Camera Exercises (page 2)

Again just like soldiers in basic training, camera operators need to get comfortable facing a variety of physical obstacles while working. We can simulate a classic trouble situation by strewing small bits of paper (or bubble-wrap for added amusement) on the ground or floor to create a slalom course to navigate while recording video.

To mimic a crowded event, create a nice long course with plenty of turns and a few corners that will force you to change direction. Now decide on a stationary subject to frame and begin. Set out from the start of the course with your camera rolling and your lens at a forgiving wide-angle setting. Follow the course at a normal walking pace with your knees slightly bent to absorb shock. Divide your attention between keeping your subject framed and avoiding the obstacles. This gets even trickier when you change direction or walk backwards. Record and play back your results. Repeat until your shot looks steady all the way through the course and you manage to avoid all the obstacles.

For an added challenge, tighten the angle of view to medium-telephoto and proceed as above. This is a truly demanding test of your abilities.

We've covered movement, now let's cover holding still: a skill that's especially important when using the extreme telephoto end of your lens. And, by the way, for this exercise, it's no fair to use the image stabilizer that comes standard on many camcorders.

Set your camera up for handheld or shoulder-mounted operation and find a comfortable place to stand or sit. Now look for a suitable subject, preferably something smallish that has hard edges -- this makes it easier to check for steadiness. Situate yourself at least 12-15 feet from your subject and zoom in as far as you can (optical zoom only). Use the edges of your subject to position it just within the boundaries of your frame and then hold that pose.

Notice how the camera drifts and twitches with your breathing, heartbeat and other movements. Your goal is to find the most stable position. Practice holding your telephoto shot for 15-30 seconds at a time, until you can keep the frame quite steady. If you can stretch your time to a minute or two, you're a rock-solid shooter.

For a more difficult test, try this exercise without looking at the viewfinder. Frame your subject, then look away from the camera and try to hold the shot steady. Check your framing after a short time and see how far you've drifted from your original position.

Tripod skills are another one of those critical areas that quickly distinguish between operators who've put in practice time and those who haven't. It takes an experienced hand (and a fluid tripod head) to execute precise, soft starts and stops for pans and tilts.

Set up your camera on a tripod -- a model with a fluid head will help immensely with this exercise. As in the previous routine, set your lens at telephoto and focus on a small object with hard edges. Lock off your tripod's tilt control and tighten the pan control just enough to resist a light touch. Roll tape and watch the viewfinder or LCD as you gently take hold of the tripod's handle and begin a pan to the right until your subject is out of frame. Next, pan gently and slowly leftward to the starting position and bring the pan to a gliding stop. Repeat this part of the exercise until you can both start and stop the pan without any sudden movements.

For the tilt section, you'll execute a similar maneuver, but with the pan control locked off and the tilt control loosened just enough so that the tripod head won't dump the camera when left on its own.

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