Cropping the image

[trendland]

What did you think of the quality of the video considering it was done with a cell phone, not my usual photography equipment?

Ok Alan (sorry I had missunderstood your post) your question was allone in regard of quality (from filming) right?

If your intention is to film and you want to get money (in the longer term) or you are filming as a hobby
I can see no difference in the claim to be better. And there are chances with some simple roules.
(but pls. don't missunderstood this - if your aproach is better after a while and you will indeed have a second LOOK on ABC-news you soon will find out :"Wow this ABC-news guys realy don't care about roules" that's what I stated before...
So pls. don't missunderstood your workflow is ok but you may simple better it so this is no critic ok

I BETTER SHOW MY FIRST FILMING SZENES NOT HERE - THEY WERE MUCH TO BAD TO MY OWN EYES JUST A YEAR AFTER I SHOT THEM

1) ...on every scene you follow to an other sceene (via post) you should take a scene wich has a different size. So an overviev shot should not follow an overviev shot - in some szenes you made it right in other sceene you can make it better.
For example your first shot ( an overview ) can be an extra wide shot. Don't proceed with a shot from the same size next (for example an extra wide shot from the other side).
The standard secuence following can be (just as example to make it more clear in general because there are a lot of different ways: A) extra wide shot of the scene B) wide shot from the right /left side
C) close up for introducing the theme (shield of fireworkers) D) normal shot E) detail shot F) detail shot
(with different image content) G) first Interview.
But you should not use 2scenes with nearly identical size after each other AND you MUST avoid this
absolut when the image content is the same.
What is to do in such cases ? Use a short scene as between cut.
The same Problem in general is if you use still Material (photos) and after this is following a scene from Video content. That is a real break to most ! But you want to use it from reasons of style and it is
"Allowed" so you may proceed in that way.
But the Problem is the scene transition - a real task I would state that is not easy (so you made it not totally wrong)
The different size and image content here could help but isn't enough. This is a "must" in your example for an electronic trick sequence. I realy don't like such tricks by the way but here it will help much.
Next is the still resolution. Here we have (you used it Alan Edward) a classic demonstration of beginning digital photography (still video) you may use still frames but therefore you indeed need higher Video resolution. For example : If one shot 4k and the final video just have full HD there is no way with stills from the Video. If one decides on final resolution 720p one soon will find out : " Hey then I may use any shot out of my 4k Material for stills."
(If you use stills the resolution of the still has to be higher because you louse 30/60 frames of "moving stills" so this let your still "shine" as lower resoluted (I know Alan Edward but it has same resolution like the whole Video......…) There is no other way - simple solution :For stills an other camera. You also may shot with your Film camera and scan the negatives in higher resolution next your cut APP will resize it on Video resolution but the quality is then not to be seen as you made.

Some scenes could have the need of a stabilized equipment. But that is overdriven for your intention.
Yes a tripot - may it be helpfull ? Here not - because with tripot you are missing your scenes because you are too slow for react. So you did it right there - but with a little more experience it will LOOK better.
Not so easy at all? That is right - but who is indeed perfect

Bon Chance

By the way your introduction from titles and counter are perfect there is nothing to make better

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Thanks for the tips. There's a lot more I have to learn. The first and last stills were not mine and are at lower resolution then the rest of the film stills and videos which are all mine. I processed the output to 1920x1080 for both the stills and video and kept the 16:9 format. The sound and counter titles were furnished in Adobe Premiere Elements, the video program I used to make the video. Thanks again for your help.

 

[trendland]

Thanks for the tips. There's a lot more I have to learn. The first and last stills were not mine and are at lower resolution then the rest of the film stills and videos which are all mine. I processed the output to 1920x1080 for both the stills and video and kept the 16:9 format. The sound and counter titles were furnished in Adobe Premiere Elements, the video program I used to make the video. Thanks again for your help.

The Video equipment you own including post production is a good choice! You will not believe what I have in use for home made concerns. (and my foto equipment 6 x 7 do not serve any Video )
Remember a set card shooting a time a go. As it was finished the model told me: " If you so now would transfer all your shots on my USB Stick it would be nice of you - but I indeed need all shots"
Till today I can't find the USB - slot with my Pentax67II!

with regards

 

[faberryman]

Crop or don't crop. Your choice. People will judge your photographs by the results. No one will ever ask if you cropped an image.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

That's right - no one looks at a great image and wonders what's been cropped out.

Even street shots by HCB, where conceivably something could be cropped out, no one cares because the subject in the photo is what's important.

I wonder if, in the realm of photorealist painting (e.g. Richard Estes), there may someday be an artist who deliberately includes elements in the painting that seemingly should be cropped out.

 

[trendland]

That's right - no one looks at a great image and wonders what's been cropped out.

Even street shots by HCB, where conceivably something could be cropped out, no one cares because the subject in the photo is what's important.

I wonder if, in the realm of photorealist painting (e.g. Richard Estes), there may someday be an artist who deliberately includes elements in the painting that seemingly should be cropped out.

Cropping is OK I stated - sometimes. But the basis is that you are able to frame during the shot generaly. Or let's say that you are willing to frame (just a little bit pls.).
Unsharp focussing is the same. It is ok - sometimes.
with regards

PS : If you are able (or willing) to focus your lens. Autfocus is also ok but remember what is the result from this autfocus eara. We should not speak about automatic exposure. But it is beginning with framing through the viewfinder right?