Are video people smarter than stills people?

As I follow some of the threads on the video forum, I am lead to believe that video people are smarter than stills people, and folks doing VDSLR are stills people trying to be smart.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

When I was trying to figure out what I wanted to start with; video or stills, I thought "where is the challenge to video? You just point and push the button, dah". But now that I am salivating over what VDSLR to buy...Both groups have the clueless like myself, to those with great eyes for composition and then the enviable group who get composition and understand the tech. I call it a tie, lol.

I do think they are more nerdy though; but then nerds rule the world.

From my experience, there's a bit of friction between the two camps (but posts like this don't help.)

Video and stills use all the same principles and shouldn't be classed any different.

For video you still need a handle on compositional rules, exposure and the like, but you also need to take into account a few more aspects that are not relevant in stills photography. Does that make them smarter? Not really.

I shoot stills, I shoot video. I wouldn't like to class myself, nor feel the need to be classed as either.

As I follow some of the threads on the video forum, I am lead to believe that video people are smarter than stills people, and folks doing VDSLR are stills people trying to be smart.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Clearly they are (my wife shoots video). The underlying technology of video is a lot more complex than that of stills but I am guessing that most video folk don't understand/care about the technology. On the other hand, they also do a lot more post processing than most still guys and they have to be able to visualize what the scene will look like as part of a longer story.

Bill

OK, OK, I'm going to fall into the trap...

... what a ridiculous comment!

I've yet to see an underwater video image that has the vibrancy of a still image, or that has the emotional impact of a great still image. Perhaps that it because the technophiles rather than the artists dominate video? Perhaps the physiological specialisation of the mammalian visual system towards movement detection results in a predilection towards moving images, but colour, contrast and composition are too easily forgotten?

Arguments about post-processing are facile because, despite the ethos of competition and the pressures on professional photographers, the darkroom has always been at the core of still photography in a way that it has not in the production of moving images. Each still image is an individual creation, whereas the demands of editing and splicing have put a premium upon uniformity of processing from shot to shot in movie editing. This hasn't really changed in digital video, although the flexibility of processing has increased greatly.

VDSLR is a bit like expecting an average horse to double as a mule and a racehorse. It's hard to believe that the hardware, optical, mechanical and electronic, and processing algorithms can truly be optimised for both functions.

I was going to add that stills people are too intelligent to get involved in this argument, but I've succumbed to temptation and annoyance.

Tim

I was going to add that stills people are too intelligent to get involved in this argument, but I've succumbed to temptation and annoyance.

 

Tim

 

He, He.... I wish it was April 1st

Actually I was posting rather tongue in cheek, because I have to admit the technicalities of video discussions are hard for a stills retard like me to follow. But having said that, I think it's an interesting discussion contrasting the differences in perception, recording, and processing (neuronal and software) of still vs video images

Well Well Well ...

Let me add my honest opinion...

We are not smarter as such although some do think they are... Apparently if you do not know everything there is to know about everything your opinion doesn't matter and you just 'Drivel' on... So I think Stills shooters are more friendly and helpful and less up their own bums and have no 'chips' on their shoulders... Well from what I've seen...

Dive safe

DeanB

OK, OK, I'm going to fall into the trap...

 

... what a ridiculous comment!

 

I've yet to see an underwater video image that has the vibrancy of a still image, or that has the emotional impact of a great still image. Perhaps that it because the technophiles rather than the artists dominate video? Perhaps the physiological specialisation of the mammalian visual system towards movement detection results in a predilection towards moving images, but colour, contrast and composition are too easily forgotten?

 

Tim

 

Sooooo wrong Mr Priest... I bet more people would gasp in awe at wondrous moving images than a 'still' point of view. I agree with the technophile comment 'in some' If you read most of the video forums it is mostly specs and gadget talk or blah, blah, blah to most contributors...(I know you need to know a certain amount, even in stills) although personally I want to show people what I see rather than boast what camera I have just purchased or if I can give a three page scientific answer to the question "What lens should I use for macro"...

Oh and I will leave out the big words of my next paragraph as you have covered it... However it does apply to both practises...

Dive safe

DeanB

Crikey Jeff - you really missed a calling in a diplomatic mission somewhere!

Should peace break out some-place out then you could be just the man for the job.

Having said that you may well be correct though - my work world is a highly technical one and when I look at some of the posts re video post processing my head does go into a spin.

Having just seen tonights news it would seem that WikiLeaks is looking for a front man to smooth over a new 'difficulty' and the US may need a calming influence at the UN - you up for it?

Paul C

Crikey Jeff - you really missed a calling in a diplomatic mission somewhere!

 

Should peace break out some-place out then you could be just the man for the job.

 

Having said that you may well be correct though - my work world is a highly technical one and when I look at some of the posts re video post processing my head does go into a spin.

 

Having just seen tonights news it would seem that WikiLeaks is looking for a front man to smooth over a new 'difficulty' and the US may need a calming influence at the UN - you up for it?

 

Paul C

Thanksgiving weekend was getting a little slow.

As I follow some of the threads on the video forum, I am lead to believe that video people are smarter than stills people, and folks doing VDSLR are stills people trying to be smart.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

LOL

I allmost spilled my tea on the keyboard...

Toughts? On this matter??? I think I better start to read the video forums as well

Everyone is entitled to theyr oppinion.

I'm a stills guy and I know for a FACT, that I'm not smart - not even in stills... and video is a land that's far far away from where I live

Cheers

Karel

As I follow some of the threads on the video forum, I am lead to believe that video people are smarter than stills people, and folks doing VDSLR are stills people trying to be smart.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Why not start something like Nikon vs Canon and PC vs Mac while you are at it

Hmmm. Perhaps Wetpixel attracts a broad church of stills photographers, whereas most of the videographers here tend to the more advanced, and so give the impression of cleverness/wisdom in their posts.

That said, does an inclination to bang on about technology necessarily betoken intelligence as such?

Sooooo wrong Mr Priest...

That's Dr Priest to you, by the way...

Tim

Give me a video camera and I have this uncontrollable urge to turn it 90 degrees for a nice upright portrait shot.

Give me a video camera and I have this uncontrollable urge to turn it 90 degrees for a nice upright portrait shot.

I had the same problem swirling around with a video camera trying to get the best angle; the subsequent footage gave me vertigo!

As Le Prince would say ... "Oui! Mais c'est compliqué!"

Edit: Forgot my :grin:

As Le Prince would say ... "Oui! Mais c'est compliqué!"

And they speak multiple languages as well...

This discussion is a joke right? Definitely over my head. I am in awe of photo guys and the knowledge of the camera that they must have. I'm strictly video and the real work comes in post production and original story ideas. Maybe photo guys are in awe of the editor more than the shooter, who knows, who cares. They are both very valid occupations. My only beef goes back to the days when all the underwater photographic societies ignored those who shot video for their annual shows and competitons. Most of those clubs aren't doing so well now.

Steve