
Field Notes
Essays, tutorials, and tools from the creative edge
This is the working log—where ideas take shape. A collection of how-to’s, reflections, case studies, and thought starters for creatives, educators, and brand-builders walking the path less travelled. Some posts are polished. Others are in process. All are shared with the hope they’ll meet you where you are—and help you keep moving toward what matters.
Categories
- Accountability Sessions
- Balancing Work & Family
- Behind the Scenes
- Building a Strong Family Foundation
- Business & Productivity
- Career Fulfillment
- Creativity & Flow
- Decision-Making & Strategic Thinking
- Family & Parenthood
- Filmmaking & Production
- Finding Meaning & Purpose
- Gear & Equipment
- Lead Generation & CRM Strategies
- Navigating Burnout
- Navigating Career Transitions
- Resilience & Human Experience
- Systems Design
- The Healing Power of Nature
- Time Management & Habits
- Tutorials & How-to’s
- Wellness & Creativity
- What Is Life? Series
How to Shoot Astro Timelapses
This post sheds light on the best settings for your camera so that when you go out and attempt to shoot the milky way yourself, you won't be frustrated by your results.
7 Tips to Help You Accomplish More in Less Time
In my quest to work more efficiently and accomplish more in a day, I have found a few tips that I want to share to help you structure your day and maximize your productivity in the hours that you do work and in turn, decrease stress and accomplish more.
Life as a Freelancer // The Lessons, The Stresses & The Successes
Working as a freelancer poses many challenges but also many rewards. I have learned a ton so far as a freelancer and looking back now, I only wish I would have known some of the things I do now. What I want to do with this post is shed light on some of the things I have learned.
What Support Gear Do I Need To Stabilize My Camera? 9 Tools To Help Get The Shot You Desire
Moving your camera in a way that best tells your story is one of the many tasks that a cinematographer must undertake.
Avoiding the Burnout // 7 Tips to Keep the Passion Alive in your Work
Staying passionate about the work you do is imperative if you hope to live a satisfied life. For me, I have struggled to strike that healthy work / life balance. I am passionate about not only writing but also sharing what I have learned and have not had the opportunity to do either over the past 6 months.
How to Choose Music for Your Video
For me, one of the hardest parts when editing a video is determining what music to use. This process usually takes almost as long as the process of capturing and editing the footage combined!
How to Balance Crew, Cast and Client Needs
In any production environments, it is important that you balance the crew, cast and client needs. At the end of the day, if each of these parties are not happy, you didn't do your job.
Why Working in Collaboration with Local Communities on Film Productions is Important
Every Moment Counts is a short that follows the journey of a cod fisherman who, after being enthralled in the industry for years, is considering putting away his gear for the last time.
A Few Tips on How to Film in a Foreign Country
There were a few things I learned along the way and things that I believe would have made my trip easier if I would have known how to deal with them beforehand. What I hope to do with this post is give you a little bit of insight into the production and help you on your trips to a foreign country.
What Video Camera Should You Buy? A 7-Step Guide
In regards to the type of camera I use, this always depends on what I am shooting. This always depends on the story I am trying to tell.
How to Protect Your Camera When Traveling
One of the challenges you need to deal with when you are traveling is how to protect your camera. In this post, you will find out a few different ways in which you can approach keeping them safe from both damage and theft.
Looking to Start a Business? Here are 10 Tips to Get You Started
Being successful as a multi-media artist is extremely challenging and requires a lot of hard work.
How to Prep Your Gear for Timelapse Shooting
One of the biggest challenges when shooting a time-lapse is gear management. This post talks about how to best prep your gear.
How To Shoot Day To Night Timelapses
As many people have proclaimed, day to night or night to day time-lapses are the ‘holy grail’ of time-lapse shooting. In this blog post, I will quickly walk you through a few different ways of capturing these types of shots.
How to Shoot Motion Controlled Timelapses
Once you have mastered static time-lapses, the next thing to add to your repertoire is the ability to shoot motion controlled time-lapses. Like static time-lapses, it is key to think of each frame as a unique image.
Talent Versus Skill // What Separates the Good From the Great
This post talks about the difference between the two and do so by using a set of case studies based on my experiences since my start as a full time freelancer in November 2011.
Finding a Balance Between Creativity & Running a Business
Finding a balance between creativity and running a business can be challenging.
The Pros and Cons of Film School // 5 Questions That May Save You From Unnecessary Debt
In this post, I break down the pros and cons of going to film school while offering some insight with actionable items that you will be able to take with you on your unique journey as a multi-media freelancer.
How To Shoot A Static Timelapse
In this post, I will first walk you through how to setup your camera and then will follow with the 7 questions that you will want to ask yourself before heading out to shoot.
Long Exposure Time-lapse Photography // Pushing The Medium
In this article, Armand walks us through his journey developing his unique look and also shows us how he achieve long exposure timelapses.