David Porter

I totally agree, mainly because when I take my camera out I am trying to create good photographs and the format will depend on the subject. When creating an A/V I again choose a format which suits the subject and also the majority of the photos going into the show - sometimes 16/9 for landscapes or 3/2 or even 5/4 for urban and architecture. I don't have a projector but my TV has a black surround so black strips at the side of the photos don't obtrude and anyway most people will look at the pictures and not the black strips.

A thoroughly enjoyable show giving a real feel for your wonderful adventure. Excellently shot with very good compositions for the most part, maybe a very few of the repetative shots could have been cut but for you and family and friends just great. I look forward to your next adventure.

Hi Peter, I'll try and kill two birds with this post. I really liked you Killhope A/V, not that I am a great enthusiast of lead mining but voice-over gave a really good impression of being on the actual tour with the variable acoustics and sound levels. I am sure those not able to do the tour will find this a very acceptable alternative. I hope you have good fortune if you put it for a comp. Re your Teesdale Waterfalls. You really hit the nail on the head when you tried to copy professionals and cut from shot to shot rather than fade transforms. Good on you. Take a look at any professional video documentary and the number of fades, pans, zooms etc is an absolute minimum and yet we see amateur videographers swinging the camera around like Whirling Dervishers. You may have got some of the technical aspects of video on PTE sorted but that is the easy bit. Now, as you recognize, you have to produce an A/V that makes sense of mixing video with stills. I have only seen one A/V on this site mixing video and stills which gave me any satisfaction at all. But,had you been able to take video in your lead mine then, this could have been an opportunity to create a very interesting combination of stills and video with the voice-over being the perfect reason for inserting a piece of video. I'll look forward to seeing how you proceed in this direction,knowing that you will not post anything on here unless it is worthwhile.

Hi Xaver, I did revise it in December see my post in 'Stourhead in Autumn' dated 2nd December (sorry don't know how to do a link).There was still some thought from others that the music was too loud but by that time I had had enough. Time has passed and I will dig it out and have another look which is always worthwhile. In the meantime, have you any suuggestions on the harmonising the music in the current show? Bear in mind that I know nothing about music technicalities.

Thanks for your comments. Ken - I have put some of the shots on the calendar I produce for relatives , no money in that though. Rick - I have checked some of the settings and yes, some of them could have been tweaked to get greater DOF. Must be more careful next time - thanks. Mortum - The opening title has changed a number of times. The single colour seemed very harsh against the dark green. Maybe I'll add some texture to a single colour. The music was from Spring Symphonies by Brian Cain with lots more detail to define it. "Spring" seemed a bit incongruous so maybe "Music by Brian Crain" would suffice. I tried to pick out the crescendos in the music by using a Circle from Centre transition for that particular slide. Any other suggestions? Mick

Probably still in my miasma phase, so I thought I spend the time adding and revamping previous efforts of visits to Stourhead. I’ve tried hard to harmonise the slides to the music but as my technical knowledge of music is close to zero, I may not have succeeded. Comments and suggestions from those with better knowledge would be much appreciated. PC Download Mac Download

Something rings a bell, like black, kettle and pot.

Hi Eric, Well I did try to read your preable but my eyes glazed over before I got half way, probaly because I have not the slightest intention of wanting to purchase an FZ150 whatever that is and I doubt there are many on the forum also inclined. So when you asked for comments, I assumed you were talking about the show. I was not aware that you rushed it into prodution simply to extol the virtues or otherwise of the FZ150 but I have to be honest - it shows. My original comments are therefore valid - the video adds nothing to the show and the show just does not convey all the fun of the fair. I would like to be more constructive with suggestions that I think would improve the show but I doubt you would be interested.

Hi Eric, In my view a perfect example of how video and stills do not mix. The only apparent reason for putting in the video was - that you can. Although the funfare was not that busy I'm afraid the sense of fun just did not come across. I'm sure you could rejig it and get your very good photography to sync better with the music (which I enjoyed).

Thanks Ken abd Ralph for you comments. The french, in there enjoyment of life, certainly do have a certain je ne sais pas ce que.

Thanks Ken and Ralph for your comments. The French in there enjoyment of life certainly have a certain je ne sais pas ce que. Mick.

Having reached a mental block on a couple of projects, I have reverted to an unfinished one and offer it here now completed. Nothing special but I hope it gives a feeling for how the French do love their festivals. PC Download Mac Download

Hi Jean- Charles, I agree with Maureen about your photography and particularly the subtle pans and zooms, a lesson for all of us as to how it should be done. Personally, I think they would have been more effective had there been fewer of them. I feel pans and zooms are a great way of emphasizing a particular viewpoint and in this case, less is more.

Hi Ralph, You are so lucky to have visited Venice so often that the hugely historical importance of places like St Marks Sq, the Doges Palace and Grand Canal not to mention the art galleries and museums can be so easily dismissed. Maureen's efforts to show another side of Venice works well, mainly due to her excellent photography but it did not inspire me to go searching the backwaters if I ever manage to get there again and to be frank, neither did the music. However "Simply Venice" will be prominent on my laptop to give me inspiration.

Hi Maureen, I held back comments on your first show of the backwaters of Venice as I could not quite make up my mind what to say. The photography was first class especially how you dealt with the very contrasty light and the music didn't quite make it but there was still something missing. You found it in this show. Venice is very touristy but there is a reason. The sights are just totally spectacular and you have captured them better than anyone else that I can think of. It was a lesson in photography for all of us to try to emulate. Thank you.

Of the ones that I have seen the one that stands out for me is Howard Bagshaws "Ride to the Wall". A great story line with a great twist (for some of us with preconceptions), excellent photography, good use of PTE without gimmicks, excellent script and a great voice for the voiceover. It is one of the few that I have kept and I play it regularly. If you search "Ride" and "Wall" you will find it but it is under the title "A different take on Rememberance.

Hi Lin, When I was circa 12 years old, what some nearly 60 years ago, Jimmy Young, in the UK, recorded "Unchained Memory". It became my favourite song, in fact my first introduction to music of any kind. Through the years it has been recorded probably by more people than any other song - some good, some awful, but none as good as Jimmy Youngs's original version. But Lisah's version comes a very good second. Dewey eyes and some personal difficulties meant that the visuals were a bit lost on me. However, having pulled myself together, the rest of the A/V will rank with me as one of the best things you have done. I shall keep it. Mickp.

Hi Igor, Thanks for reminding me of our two wonderful trips to the Lakes. Very familiar views, expertly taken and converted into a super show. Isn't Wast Water the most wonderful place in a wonderful area.

Hi Eric, Liked your Lake District photos - impossible not to like the Lake District regardless of weather. I wonder if you could have ramped up the skies a bit to make them even more "moody". Are you going back to the Lakes? You are a bit nearer than me and we must not let Maureen have the monopoly of the area, great though her photos are.

Hi Lin, Strange thing happening with some of your downloads, including this one but not all. When I download and click on "open" rather than "Save" it does not work - Says "done" on bottom bar but nothing happens. If I click "save" then it downloads and I can then click "open" and it works fine plus I can open from the hard drive. I don't get this problem with anyone else. Don't blind me with science but thought you might like to know.

Hi Lin, An excellent idea and your A/V's certainly show off the power of PTE. As A/V's I would not think of suggesting any changes but if you were thinking of this as a promotional video (which it is really) then I think it should be much quicker paced. The snow scene for instance would still get the message across if this were sped up to a third the length and this applies to some others as well. I would also move the Rubik cube nearer the beginning for more effect. Does Igor not have an advertising department that could advise?

That's why I always enable Nav Bar on my shows. I'd hate to bore people to death.

I don't think there are any "Rules" about giving info but I do like to know if a show is lasting two minutes or ten minutes especially if I am getting bored with it.

I for one would not wish to discourage any New Member - I was one once - and I'm sure I asked questions that had been answered before. The posts on this site are huge and not the easiest to navigate. Keep the faith BEB, if I have the answer to any question then I'll freely give it but don't hold your breath.

I agree with putting the MB and the running time as a courtesy to others to let them know what they are in for. I think it is the video that adds the mb's but I don't find it a problem to download large files as I just find something else to do whilst it is downloading - plus I do have maximum download speed.