Basic Training: Shooting on the Go (page 2)

If you want more support than your own body can provide, it is likely your environment can lend a hand or two. Chairs, tables, trees, benches and even trash cans will help you get the steady image you're after. Videographers will often balance a camera on the back of a chair to get a level, still shot without the hassle of a tripod. Tree branches and fences work much the same way. If you look around, you're likely to see all sorts of environmental helpers you can lean on or use to balance and steady the camcorder.

If you're up for it, haul along a small beanbag or a camera bag as well. These are rather inexpensive accessories and are often lightweight, making them easy to transport. They are helpful because they are cushy and pliable and can fit into tight, rough or uneven spaces,. The camera will sit upon the beanbag and you can manipulate the angle from there.

Camera awareness is another important factor in handheld video production. Camera awareness is important in all videography but it is especially true when shooting handheld. We tend to use, abuse and take for granted many of our camcorders' features when they're sitting peacefully upon a tripod. Knowing how to use and how not to use the camcorder's features when it rests in your hands is a good first step in camera awareness.

Use image stabilization. Most camcorders are equipped with the image stabilization feature. Also, you should avoid telephoto lens settings, because they magnify all movements, including your own. Try to use the wide-angle lens setting as much as possible when shooting handheld. If you want a close up, move yourself and the camera closer rather than zooming in.

So far, we've been discussing static handheld shots, for the most part. But what if you want to execute a smooth camera move while shooting handheld? Ever see a marching band? They step lightly and intently, stepping from heel to toe. That's how you have to walk when you shoot handheld. You can also employ the use of your elbows and knees to be the shock absorbers.

Other motion shots, such as pans, tilts, booms, and cranes, can be achieved handheld. Many of these motion shots can be accomplished simply by using your environment and staying in control of your body and aware of your camera.

The best way to shoot a handheld pan is to twist your entire torso, not just your hands or arms. Start by aiming your feet and body in the direction you want to end your shot, then twist your torso into the direction you want to begin your shot. Slowly unwind your torso as you shoot your pan. By finishing in the position you are facing, you won't make as much shake as if you start at the point your body faces, then try to finish the pan in an uncomfortable and unbalanced position. Passable imitations of crane and boom shots can be achieved by extending your arms and slowly sweeping the scene. You can also go from a squat to a standing position to get even more crane and boom effects. Again, start in the least balanced position, and end in the most solidly footed pose.

While most situations can accommodate the use of a tripod, and most videographers use them as if the camera were a permanent attachment, handheld videography is an essential skill to have. It is also a fairly easy one to pick up, if you apply yourself.

Know the proper body positions and be aware of yourself and the camera. This will give you the added control and support you need to get those steady shots. The last thing you need to do, and perhaps the most important, is to practice. The more you practice, the better you will become.

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