Steven Dempsey
 

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Thanks for dropping by. Here you will find my thoughts on shooting both DV and HDV and some meanderings on my film passion. Updated sporadically.

Finding a Voice

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October 18, 2008 09:36 AM Views:347   Favorited:0   Comments:3
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Carlsbad Caverns - New Mexico

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January 17, 2008 04:57 AM Views:117   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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My family and I went to New Mexico over the Christmas holidays and one place I really wanted to see was Carlsbad Caverns. Ansel Adams took a series of shots there many years ago and they haunted me. I knew I had to shoot this place

Yellowstone

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September 14, 2007 11:06 AM Views:73   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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I just got back from one of my most favorite places in the world - Yellowstone.I cannot adequately explain why this place means so much to me. Maybe it's the close proximity to wildlife afforded its visitors, maybe it's the

Canon XHA1 - a review

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March 13, 2007 09:55 AM Views:268   Favorited:0   Comments:1
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After shooting with an XLH1 for about nine months, I decided to sell it and buy an XHA1 instead. I can’t say I loved the attention I got when I went out with the XLH1. I spent a lot of time smiling and waving at people as they

Narration or Lack Thereof

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February 14, 2007 11:12 AM Views:70   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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I've had a few people ask me why most of my films do not have narration. I suppose people are accustomed to this kind of presentation being paired with the spoken word. Here is an excerpt from my correspondance with one individual:I don't approach my filmmaking in a typical documentary or travelogue

Perpetual Motion

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June 15, 2006 10:05 AM Views:81   Favorited:0   Comments:1
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I sometimes ponder the notion that nothing is ever completely still. There are things that are obvious to our eyes like rushing water, cars passing, people walking, etc. But when I shoot scenes that appear to be static, I later notice the tiniest

Big Yellow Moon

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June 12, 2006 01:17 PM Views:82   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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I was out shooting with Linda up by Snoqualmie Falls on Saturday and on the way home caught a glimpse of the rising moon. It was big and yellow and I had to slam on the brakes and get a couple of shots. Light was fading fast and I missed the magic hour so it was a challenge to really capture this

The Cottonwood Tree

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June 08, 2006 11:02 PM Views:78   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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Here is a work in progress. This is the time of the year when cottonwood trees lose their cotton and it's a pretty cool sight, it looks like it's snowing. There's a cottonwood in our yard and it was shedding its skin the

Cloud Timelapse

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June 04, 2006 11:46 PM Views:113   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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Yes, timelapse shots are completely overdone. I agree. However, that's not going to stop me doing them because, to me, the world is always a fascinating place to study and no two timelapse shots are the same because

Lighting test with the XLH1

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June 04, 2006 11:10 PM Views:232   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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I was watching "21 Grams", a great film by the way, and was inspired to do some lighting tests and added a little Magic Bullet Bleach Bypass. I think it looks pretty good.500w softbox for keylight, 250w Lowel pro light for fill and another 250w Lowel for a backlight (need to better position

Helpful Hints For A Successful Shoot

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May 25, 2006 07:20 AM Views:88   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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Say this over and over in your mind before you shoot:Focus, aperture, shutter, frame rate (more important if you are shooting different rates), sound level, battery level.Check every one of these for every shot. Remember, you've got a lot going on trying to frame your subject, deal with

More Thoughts On Using The Canon XLH1

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May 23, 2006 11:46 AM Views:283   Favorited:0   Comments:1
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I've been using the XLH1 for a number of weeks now and I've learned a lot about the camera by taking it out and shooting under various conditions. Having shot in standard definition (SD) up to this point, I'm finding new challenges shooting HD. None are overwhelming but if care is not taken while

Taking the HD Plunge - Canon XL H1 Review

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April 27, 2006 04:55 PM Views:99   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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I finally bought a Canon XL H1 HDV camera instead of my original desire to own the Panasonic HVX200, which is like an HD version of the DVX I used for most of the films on this site. This is a partial review because I have only been shooting for less than an hour. First off, the XL H1 delivers

Some Thoughts on Cinematography

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October 24, 2005 11:10 PM Views:95   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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People sometimes ask me who my favorite cinematographers are and I find it to be a difficult question to answer. It’s like being asked what kinds of music do I like, the answer is dynamic, never static. My understanding and appreciation of the medium of film is always changing and growing the more

The Director's Cut

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October 24, 2005 09:46 PM Views:85   Favorited:0   Comments:0
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Good editing is critical to the success of a film. By “success”, I don’t mean how much money it made at the box office. I’m talking about what makes the film work. No matter how talented the actors, how beautiful the soundtrack, how well composed the shots, it all falls flat if the timing of the cuts
Steven Dempsey
Sammamish, Washington,
United States
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