When tying a new pattern, which do you prefer?

[maodiver]

Was looking up the royal humpy today for a refresher, and caught myself skipping the videos, because with the loading time, inane commentary on many, and sometimes poor camera angles with shooting video solo, I find that I much prefer step by step photo tutorials like FAOL posts in the FOTW.

Which do you prefer and why? First person experience, video tutorial, step by step photos with text (FOTW), fly pattern sheet with single photo, fly in hand, combination, or other?

Corollary...do you prefer internets or other media? I love having the iPad, set it up next to the vise all slim and trim, and follow along with FOTW or Charlie's Fly Box (lefties make it harder *grin*).

[ScottP]

If it's a fly that's completely different than anything I've ever attempted before (like married-wing salmon flies), I prefer a good step by step. Need to see how the proportions are laid out and sequences go; whether it's on-line or in a book doesn't matter too much, although it's cheaper to find a website than buy a book (and, if you have a laptop or similar device, you can keep it near the tying area and not worry about it folding up on you ).
There are lots of great videos out there - Craig Mathews, Hans Weilenman, Davey McPhail, Wally Wiese, etc, that are well photographed and narrated and these can be great tying tools as well (there are sadly, many, many more that aren't worth the pixels there encoded on).

Regards,
Scott

[herefishy]

I like the videos, I can usually pick up something additional to the way it's being tied.

[DUB]

I like the videos. Second would be detailed tutorials like Charlie Craven puts out. He has detailed tying instructions and crystal clear photos.

[Allan]

Guess I'm 'old school'. I much prefer the hardcopy books. Of course it must contain good quality photos with accurate step-by-step descriptions. A few that I can think of quickly are by Eric Leiser, Poul Jorgensen, Mike Valla, Dick Talleur, Radeneich, Darrel Martin. The books are there. The pages are easy to get to and go back to time after time without going on line, going to a site, ssearching, then finding the exact spot that contains what you're looking for. The book is also tangible but maybe that means more to me than others. Now, I will certainly admit that for a refresher or even a first glance, a well produced on line video is excellent. However, I prefer not to view and tye at the same time so I just look at the video. It's too bad (although maybe this exists) that the producers of some videos don't take photos of the major steps and put them in a book with a destailed description of what was done in that step. Hope I've answered the question.

Allan

[James Smith]

While I do like the videos for picking up the occastional neat tying technique, I usually prefer the step by step photos for much the same reasons stated by maodiver.

Jim Smith

[johnstoeckel]

I prefer a good quality SBS. In fact for flies that just use standard materials and techniques, a picture with a materials list and a few tying notes is fine. Many of the videos are too slow moving and it's hard to "skim" a video for essential information.

[branhap]

I am pretty impartial. I like watching videos because they show little tricks and tidbits that other tyers use. Some videos are painfully long. My favorite two videos tend to come from Tightlines (featured on Orvisnews.com weekly) and the video's that Intheriffle.com put out. In the Riffle also has a large set of videos that were done by other people.

Both locations do a very good job of showing the materials needed and keep their videos under 6-7 minutes.

[lastchance]

I think a step-by-step tutorial with photos is much easier to understand. Videos are nice for some, but I prefer pictures.

[JohnScott]

I was fortunate to spend several hours every Saturday morning from late November through March for a good number of years watching really good local tiers do demos at Jimmy's All Seasons Angler in Idaho Falls. In person demos became a cornerstone of my fly tying, and are still my prefered method of learning.

To the extent that videos are well done ( compact, informative, good lighting and shooting angles, and appropriate narration ) they can be a good substitute for the in person experience. Of course, you don't get the banter and ideas that a live crowd that has spent a lot of time together provides.

John