Best of Final Two - James

March 2007
I knew I wanted to use my still images, so my final Final (hmm) is just that: a compilation of my best still put into a short silent video. As I watched it, I realized that it has a definite rhythm, almost as if it has a heartbeat. At first I didn't like it, but now I do. It's almost unnerving the way it 'beats' to its own life. As I asked in a previous post, see if you can catch the point at which many of the photos seem to congregate, almost as if I planned it, which I will wholeheartedly admit that it's false. My process was to keep any image out or next to one that was fairly similar, ensuring that there would be no longer 'images' created by multiples flying by.
Thanks for walking with me and ejoying my ability to capture only trees and no leaves, as well as only shadows.
-James

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Best of Final One - James

March 2007
"Use the force, Luke." This is the Star Wars Death Star battle sequence on speed. I had a total of five seperate attempts, or videos, of this same tree's bark. As I pondered what I could do to enhance this video through straight editing, I suddenly realized that instead of just tearing apart one of my videos, why not incorporate each one into one giant monstrosity? Taking segments, clips, frames, etc from each video, I randomly placed them within the timeline, speeding up some by a few factors, while leaving others under the speed-spell of a few. What I've created is nothing aesthetically pleasing, but more of a grungy, gravity driven plunge into a bark-like abyss. Heavy? Walk it off...
-James

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Best of Rough Five - James

March 2007
As promised, here's the sun through the trees video, this time with a little more editing edge to it. But alas, it didn't make the final cut. I need to consider using a little more variety than just a simple video sped up, which is all this is. I tried sampling images across the timeline, randomly appearing and taking the viewer away from the eeriness of the wickedly fast branches, but it didn't do anything for me. So here is just the straight video. If it's possible, try and loop it and watch it in quick succession. You may see a few 'anomolies' amongst the bare branches.
-James

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Best of Rough Four - James

March 2007
Here you will find the same progression of images, adding a couple more, including the awesome encircling of the tree. I simply walked around the tree and took a photo about every two steps. This video was a further attempt to expound on my original idea of my previous post, but I still wasn't there. As you watch, and I know it's still fairly short, try to identify a centralized point at which each image tends to surround. It's interesting that at such a high rate of speed as opposed to just flicking through the individual images, we can see a pattern. I like to think that this could be an individual artist's signature.
-James

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Best of Rough Three - James

March 2007
Here's my first attempt at using the still images I created. My reasoning behind its siezure inducing speed is to try and blur the individuality of each subject in each photo, thus creating a more seamless existence. Make sense? Didn't think so. It's short, only because I hadn't perfected and finalized the product. My final usage of these images incorporated more and different techniques. But again, don't rush to the top of the page. Patience.
-James

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Best of Rough Two - James

March 2007
Here's the second video I did, this time using the macro function to the max. I like the intricacies within the detail of the tree's bark, so I decided it needed to be shown, but not within a still frame. Using video was the way to go, and using a technique similar to the Death Star battle in Star Wars IV, I traveld the length of the bark's ridges, creating a surreal effect as you 'travel' down the trees 'paths'. While filming this, I knew I would use this in my final, and I did. But don't rush to the top. You need to see my other entries, as well.
-James

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Best of Rough One - James

March 2007
Here's the first entry into what I consider a tedious project. Creating these videos was nothing short of difficult, at least for me. I find thinking outside of the clear-cut boundaries of my personal 'box' a chore. But I think the best explanation for that is that I've never really tried. Thus this project. So, after coming to a stark realization that shooting only trees and no leaves, as well as only shadows, was to prove itself difficult, I decided that I needed a good challenge and I tackled it.
What you will find here is just a straight shot of the sun through the trees. This video serves two-fold as it's capturing a tree, but it's shadow, as well, as it falls on me, the viewer. There is nothing special about this video; no editing, etc.
-James Michaels
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