Costa Rica Slideshow Video

[Don Cohen]

I've been playing around with some video software recently, mainly to work with HD files from a new camcorder, but I also used it to create a video slideshow using images I've taken on several trips to Costa Rica.

I don't see any way to directly embed the YouTube-based video here, but the following link will take you to a page on my site where I do have it embedded (if the tech people for this site know of a way to embed it in this post, just let me know how):

Costa Rica YouTube Slideshow Video

Let me know what you think; it's my first attempt using this kind of presentation.

Hope you enjoy it!

 

[Ron Morse]

I thought it was very enjoyable Don. Very nice presentation.

 

[Eric Diller]

Very nice indeed....Your work is awesome!!

 

[Winston Mitchell]

Thanks for sharing this Don. I found it to be very watchable and enjoyable.

I would suggest a little longer time for each image. I have the same problem with my slide shows. Not wanting to bore everyone to death , I set the times too short and everyone complains (easy to instantly fix on a PC ;-) For me, your images demand a little longer study time to fully appreciate them.

Also, I would slow down the zoom and pan rates.

 

[Don Cohen]

Thanks for the comments so far.

Thanks for sharing this Don. I found it to be very watchable and enjoyable.

I would suggest a little longer time for each image. I have the same problem with my slide shows. Not wanting to bore everyone to death , I set the times too short and everyone complains (easy to instantly fix on a PC ;-) For me, your images demand a little longer study time to fully appreciate them.

Also, I would slow down the zoom and pan rates.

I struggled with just this issue - wanting to include as many pictures as possible, to communicate the tremendous diversity of birds, but to keep it no more than 3 to 4 minutes, which is about the most I would expect people would want to sit and watch.

I suspect you're right, and that I leaned a bit too much toward keeping the number of images too high, at the expense of too-short viewing times (also causing the zoom rates to be too fast).

Thanks much for the feedback!

 

[nicolas claris]

Hi Don

I haven't had the time to watch your video but I'll do for sure!

In the meantime:
For now it is not possible to embed a video (wherever it comes from) in OPF, it is on the "to do list" for long (too long! I agree;-)

For the duration of your stills in video, one more sec per still is a lot and would certainly please your audiance. Now, if people are bored, this is not an issue to consider, imho, as they would be bored anyway… but the one who loves your images (and who realy can't?) it's a reward…

Would love to attend one of your Safari (Sebastien, our webmaster is for the 2 coming weeks in Botswana, photoshooting big gorillas…) lucky guy!

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi Don,

This was an excellent video and also thanks to your excellent choice of the music. As an avid fan of Moody Blues, you have immediately captured my attention there ;-).

Band: Moody Blues
Composers: Justin Hayward, Ray Thomas
Album: In Search of the Lost Chord - 1968

Visions of Paradise

The sounds in my mind just come to me, come see.
And the call of her eyes makes waterfalls, of me.
In the garden of her love I'll stay a while, to be.
What the seeds of my thoughts wants me to be, come see.

Visions of paradise, cloudless skies I see.
Rainbows on the hill, blue onyx on the sea.
Come see.

Coming back to the editing of the film, I kind of agree with Winston.

Thanks for sharing this Don. I found it to be very watchable and enjoyable.

I would suggest a little longer time for each image. I have the same problem with my slide shows. Not wanting to bore everyone to death , I set the times too short and everyone complains (easy to instantly fix on a PC ;-) For me, your images demand a little longer study time to fully appreciate them.

Also, I would slow down the zoom and pan rates.

...I struggled with just this issue - wanting to include as many pictures as possible, to communicate the tremendous diversity of birds, but to keep it no more than 3 to 4 minutes, which is about the most I would expect people would want to sit and watch.

I suspect you're right, and that I leaned a bit too much toward keeping the number of images too high, at the expense of too-short viewing times (also causing the zoom rates to be too fast).

Don, I think that there is too much panning and zooming going on. After a while, I stopped looking at the pictures and started trying to anticipate what you next edit/cut would be. So it is too much in your face. If done properly, it should be barely noticeable. Having written all this, let's not forget the fact that the target audience of your film are not going to judge you on your capacities as a film editor. Any project which is imperfectly finished and published is better than a perfect execution which never sees the daylight. So again, kudos and thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

 

[Asher Kelman]

Congrats Don. I'm not going to critique buy just say how enjoyable the pictures of all these wonderful creatures are.

Thanks for sharing. We do need to be able to embed videos. We'll work on it!

Asher

 

[DLibrach]

What a wonderful slide show! Thanks for sharing.

Where abouts were you in Nicaragua? I spent a fair bit of time there a number of years ago while my wife was doing some research (looking and bird biodiversity in coffee plantations). We were mainly in the souther/central region. It's a beautiful place but concerned that the increase in tourism over the past decade or so has started to spoil some of it's mystique and rawness.

David

 

[Don Cohen]

Thanks again for the feedback - looks like the concensus is too much zoom, not enough time per image - I'll have to agree and will address this in future versions of this or other presentations.

Cem - I love the Moody Blues as well! Saw them in concert several years back here in NC - quite enjoyable.

What a wonderful slide show! Thanks for sharing.

Where abouts were you in Nicaragua? I spent a fair bit of time there a number of years ago while my wife was doing some research (looking and bird biodiversity in coffee plantations). We were mainly in the souther/central region. It's a beautiful place but concerned that the increase in tourism over the past decade or so has started to spoil some of it's mystique and rawness.

David

Hi David - I'll assume you are referring to Costa Rica, not Nicaragua (it's neighbor to the north), but correct me if I'm wrong.

I've been there about 6 times in the last 5 years, and have been in many different locations: Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast, Osa Peninsula and Jaco area on the Pacific Coast, and Cerro de la Muerte, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde, etc. in-between. Each area has its own unique appeal.

The trip scheduled for April includes a more southern route, with 4 days spent at Tiskita, southern Pacific coast.

I haven't detected any significant changes over the almost 5 years I've been going, but over-exposure, and over-utilization, could potentially be problematic. Hopefully not, though. Interesting though that you mentioned Nicaragua, as some people feel it is the up and coming Costa Rica in terms of ecotourism, but I think the political and economic situations need to be stabilized considerably before that can occur on any large scale.

 

[DLibrach]

Hi David - I'll assume you are referring to Costa Rica, not Nicaragua (it's neighbor to the north), but correct me if I'm wrong.

I've been there about 6 times in the last 5 years, and have been in many different locations: Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast, Osa Peninsula and Jaco area on the Pacific Coast, and Cerro de la Muerte, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde, etc. in-between. Each area has its own unique appeal.

LOL. Yes, I was referring to Costa Rica. While we were in Nicaragua recently for her PhD work, her Master's research was in Costa Rica. We spent the bulk of our time near San Isidro de General. She was studying with Dr. Alexander Skutch (a famed Ornithologist) in and around his property. While Dr. Skutch has since passed on, his property has been turned into a bioshpere reserve and is well worth the visit if you get a chance. I also managed to spend some down along the Osa Penninsula too.

I'm glad to hear that you haven't seen much change over the past few years. I was last there 9 years ago and had heard some conflicting reports from others that have been back since. It's always a fine balance for both the locals and tourists between accesibility and maintain the very things that draw ecotourism in the first place. Just look at the Inca Trail in Peru for a good example of what can occur.

Thanks again for the slideshow and for taking the time to reply.

David

 

[Don Cohen]

I should also have mentioned, David, that Costa Rica suffered a significant (6.2) earthquake a week ago. In addition to a number of fatalities, there was apparently significant damage to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens and adjacent hotels. I've been there several times, and it is a wonderful facility. They just opened up a brand-new aviary about a year ago. I hope it isn't too badly damaged.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Don, I enjoyed your video very much. You captured the diversity of the wildlife with some eyecatching images. I would have sat through a lot more!

 

[doug anderson]

Now I want to go to Costa Rica.

 

[Don Cohen]

Thanks guys. It is a wonderful country, and even after 6 or so trips there in the last 5 years, there is still so much more to see.