it's just so I can throw something online quickly without having to do video captures right away.

I understand everyone's sides, but like Shane, personally I need the live motion and live audio to feel like I'm there again. Looking at a still photo doesn't take me back to the chase.

 

[Terry Tyler]

well, for me now it just depends on what ive got to work with...

personally, i would do still and video...videos wont get the resolution and feel of a still, and a still wont capture the action of a video, so i would be one to say both...

 

[Bryce Stone]

I still have trouble with this one. One of my regrets during Mulvane was that I was so focused on getting video that I have no stills of the tornado. I try to remember to do both now, but invariably I find myself filming and the still camera lying unused on the seat. I voted both film and stills, but I'm still trying to figure out how to do both effectively.

 

[Bill Tabor]

Yeah, I do both. Earlier years my photos were with 35mm film but so much trouble to scan from slides I've never posted any of them (some quite beautiful) on my website. Next came the still video grabs from my old Sony analog camcorder and they were pretty low res. Eventually I got tired of crappy website photos and upgraded to a higher quality digital slr and have been working to improve my photography. I think I have some pretty good shots though it is sometimes difficult to really show them off with the low image bandwidth on the web, - not to mention if you post something high quality then everyone steals it.

I've been doing video since my first chases back in '93. Some of the old chases are hilarious as I really didn't know what I was looking at. Eventually I got a couple of digital camcorders one used for dashcam, and the other a Vx2000 with good low light capability. I'm thinking of going hi def.

The funny thing about me and video is even though I shoot quite a bit of it, I have never released a compiled dvd of my footage, and almost never, ever review any of my old chases footage - even directly after the chase. (I have released brief segments of video and that posted to my website). I suppose this puzzles me a bit. Part of it is I'm more into just living it I supposed rather than just looking back, but the other aspect is I am apparently so perfectionist minded that every time I start to put a compilation together I waste so much time with little issues that I never get around the to big edit and compile / rendering / creation of a disk. I would like to do this one of these days....perhaps I will. I have some decent, and entertaining video...and actually I'm not totally sure what all I have. There's so many great chases and exciting situations where I wished I had some video, but often it was too dark, or at night. I think if I get an Hd cam I may be tempted because any of that stuff just looks beautiful.

 

[Stephen Levine]

Thanks, Mike for asking about why I think that my old 35 mm has greater control for night lightning photos.
The 35mm has a screw where I could screw in a cable shudder release and thus be nowhere near the camera as I hold the shudder manually open whenever I want and as long as I want to.
For the digital, I may set it for "night photo" setting, which automatically sets it to last about 4 or 5 seconds when it chooses to go off (several second delay).
However, I still must hold down the shudder release button, and thus the smallest vibration in my hand gets passed to the camera - even when it's on a tripod- and messes up the background as well as sometimes the lightning.
The only way I've gotten around this is to support the camera against the roof of my car, but there are times when the road does not support the best view.

 

[JR Hehnly]

Sean is correct, video is the way to go .

This is true! If you want to make the $$$ be sure and stick with video. Still photos are only for personal enjoyment. Also, still images don't get your name on CNN, The Weather Channel, etc., so if it's recognition you crave then video is what you need.

 

[Mark Farnik]

Being a professional photographer and about to begin my Bachelor of Arts degree in photography this coming summer, I'm HUGE on still photography. Being a professional, I have a Nikon D200 DSLR with six or seven lenses, but I only really use two for my storm photography - my 28-300mm for general storm photography and tornado close ups, and my 12-24 mm for panaromic up close storm and tornado photography.

But I also love video, and just ordered a Panasonic GS-320 3CCD MiniDV camcorder from B&H Photo to replace my now completely obsolete Pansasonic Handicam VHS-C. While I would love to have an HD camera, my budget and the availability of compatible editing software precludes me from purchasing one at this time. I'll upgrade to one when they become affordable and compatible video editing software becomes widely available, which means about two to three years.

If asked which I would choose in a chase situation, it'd be a tough choice. But I'd prolly grab my D200 and shoot stills before I grabbed the GS-320 and shot video. Over the winter, I'll try and figure out some sort of setup so I can do both... sounds crazy, but I'll find a way to make it work. I'm a creative guy.

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

Being a professional photographer and about to begin my Bachelor of Arts degree in photography this coming summer, I'm HUGE on still photography. Being a professional, I have a Nikon D200 DSLR with six or seven lenses, but I only really use two for my storm photography - my 28-300mm for general storm photography and tornado close ups, and my 12-24 mm for panaromic up close storm and tornado photography.

But I also love video, and just ordered a Panasonic GS-320 3CCD MiniDV camcorder from B&H Photo to replace my now completely obsolete Pansasonic Handicam VHS-C. While I would love to have an HD camera, my budget and the availability of compatible editing software precludes me from purchasing one at this time. I'll upgrade to one when they become affordable and compatible video editing software becomes widely available, which means about two to three years.

If asked which I would choose in a chase situation, it'd be a tough choice. But I'd prolly grab my D200 and shoot stills before I grabbed the GS-320 and shot video. Over the winter, I'll try and figure out some sort of setup so I can do both... sounds crazy, but I'll find a way to make it work. I'm a creative guy.

Just don't forget to record or shoot a couple after shots, should you find yourself being hit by another tornado.

 

[Dan Nichols]

I'd say both -- depends on what's handy at the time, as well as the nature of the storm.

As for shooting, I prefer video. The cam all set up on the tripod beforehand: you just grab the unit, open up the tripod, press the button, and let 'er rip. It's low labor-intensive, and you get to enjoy the whole event unfolding while your tape/DVD is rolling in the meantime. Great, too for catching lightning. But if I'm in a rush and the cam isn't handy, or the storm offers little lightning but great clouds, I just grab the digital for a few mug shots.

Video is nice to relive the event, however the (thunder) sound is pretty crummy, due to ALC: "automatic lever 'crusher'" as I call it which even wrecks the dynamics (loud/soft) of much music. Does anyone know any late-model DVD cams offering better sound? Otherwise, you need a pretty good memory.

 

[Jim Leonard]

I personally prefer video. I used to try taking both stills and video but after a real screw up with my photography during the May 25th 1997 Wellington Kansas wedge I decided after that unless there is a tornado lasting a long time I will concentrate on video. Like Shane says there is nothing better than looking at that motion over and over again. The same with hurricane chasing video is the way to go.

 

[Alan Broerse]

I voted both....My primary duties for the TV station I work for is video...so I carry 2 video cams.....and a digital still cam that has replaced the 3 minolta SLR's that I carried for some time....I dash cam the video unit and roll...I window mount the other video when I can...and if the oportunity presents....I still shoot................when all else fails....I have a high quality video unit that I can pull stills from...they are ok...but if your subjects 1-2 miles or closer.....they turn out great...I love the motion of video.....but equally love the art of a great still.....I library the video at home but every year I make a photo alblum of that years shots for teaching and "dog and pony shows " . Something I wish more chasers would do...is tripod their shots and or dash cam for steadyness...I love to watch video year-around..but sometimes the wobble ruins the shots....a steady fast forward time lapse is awesome to watch....also cut back on the $^%*#@%%? language a bit...TV and NWS wont buy or display your stuff unless you clean it up. Something to think about.....

 

[Greg Campbell]

Monsoon lightning is 100% stills. I recently bought into a Bronica 6x6 system. Those monster transparencies look awesome sitting on a light table, and scan to make super res digital images. I've also got a big collection of 35mm Canon FD film bodies and lenses that work great. For quick and dirty digipics, a P/S Canon does fine.

This spring I'll drag a dash mounted video camera out to the plains. Nothing fancy, just something capable of recording flying cows and the like.

If there's room for the 4x5, it might come along to make awesome storm structure + landscape images. Apart from being a space hog, the thing is awkward and slow to set up and use in the field.

I'm considering getting an old used DSLR for use as a high quality time-lapse camera.

-Greg