On the Road with a Camcorder Case (page 2)

Vary Your Shots

Use basic shots to tie your scenes together. If you're taking a car trip, you might start by getting a shot of the car being loaded, then a minute or two of the family getting into the car. Similarly, when you arrive, get ahead of the group--or jump out of the car first--to record them arriving at the vacation site. A word of caution: when traveling by car, don't leave your camcorder locked-up in the vehicle for long periods of time; keep in mind that excessive heat or cold can damage your equipment.

Mix your shots. Use a variety of long shots, medium shots and close-ups. Take long shots of groups or scenes of an area to establish where you're and what is going on. To give your long shots perspective, try to include a foreground object such as a tree or signpost. Be careful that your autofocus system doesn't have a bout of misbehavior when an unimportant object passes between your camera and your subject of interest. Use medium and close-up shots to focus on what your subjects are doing.

The people you meet when you travel play a major part in the impressions you get from a trip. Remember that people act differently when they realize they are being videotaped. If you wish to capture subjects on tape, it's polite to ask them first. Approach them in an open, friendly manner and show an interest in them before shooting by striking up a conversation. Never try to take video of people unobserved. Apart from risking a hostile reaction, a stealthy approach will result in guarded expressions on the part of your sub…