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Which trip report format do you prefer?
- Thread starter Alan Gage
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First, any trip report is a good trip report! Although I really enjoy video reports, they usually lack the detail that I prefer. Having said that, not all "text with pictures" trip reports have a lot of detail. Is that wishy-washy enough?
I like both, but I suspect Alan wants a forced choice, so I went with text/pictures. I especially appreciate good writers who take time to write well because I grew up with the written medium. It's also why I prefer discussion forums to highly visual and textually superficial social media, but I realize I'm in a diminishing minority on that score.
That all said, I also appreciate a good videogrpher and video editor. That requires a lot of time and set up, and I used to do a lot of that on other subject boards, but I never could stand the editing process. I used to paddle with a video camera on a tripod in my canoe and have dozens of videos of river and swamp trips on hard drives that I've never edited or posted up to my YouTube channel. The road to many places is paved with good intentions.
That all said, I also appreciate a good videogrpher and video editor. That requires a lot of time and set up, and I used to do a lot of that on other subject boards, but I never could stand the editing process. I used to paddle with a video camera on a tripod in my canoe and have dozens of videos of river and swamp trips on hard drives that I've never edited or posted up to my YouTube channel. The road to many places is paved with good intentions.
Really depends. There are some incredibly talented video guys who edit great trip reports. But the reality is most of us don't have the talent or time for that and so I'll keep posting photos/text.
I like both also. A well done video like the ones Robin puts out may not give you the details but you're there with him. Some people make them about themselves they give you details but end up talking too much into the camera. On the other side of the coin I like text w/pics, you can examine the pics for the details and more information can be conveyed Just get out there, have fun and tell us about it the best you can.
I had to say text with pictures, although it's a tough question.
Some canoeing youtuber (I don't remember who, maybe Chris Prouse?) said you are typically looking for about 10 minutes of finished video per tripping day, and that comes from a couple hours or more of raw footage. Like making maple syrup.
Some canoeing youtuber (I don't remember who, maybe Chris Prouse?) said you are typically looking for about 10 minutes of finished video per tripping day, and that comes from a couple hours or more of raw footage. Like making maple syrup.
Text and Pictures preferred adding additional (but secondary) video can be nice.
Video only reports can be entertaining but a typical 30 minute video can rarely convey the amount of information that 5,000 words can provide.
Video only reports can be entertaining but a typical 30 minute video can rarely convey the amount of information that 5,000 words can provide.
The problem with videos is that they are serial. You start watching and the video proceeds at the pace and with the detail determined by the author of the video. You can't really skim-read a video. You just watch as the video unfolds and when it finishes playing, it is not easy to go back and check details, like you can with a textual TR.
Integrating photos in a textual TR is a huge improvement over text only. Having a video is not much of an improvement, depending on the author's effort and skills. Where video is most useful is in portraying action. Movement. A good photographer, and I don't claim to be one, finds a way to capture action in a still. Running a rapid, surfing, fighting waves, and the like benefit from video. But, for most TRs, still photos and some descriptive text are all I need.
Integrating photos in a textual TR is a huge improvement over text only. Having a video is not much of an improvement, depending on the author's effort and skills. Where video is most useful is in portraying action. Movement. A good photographer, and I don't claim to be one, finds a way to capture action in a still. Running a rapid, surfing, fighting waves, and the like benefit from video. But, for most TRs, still photos and some descriptive text are all I need.
I like both, well I like to post a TR with some details of the trip and a bunch of stills with short explanations in-between, then I ad a link to a video of the trip also. So you can have a little of both, or neither. ha
I watch a lot of YouTube videos about canoe tripping and to be honest I'm not a fan of most and these are just my old guy thoughts.
IMO, most videos are too long, too much face time, too much talk, too much boring over the bow shots or endless white water scenes. Some folks, not many, are pretty good at the face time, especially if they ad some humor, I like that. A few are excellent narrators, I enjoy that.
I think it's strange when you never see the paddler in a written TR, lots of scenery but never a selfie. I don't get that.
Recently a couple did a trip thru Wabakimi and started a video "series", every other scene was the guy blabbing on about this or that, ugh, I couldn't make it thru the first video.
Finally, if the guy picks up a double blade I'm gone, if he paddles a wood canvas canoe I'll watch it many times...haha, as my 8 year old grandaughter says.."whatever grandpa"
I watch a lot of YouTube videos about canoe tripping and to be honest I'm not a fan of most and these are just my old guy thoughts.
IMO, most videos are too long, too much face time, too much talk, too much boring over the bow shots or endless white water scenes. Some folks, not many, are pretty good at the face time, especially if they ad some humor, I like that. A few are excellent narrators, I enjoy that.
I think it's strange when you never see the paddler in a written TR, lots of scenery but never a selfie. I don't get that.
Recently a couple did a trip thru Wabakimi and started a video "series", every other scene was the guy blabbing on about this or that, ugh, I couldn't make it thru the first video.
Finally, if the guy picks up a double blade I'm gone, if he paddles a wood canvas canoe I'll watch it many times...haha, as my 8 year old grandaughter says.."whatever grandpa"
I am unable to record my vote (on my phone). I get this error message: Your submission could not be processed because a security token was missing. If this occurred unexpectedly, please inform the administrator and describe the action you performed before you received this error. I would prefer both, but with a forced-choice, I vote for text/photos.
I like it when videographers make an effort to tell you where they are and provide actual route information, as well as the story, fauna and scenery. It's especially helpful when there's an overview of the whole route in a format short enough to be perused in trip planning. A good example of this is Northern Scavenger's Meanest Link "Map Overview" video, which is separate from the longer pond-by-pond narrative.
I like both when they are done well but am more likely to get through a written report with lots of photos then a poorly done "point of view" type video with little narration.
I much prefer text with photos, which is what I post. I like the flexibility of text, which allows me to alter my presentation to optimally suit the audience. Video is forever fixed. I do enjoy video, however, but often wish for more in depth storyline.
Text with pictures.
Like most, a quality video is enjoyable, and throwing it up on the big tv makes it even more so. But......
For forum consumption, my vote is text with pictures, with an optional link to the video version if provided. My reasoning is that while most folks can snap a picture, capturing quality video footage is a complete skillset that then requires extensive editing, which is another skillset. Add quality audio, another skillset needed.
If the forum ostracized text with pictures, in favor of video becoming the standard, how many are then going to shift from being a paddler/tripper, to concerning themselves with the production of video?
Was the day paddle, or even the simple overnighter, done for a video, or for the pleasure that pre-dated the perceived need for video?
Having had several paddling companions completely alter the feel, pace, and mood of a trip, all in the attempt to capture it on video, I no longer enjoy that as part of my paddling.
For those that can video, all while maintaining the feel of a non-videoed trip, my hat is off to you.
Most times, I forget to even grab a picture, and being in that moment, is more important to me, and is why I go paddling.
Bill
Like most, a quality video is enjoyable, and throwing it up on the big tv makes it even more so. But......
For forum consumption, my vote is text with pictures, with an optional link to the video version if provided. My reasoning is that while most folks can snap a picture, capturing quality video footage is a complete skillset that then requires extensive editing, which is another skillset. Add quality audio, another skillset needed.
If the forum ostracized text with pictures, in favor of video becoming the standard, how many are then going to shift from being a paddler/tripper, to concerning themselves with the production of video?
Was the day paddle, or even the simple overnighter, done for a video, or for the pleasure that pre-dated the perceived need for video?
Having had several paddling companions completely alter the feel, pace, and mood of a trip, all in the attempt to capture it on video, I no longer enjoy that as part of my paddling.
For those that can video, all while maintaining the feel of a non-videoed trip, my hat is off to you.
Most times, I forget to even grab a picture, and being in that moment, is more important to me, and is why I go paddling.
Bill
It is great that I can actually post to the site now, but I still can't dismiss the notifications from my computer.
I can type in the text box now, but it doesn't work correctly - I get an error code when the page refreshes: {"nodeId":126811} and I still can't dismiss the notifications.
It is still not working right for me on my (Android) phone or Windows 10 computer. I can type in the text box on both devices. On the computer, when the page refreshes, I get an error code: "nodeld":126812 and the entered text is not saved and posted. I also cannot dismiss notifications from either device. I guess I will just be holding off on my posting of trip reports and limit my postings to what can reasonably be done on my phone.
I would like to have both options, but if I have to choose, I would take photos/text.
I'm a reader... I even skip news stories on the internet if they're videos... So I like a trip report that's a story, with pics. thanks for asking.
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