Help needed for complete newbie with underwater video

ultimateangling · #1 (**permalink**) 11-28-2009, 11:47 AM

Hi All,

I'm a complete novice with video editing. I do a fair bit of diving and on my last trip experimented with the video setting on my digital camera. I took some pics of a turtle and uploaded the vid onto youtube (for lack of better place)

Is there an easy way to edit this video, clean it up and adjust things like the colour balance to make it better. Being underwater the greens and blues are all messed about.

YouTube - Turtle.wmv

I dont have any specific video editing software (i'm a still photographer usually) so if you have any suggestions could you recommend a free to download software I could achieve this with as I dont want to spend money if I can avoid it.

Appreciate any help I can get.

Thanks

Jon

solway · #2 (**permalink**) 11-29-2009, 12:32 AM

I don't know what camera you are using. Try popping into jessops and ask them if the have any gels you could cover your lens with when filming. You could try a wratten 85 which should get rid of most of the blue. (Being a photographer you should understand where I am coming from.)
If your editing on a PC look out for window Movie Maker editing software. I'm told its not bad and more importantly its free.

ultimateangling · #3 (**permalink**) 11-29-2009, 09:45 AM

Thanks for the idea about the gel. I'll check it out.

I'm editing via PC and already got Windows Movie Maker. I can't seem to find a way to adjust the colour balances after video has been shot though.

Is this possible?

worddigger · #4 (**permalink**) 11-29-2009, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by ultimateangling

Thanks for the idea about the gel. I'll check it out.

I'm editing via PC and already got Windows Movie Maker. I can't seem to find a way to adjust the colour balances after video has been shot though.

Is this possible?

You are going to need a good editing software to do color balance. I use Sony Vegas.
Also, as a former diver, I would be interested in knowing two things. 1 Where did you dive, because the water clarity was not that good and, 2 how deep were you when you filmed that? I'm assuming it was not too far down.

If you have someplace you can put the raw video footage where I can download it. I will be glad to do a color correction freebee for you.

ultimateangling · #5 (**permalink**) 11-29-2009, 03:29 PM

Thanks for the kind offer. I was going to send you a PM with my details but I can't seem to do so. My email is ultimatemvg@hotmail.com if you want to reply back. I can send you the video that way.

It was taken diving in Egypt out of Sharm El Sheikh. The vis was pretty good most of the time but this was towards the end of a dive and there was a bit of current stirring the water up. It was during the 5m safety stop at the end of the dive which was nice.

worddigger · #6 (**permalink**) 11-29-2009, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by ultimateangling

Thanks for the kind offer. I was going to send you a PM with my details but I can't seem to do so. My email is ultimatemvg@hotmail.com if you want to reply back. I can send you the video that way.

It was taken diving in Egypt out of Sharm El Sheikh. The vis was pretty good most of the time but this was towards the end of a dive and there was a bit of current stirring the water up. It was during the 5m safety stop at the end of the dive which was nice.

Ok, I sent you an email where you can send me a copy of your raw video. Let's see if I can get it.
Gaines

worddigger · #7 (**permalink**) 11-30-2009, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by ultimateangling

It was taken diving in Egypt out of Sharm El Sheikh. The vis was pretty good most of the time but this was towards the end of a dive and there was a bit of current stirring the water up. It was during the 5m safety stop at the end of the dive which was nice.

Follow up:
Jon sent me his video overnight. This morning I did the color correction for him. Here is a side-by-side comparison of his original and the color corrected version:

YouTube - Color Correction Demonstration

The first step was to color "balance" the video, essentially nulling out the blue and injecting more red (the green was not that far off). I then brought up the remaining natural colors by adjusting the saturation and gamma.

Shrimpfarmer · #8 (**permalink**) 11-30-2009, 01:12 PM

I think he is going to be real pleased with that. Great job digger and a great example of what can be done with the tools in the box. Thanks for sharing

TimStannard · #9 (**permalink**) 11-30-2009, 01:32 PM

Great job & Great demonstration.

ultimateangling · #10 (**permalink**) 11-30-2009, 01:53 PM

Thanks again for your help with the vid. The difference is amazing. Its come out really well and now that i've seen whats possible (bear in mind this was the video option on a compact digital camera) its given me some more ideas for the future when diving. Hopefully next will be some shark videos