Using video to capture information on a site visit

[Tom Neppl]

Do any of you use video to capture information on a site visit? I’m curious to learn how you use the video record to inform your design process. Is it something you actively use or is it catalogued away for future reference, and used only when you need to take a second (or third) look at something? 

More specifically, I’m interested to learn if/how you present the videos to your clients (if you’re in practice) or students (if you’re in an academic setting). 

I believe there’s a great potential with the method that I’ve not yet been able to use effectively. I’m great at capturing video, saving it on my computer and there it stays. Maybe I’m not alone.

Looking for suggestions. Thanks!

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

Tom……Videos & Digital Photos (before & after) a project is built is something I have often used during my LA career.  Though, I really never used “videos” of a project for marketing.  I was often requested by clients to travel out of town or out of state to conduct a “site inspection” for my clients.  Besides extensive notes, I took a lot of digital photos during my inspection trip.  When I returned to my offices, I would write up a detailed “inspection report” and include several key digital photos with my report (as supporting information).

Additionally, not so much with “video”, but, with Digital Photos.  After every projects has been completed (and with the Owner’s permission), I would take dozens of digital photos of the finished project – whether it was commercial, multi-family or residential.  I keep and use those photos for my Professional Portfolio – for marketing.  I also keep copies of all preliminary color renderings, preliminary sketches and Final Contract Documents…..this is very important, as developing your Professional Portfolio (and keeping it very safe) is the lifeline to your FUTURE as an LA.  An outstanding Portfolio (with a mix of all of the items I mentioned above…have been extremely helpful to my continuing to pick up new clients and additional design work through the years.

I highly recommend to all LA’s just starting out……to keep copies of EVERY design they work on – color renderings, sketches, contract documents & photos of the final project.  Start building your Professional Portfolio from “day one”….and never stop.

[Jason T. Radice]

I do a lot of site photography for different things including events. One of my jobs I do twice a year is very large, complicated, and very involved, so I end up taking around 1200 shots over two days of shooting with an ultrawide lens. I had thought video might be handy, but on further thought, it really isn’t. It can be hard to get to see what you need to see having to fast forward or rewind through the video to get what you need. It is tough to share or print the images without taking the extra steps to do stills,which can be important for speed,  and it takes up a ton of memory space. The biggest thing is that video still isn’t very high resolution, and a lot of the detail gets lost…detail that is still there when you use a good camera and take pics at a medium or higher resolution. You can scale of the photos as well, where video can distort the images because of the small optics most cameras have.

Video would be nice for additional marketing shots if you have time to set things up properly, but too much effort for site stuff.  

[Matthew Stubbs]

I had the idea of strapping a camera on to my mountain bike and riding the planned corridor of a hike and bike trail. My thought is it would help in the planning of the trail. I never had the opportunity to put it into practice though. I may go back and do the same thing on the finished trail for marketing purposes, but still waiting on projects to be finished.

[Author]

Posts