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Steven Dempsey

Las Vegas

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2 Reviews

This is about the most grip and rip thing I have shot. My visit to Vegas was not planned. I met my wife Linda in New Mexico to drive back to Washington with her and we stopped in Vegas along the way. We spent one night there and were on the road again early the next morning.

With the exception of the first shot, this is all handheld. The post production zoom in the first shot was inspired by a similar technique used by Phil Bloom in his Vegas piece.

Enjoy it.

Comments

Shiv Kumar

April 22, 2008 11:51 PM

Steven,

Hand held and no adapter? I honestly didn’t know what to expect after reading your description and knowing what you can do when you have your full gear with you.

This film has left me quite speechless. I’ve watch it 3 times and I’m having a hard time gathering my thoughts. There is something about the way you see things through a camera that makes me want to sit back and watch this over and over. I saw some of the same sights when I was there but I just don’t see it the way you do. Then there is your choice of music and edits that make everything just fall into place. My thoughts are running riot and nothing coherent is being formed. You are a master and that’s that.

Didn’t care much for the time lapse (visually) but that next shot of the (Vegas) statue of liberty and the music just built up an emotion. The next one of the same statue where you give a Dutch tilt, I mean how do you even think of doing that? You made good use of the escalators. The one going down looked like a crane shot.

I never saw that water fountain, but after seeing the way you’ve depicted it I’m actually glad I didn’t! The exposure you selected, the point of view, composition, I loved everything about it, and the next shot of the fountain, simply awesome. Then the shot with the bare tree in the fore ground and the Eiffel tower in the back is stunning as well. Looked like a dolly shot!

You’re dangerous with a camera dude! I ain’t going any place you are.

So much for having my gear with me, I now feel like I was confined to my stupid tripod!

Kevin Barbee

April 23, 2008 11:58 AM

Wow Steven,

I always enjoy your artistic point of view. Was this your XH A1? I would like to know of your settings for night shots like that. I don't see much grain at all. Did you have the gain up much? Also did you have the noise reduction settings in use? Of course Vegas at night is probably one of the brightest cities in the country. Anyway, beautiful shots. You are a highly skilled craftsman in the art of film.

Steven Dempsey

April 23, 2008 12:26 PM

Thank you guys. Kevin, I never use noise reduction and for a couple of shots I got as far as 6db on the gain but mostly it stayed at 0.

Charles Hesman

April 23, 2008 09:17 PM

Charles Hesman

Great work Mr. Dempsey. I am a fan of your cinematography. I am a new Kid on the block and stumbled upon your work. Keep the camera rolling. Great work. One question. Did you shoot this piece with the XHA1?