dantampham

[insert pseudo inspirational quote here]

Month: February, 2012

February 15, 2012

This Will Happen Soon

Dare I say that I will become as famous if not more famous than Michelle Phan?

I dare say.

I found this promo video for her upcoming project “Fawn Inc” and was very inspired by it.
I was visualizing myself immersed in such a successful and productive environment as the one that is portrayed in the video.

I’m going to be focus towards self-esteem and confidence of an individual rather than focusing on the aesthetics of an individual like Michelle Phan.
In a society and environment that is continuously oppressing us, telling us that we are not good enough and that we have to buy so and so products to improve ourselves, I believe that it is very important to realize that we are ALL BEAUTIFUL and that we are ALL great, no matter how we look like. We must embrace ourselves and not conform to a mold that society has told us we must melt into to become “perfect” or atleast “acceptable”. 

I have been working on consciously improving myself as a person (it initially started with my confidence because I used to feel very insecure of myself) since 2008 and have gone a long way from where I was 4 years ago. I’m not saying I’m perfect now, I’m learning more and more about myself, people, and the world everyday and would like to share my progress and journey with others. Hopefully I will be providing a lot of value to the people out there. 

I decided to make a post about this because I have found that all of the past things that I have posted on my blogs have come true. By posting this, I feel that I have planted a seed into my subconscious that I will nurture both consciously AND subsconsciously. It’s twice as productive! In a sense, I am manifesting it, a self fulfilling prophecy of sorts! I have found evidence that it is working, so it is worth a try! It certainly doesn’t HURT to try! :)

I encourage others to give it a try, make a public announcement on either your blog or if you’re more courageous on your social networking accounts such as Facebook and Twitter. I plan on making the announcement Facebook sometime this evening.

I may sound a bit conceited and cocky, but what of it? Don’t be afraid to give yourself  words of encouragement and optimistic statements.
There is nothing wrong with addressing and broadcasting your capabilities and desires out into the world.

Also, by doing this, I feel that I am holding myself accountable. Now I’m in the frame of mind where I refuse to let myself down and will strive through all of the obstacles and hardships that get in my way, to get to my desired position.

That is all for now, I hope everyone has a great rest of their day.

Any questions and comments? If you need me to clarify anything, please leave me a comment and I will answer it!

Leave a comment
February 14, 2012

Vintage Sweetheart

Our Channel: www.youtube.com/user/stylefilmer)

Model: Dominique Nghiem
Official Site: ( style2bones.blogspot.com )
Tumblr: ( style2bones.tumblr.com )
Lookbook: ( lookbook.nu/style2bones )

Director of Photography & Editor: Dan Tam Pham
Official Site: ( www.dantampham.com )
Facebook: ( www.facebook.com/mindofxminus )
Youtube: ( www.youtube.com/user/mindofxminus )

Music: Giraffage – SLO
Official Site: ( www.giraffage.com )
Facebook: ( www.facebook.com/giraffage )

I filmed this nearing the end of January 2012.

The sharpness and quality of my new camera (Canon Rebel T3i) is INCREDIBLE!!! I am absolutely in LOVE with it!!!!!! I will be carrying my camera wherever I go now!!!

Filming today for my cousin’s fashion blog went very smoothly. I decided to fasten my camera onto a tripod and move the camera around on it rather than holding the actual cam in my hands. I find that the shots are a LOT more smooth way. So that’s a tip for anybody who’d like to get into low budget filming.

It was getting dark today and as I have said in my last 2 posts, I absolutely DESPISE shooting indoors. I was trying to figure out ways to NOT shoot indoors and as I said earlier also, if I REALLY wanted something, I would find a way to do it. And today, I REALLY wanted to film something. So I found myself multiple locations that I never thought of filming at that had really good lighting outside. One was outside in front of the grocery store under the hallway lights. Another one was outside of a bank under the bright lights that surrounded the building( I happen to choose this location in the end). Another was under the bright street/parking lamps (that didn’t really work because it was NOT bright enough, unfortunately).

Today I learned:
- Not to be too hasty and move around too fast with the tripod. I noticed that my panning is a lot quicker now because of how easy it is to handle, which isn’t what I was going for.
- To put more effort and plan out how I will edit the shots.
- To film in order so it makes it easier for me to organize and edit.
- To think of more variety for the shots, how to innovate my videos and make them more interesting. I don’t like sticking in the same patterns over and over.
- TO REVIEW AND CHECK MY FOOTAGE ON THE CAM BEFORE I END THE SHOOT. IN case I need to re shoot it because some footage might be too shakey to work with…
- Pay more attention and detail to the background and symmetry of the shot
- I must not go onto facebook whilst waiting for the video to render. It’s a waste of my time and I always get sidetracked for way longer than I plan. I will do something productive like read my textbooks or articles instead. :)
- REMEMBER TO UPLOAD IT ON THE RIGHT CHANNEL. -__-

I hope you enjoy it! :)

Leave a comment
February 14, 2012

Billiards and Friends,

I filmed this mid January 2012.

Music: Total Fascination – Pretty Lights

My friends were playing billiards so I decided to record them playing! I also had a friend record me playing. Unfortunately I am very bad at billiards…….. This is my second time playing it and it was absolutely pathetic. BUT IT’S ALRIGHT! If I keep playing it, I will become great at it! So I’m going to stop putting myself down for it. Don’t want to be self-manifesting anything negative!

Today I learned:
- That I should be very quick with setting up the shots especially for something spontaneous as games. Although pool is something you pause on and off, it messes up people’s focus and momentum when I have to yell out, “OH WAIT, WAIT!!!!! DON’T SHOOT YET!! I NEED TO FOCUS!!!” If I do more of these kinds of things, I will get a lot of practice in become more quick and efficient at setting up!
- I need to be more thorough and get some more detail shots.
- Vary my angles, make it more interesting.

I found out today that this is THE kind of stuff that I want to film (lifestyle/youth culture) for now! I freaking LOVE rewatching and editing the footage! Captured and archivable memories!

I plan on filming and photographing the parties I attend! And also plan on filming and photographing music events that my friends happen to dj or perform at! I’M SO EXCITED!!!

I was invited into a bar by one of the ladies that knew the band (she saw me shooting the lead singer from the side door) today to photograph a local rock band that was playing! I WAS SO FREAKING EXCITED and NERVOUS (because I was under 21) so my shots didn’t come out as nice as I’d like them to be. BUT the experience was SO AWESOME while it lasted nonetheless! NEW DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY ARE OPENING UP FOR ME!!!!

Leave a comment
Video | February 14, 2012

Happy Birthday Trinity

I filmed this on January 28, 2012 for my niece Trinity’s birthday at a petting zoo.

I am SO GLAD I told myself to come, even though I got there around less than an hour before my neices’ birthday event ended. I do not support or advocate the use of animals for recreational purposes as this, by the way. I’m just filming and documenting the day as is. Next time I encounter something that is against my values I will not film it.

WOW! This took me the longest time to edit out of all of the videos I’ve done thus far. I spent the most time on this because it was a present for Trinity and her parents. I really really really wanted to make this the best I can make it! I freaking LOVED IT!

The beginning of the video kind of reminds me of some kind of life insurance commercial…. Ahaha….

I hope you guys enjoy this! :)

My proudest video yet!

Today I learned:
- To figure out my values and have a choice in whether or not I film something according to those exact values. This is just a small and miniscule example that violated something I didn’t believe in. Note to self: Do not film things in the future that are against your morals and values ESPECIALLY if you’re offered lots of money for it. You’re not going to say, “whatever pays me” or “as long as I get the dough (money for it) I’m fine doing it” REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE!!! REMEMBER!!!!
- With film I am a LOT more observative and connect even DEEPER with my subjects, especially when I review footage. I learned how sad my neice was because she didn’t get the attention she desired. I would have never learned this if I wasn’t following her around. I also would have never noticed how sad the horses really were, being tied up against their own will for human’s recreational purposes, if I wasn’t filming the shot with the horse tied up to the tree.
- How manipulative film and editing can be. It really seriously has to be one of the most misleading things out there. You can always edit out things that might make the footage look bad, or look good. Either way, you can completely change a story and the perspective JUST by the smallest edits, leaving the smallest things out, or inputting the smallest things in. This realization definitely makes me wary of the news, especially mainstream news. Nothing’s really “objective” on the news when you think about it. If they are injecting even the SLIGHTEST opinion into the newsstory, it’s NO LONGER OBJECTIVE!!! NOPE!!!! Oh and by the way, I edited out a lot of shots that showed Trinity’s sadness or disappointment, because this is suppose to be a happy video……………………. She was sad or disappointed about 40% of the time. GOOD EDITING DIDN’T LET YOU SEE THAT PERSPECTIVE DID IT!?! HMMMM???? I DON’T THINK SO!!!
- I think I will be truthful next time I edit, and put in even the negative parts of the story also. I like being objective……. Although sometimes, it’s not something we want to see, it HAS to be seen so that we become fully aware of everything. Not just the things that others choose to tell you. Ignorance is not bliss.

Leave a comment
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.