How did I do with this standing shrimp?

[McFlyLures 0]

I like the fly.I think if it were tied in a dark orange or olive it would be a killer carp fly.I liked the video also.The beard did not factor in or bother me.I can see where it would be distracting and the video would be better with some sort of backdrop but as for the tying and instruction i thought it was good.I could see the materials and what you were doing as you tied and also i had no problem understanding you.The video was pretty clear and that's all i look for in a fly tying video.I am pretty sure i could tie that fly based on what you showed us and that's what matters most.Good job.

Thanks! In reality I do need to find a better angle. However that requires a tripod. I'm a bit low on funds right now. Soon I might try over the shoulder, however I'm afraid it will make it more difficult to film cause I won't be able to see the camera screen to know if it's in focus. My camera gets out of focus a lot. I'm not made of money for one of those $1000 dslr cameras... Haha.

 

If my channel does well, and I start making some money from the adds, I'll invest. Otherwise I'm stuck with my camcorder...

[mikechell 0]

LOL What ever you need to support your ego. I'm good.

[McFlyLures 0]

Honestly ... I have a problem seeing what you're doing because of the background.

I really don't like beards ... but the the beard makes for movement and coloration that is a terrible background for the fly tying.

I haven't been able to watch any of your videos because of it.

 

As for a picture, I like that idea (on a neutral background), because I also haven't been able to comment on any of the flies because you don't have any pictures of the finished flies. I clicked near the end of this video, and as soon as you finish the fly, you take it off the vise and put it aside ... I didn't get a good look at it then, either.

I agree that a beard is not a good backdrop, however I can see the fly and see it perfectly. Same with just about everyone else viewing my videos. I'm not shaving my beard just to be able to make a better fly video, and I don't have the money for one of those expensive tripods to shoot over my shoulder. Also shooting over my shoulder doesn't allow me to see what is in the shot frame... So short of me wearing a mask, this is pretty much all I can do right now... Like I've said many times before, if you don't like it, don't watch it. That simple. No need to tell me on every one of my videos that you don't like beards. It's like your a vegan, one of those who has to tell everyone that they are a vegan and dislike people who eat meat. Lol

[McFlyLures 0]

i dont do saltwater flies but the fly looks ok

 

have you ever accidentally tied your beard into one of your flies?

 

if the videos were shot at a different angle, that might be a little better

Yeah I've tried all different angles that I can do. This is pretty much all that kinda works... Off to the side, hands get in the way. Behind me, I need a tripod (don't have the money) and cannot see what is being filmed. In reality, there are very few fly tying videos online without a head on shot, where you see the person talking. In fact, many of the main fly tying channels on YouTube are shot exactly like mine (minus a beard). "InTheRiffle" to name one. Sure, I think orvis has a few that are done a little better, but they also spent lots of money for a shooting studio and professional cameras and tripods. I'm a man, living in a one bedroom, with a kid, wife, and dog... I'm not dropping thousands on that kinda equipment and taking on a 2nd rent payment for a shooting studio. Can you maybe send me a few examples of fly videos made by "average joes" that are shot in the correct way so I can try emulate?

 

I'm glad you liked the fly.

[rstaight 0]

I don't mind the beard. I have one myself, had it for years. Shaved it off one time in 35 years. The wife didn't care for it, said it made my face look to hard, what ever the means.

 

I keep my short because of my job. I have told the wife when I retire I am going to look like I belong in the band ZZ Top.

 

Why do I have beard, hides a lot of ugly.

[flytire 0]

Can you maybe send me a few examples of fly videos made by "average joes" that are shot in the correct way so I can try emulate?

 

sure can

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/HansWeilenmann

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/DavieMcPhail

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKLvr5JVRmMvWKsqRStCS8w

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-UEPKRcqt5vVIX_Xtc7SJQ (in russian i think)

 

neither hans or davie use $1000 cameras

 

good reading material

 

http://www.hammercreekflyfishing.com/blog/category/creating%20a%20fly%20tying%20video

[mikechell 0]

 

 

No need to tell me on every one of my videos that you don't like beards. It's like your a vegan, one of those who has to tell everyone that they are a vegan and dislike people who eat meat. Lol

 

I wasn't the first one to mention beards on this thread. In fact, I had no intent on replying in this one until you asked the question ... "Is this really a determining factor for you guys on if you enjoy a video?"

So I tried to answer tactfully ... but I guess that didn't work.

I'll take your other advice ... " ... if you don't like it, don't watch it."

[McFlyLures 0]

I don't mind the beard. I have one myself, had it for years. Shaved it off one time in 35 years. The wife didn't care for it, said it made my face look to hard, what ever the means.

 

I keep my short because of my job. I have told the wife when I retire I am going to look like I belong in the band ZZ Top.

 

Why do I have beard, hides a lot of ugly.

HAHA, well I wouldn't go as far as saying mine covers a lot of ugly... But, I just like it. Yeah, I can't go do the ZZ Top thing, my wife would divorce me. Instead I have to go to a barber once every month or so and get it trimmed up (when I get a hair cut). I like it long on the bottom, but keep it trimmed on the sides. Ive had my beard since I was 22 years old. Not always this long, but different stages of length. I think its been almost 10 years now...

[McFlyLures 0]

 

 

 

No need to tell me on every one of my videos that you don't like beards. It's like your a vegan, one of those who has to tell everyone that they are a vegan and dislike people who eat meat. Lol

 

I wasn't the first one to mention beards on this thread. In fact, I had no intent on replying in this one until you asked the question ... "Is this really a determining factor for you guys on if you enjoy a video?"

So I tried to answer tactfully ... but I guess that didn't work.

I'll take your other advice ... " ... if you don't like it, don't watch it."

 

You were the first person to comment about beards on any of my threads.... The mullet thread. You literally were the first person to comment...

 

And your comments have never been tactful... Not even close....

Sorry ... I never got past the beard. I couldn't watch the video, so I never got to see how the fly is made.

This was the first post you ever posted on any of my threads...

 

You then fallowed me around and found every post I ever made, and commented about how terrible and discussing it is that I have a beard.

 

let me explain.

Brother-in-law ... with a beard. His breakfast/lunch/dinner would be in his beard for hours. Gross.

Would take a drink of milk or tea, then suck what was on his mustache off. Even more gross.

 

There are those that have a big truck to compensate for a certain physical "deficiency". I have no need of a big truck. Nor do I need any other vehicle to define my personality.

I also don't need facial hair to "define" my masculinity. Beards don't "scare" me, nor do they don't intimidate me.

 

What beards do, is nauseate me. All I see is people sucking milk out of mustaches ... snot getting congealed in mustaches ... dried up or festering food particles caught in beards. As far as I am concerned, the main reason for a beard is that the face under the beard is too ugly to be exposed.

 

Just sayin' ...

I wouldn't say that telling me I am compensating for a size issue because of my beard is "tactful", or saying that it "nauseates" you either. I mean geze man, thats like the last thing someone would say "trying to be tactful".

 

You are (like I said before) a vegan that can't stop talking about their hatred for those who eat meat. Or a "vapor" (someone who vape's) that cannot stop talking about how much healthier it is than smoking to those who smoke. Its like "I get it dude, you VAPE!" Geze!

I post these here for constructive criticism on my flies, and video's. Not on the way I dress, look, or hair style. (facial or on the head). I don't think anyone really appreciates that. So cool your jets.

 

[McFlyLures 0]

 

Can you maybe send me a few examples of fly videos made by "average joes" that are shot in the correct way so I can try emulate?

 

sure can

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/HansWeilenmann

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/DavieMcPhail

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKLvr5JVRmMvWKsqRStCS8w

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-UEPKRcqt5vVIX_Xtc7SJQ (in russian i think)

 

neither hans or davie use $1000 cameras

 

good reading material

 

http://www.hammercreekflyfishing.com/blog/category/creating%20a%20fly%20tying%20video

 

Those are all great video's. But you do realize that they all film exactly the same way as me right? head on? Their shirts are showing. The only difference is they don't have a beard and they tie very small flies? If I was tying a very small fly, my shirt, beard, face, what have you wouldn't matter. The reason why is that the zoom in on such a small subject wouldn't show the background. The background would be so blurred out. Ive actually tried this, filming exactly the way I film, but zoomed in really tight on a small fly. I am washed out in the back. In a few weeks I will be getting a tripod, however I have to save up for it. That will allow me to position the camera a bit higher, and further down my chest, so my shirt will show up rather than my beard. I have a decent cam corder now (I got a few weeks ago). So my newer video's (not this one) will be a higher quality HD video. It might look better.

 

I do like these however, and they gave me a great idea. One is to try and keep the light off of me, and only on my subject (the fly). I saw that in the video's from Dave McPhail. I am not sure how to just yet though, as where I tie is by a window. HAHA I use that window for some natural light in the video's. But I think maybe thats not the best idea now. However now my wife will probably not be happy about us having to re-arrange our little 1 bedroom attic we rent...

 

As for the voice over thing, rather then talking. Man that is so much easier! HAHA I cannot tell you how difficult it is to talk and tie at the same time. I decided at first to do it that way though because I thought it would give a bit of a "personal" feel, that my viewers might like. But now I am double thinking that.

 

Thanks for this. While I probably won't emulate them exactly (I cannot since these are still higher end filming process, that I cannot do in my tiny home with a 2 year old and a dog running around), but... There are a few things I can take away from this. Thanks!

 

See this is good constructive criticism! I like it!

[McFlyLures 0]

 

 

Can you maybe send me a few examples of fly videos made by "average joes" that are shot in the correct way so I can try emulate?

sure can

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/HansWeilenmann

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/DavieMcPhail

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKLvr5JVRmMvWKsqRStCS8w

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-UEPKRcqt5vVIX_Xtc7SJQ (in russian i think)

 

neither hans or davie use $1000 cameras

 

good reading material

 

http://www.hammercreekflyfishing.com/blog/category/creating%20a%20fly%20tying%20video

What do you think of this one? I shot this with that new camera I told you about. The problem is it shakes on the desk a bit. Something a tripod will fix... But you can see that I'm more washed out in the background due to a better camera, with a different lends and aperture. Still need to darken me up a bit more, but for now, this is better no?

[agn54 0]

Personally I think your videos are good, I can see what you are doing just fine. One thing I would suggest about the bunker video though is your shirt. If you notice, McPhail always wears that same solid blue shirt which gives a solid background making the fly stand out more. Like I said, I can see your flies fine, but a solid shirt rather than a plaid one would make the fly stand out even more. I have seen videos with the person wearing a t-shirt with graphics or pictures and you can hardly see the fly, so the shirt choice can matter.

 

Or you could dye the beard white to give a nice white background

[FIN-ITE 34 0]

For larger fly tying videos check out those by Niklaus Bauer and Daniel D. Holm. They both have beards, albeit not as full as yours.

Bauer has someone filming but Holm uses a fixed camera like you. I think that depth of field focus has a lot to do with getting the background out of focus so that it is less distracting.

 

I can easily follow your instructions and if the person is actually watching what is going on with the fly, your eyes will naturally "out of focus" anything else in the video.

 

Keep them coming and make the commitment to improve the quality of your videos.

[McFlyLures 0]

Personally I think your videos are good, I can see what you are doing just fine. One thing I would suggest about the bunker video though is your shirt. If you notice, McPhail always wears that same solid blue shirt which gives a solid background making the fly stand out more. Like I said, I can see your flies fine, but a solid shirt rather than a plaid one would make the fly stand out even more. I have seen videos with the person wearing a t-shirt with graphics or pictures and you can hardly see the fly, so the shirt choice can matter.

 

Or you could dye the beard white to give a nice white background

Yeah the solid shirt color is a good idea. I'll try that.

[McFlyLures 0]

For larger fly tying videos check out those by Niklaus Bauer and Daniel D. Holm. They both have beards, albeit not as full as yours.

Bauer has someone filming but Holm uses a fixed camera like you. I think that depth of field focus has a lot to do with getting the background out of focus so that it is less distracting.

 

I can easily follow your instructions and if the person is actually watching what is going on with the fly, your eyes will naturally "out of focus" anything else in the video.

 

Keep them coming and make the commitment to improve the quality of your videos.

I will check them out, thank you! . This is great, I'm so excited to be able to get all this great feedback and really improve my vids. I'm glad I found this forum.