otto1219 wrote:Why aren't zoom lenses used? That's ridiculous.
Zoom lenses offer the ability to get a closer view of a section of the frame, but it feels more natural in the moment to simply get closer to the action and change the framing entirely. There are technical things related to proximity and parallax that can make zooming feel less natural to the viewer as well. Most essentially, though, shooting in the gonzo style is all about the feeling that the cameraman is an active participant in the action, not merely an observer. That concept informs the entire approach to shooting.
A lot of gonzo porn, including pretty much every studio on LP, tries to capture this idea of the "floating camera", which is kind of hard to define (and, I am now realizing, I have never actually tried to define before this very moment), but it's basically the feeling that the camera is a floating "fly on the wall" with agency of its own, like another participant in the action, rather than just a static object. I think it evolved out of the necessity for a cameraman to change both the height and angle of the camera quickly with no prior warning, since gonzo productions are unrehearsed and the camera needs to be able to adapt to the spontaneous decisions of the performers without disrupting the flow of the scene. The cameraman relies upon his hands to convey that movement, so things like zoom lenses often just feel clunky to them, and
nobody uses a dolly because that would sacrifice their ability to capture any sense of fluidity with their hands. The performers show awareness of it too and often adjust to accommodate its presence. Erm... I don't know if I am explaining that very well... But at any rate, a zoom lens disrupts the sensation of the "floating camera" because it doesn't feel like a "floating" sort of movement.
Practice will not eliminate physics. No one can zoom with their feet as well as a zoom lens can. That is why I also suggested a serious tripod on a dolly, to move smoothly. Or maybe put the camera, if it must be handheld, on a gyro hand held gimbal.
I'm telling you, I have never seen a zoom lens or a dolly used in gonzo porn. Never. Not even once. It simply isn't done. A few people use gyro gimbals, and I've been looking into that option for my own scenes, actually. That is a good suggestion.
A camera can move, but not if it detracts from the porn. And as a viewer I am saying it does. I am sure you are not saying that it is a deliberate choice to have an unsteady jerking camera shooting porn, right? Porn viewers want a clear/clean image, not some "artsy" camera work.
I am saying that it is a deliberate choice to have the camera move around. The jerkiness is something that can be improved, and I'm certainly no expert at that. I disagree that the primary goal should be to deliver a "clean" image, as you are defining it. Lighting, focus, exposure, etc. are all requirements, of course, but movement is a stylistic choice. In my own productions, I just need to work to make that movement smoother.
I am saying that there are too many closeups of the girl's face as she is being DAP'd or otherwise debauched. Some facial closeups are fine, but I want to see what is causing her facial reaction. A wider shot allows that, ie to see both ends...and I can zoom on my display if I want. I am free to zoom in on her face if I choose or her bottom, if I want. I don't want the camera person to make the decision for me about what part of the frame is "important." I want the freedom to choose where to look. My vision may be different, so include more so that the viewer can decide, not the cameraperson.
But what you're describing is not a close-up shot. That's a wide shot. You would just be making a choice to zoom in and create your own "DIY" close-up, but it's not the same thing. I am saying, as a director of my own productions and speaking only for myself, that I don't agree with that approach. The director is there to make directorial choices about what you see. You can't have the level of customization that you're talking about without bolting the camera to the floor and locking the frame for extended periods, which (again, speaking only for myself) is flat, static, and boring. And how am I supposed to know when you're bored with the shot? Ready to move on? What if I linger on a position for too long, or cut away just when you think it's getting good? You simply can't get the granular level of viewer customization you're talking about until we invent a holodeck or something like that.
I don't shoot for any particular display, but rather from a personal POV.
Huh? Those are 2 different aspects of shooting. They don't overlap. they are unrelated.
POV is a style of compostion/framing. the "display" is the device on which the porn is viewed, eg a Samsung 55" 4k flat screen Model55H33772.
And from what I saw in the one vid I viewed it was not POV. POV is what the recipient of the blowjob sees, not what the camera person sees.
Maybe I am misunderstanding you, though?
I meant "my personal POV" in the sense of my intuitive feeling for how the shot should be framed, not in the sense of the shooting style of "POV porn".
Nobody uses zoom lenses.
Nobody? In the whole wide world? Ever?
Nobody in gonzo porn. I have certainly never seen a zoom lens used in a Gonzo or Giorgio scene on this site.
I hope I am not offending when I ask this, but you do know what I'm talking about, right?
Yes. I am not an expert, but I do understand. There are still perceptible differences in parallax when using a zoom lens vs. moving the camera physically closer to the action. Focal length cannot create parallax out of thin air.
Thanks for listening and I'll stop now, I hope I made my points in a non offensive way.
Just don't take it as a personal affront. I am addressing your points earnestly and I respect the things you want to see in porn, even if I do not agree with them 100%.