Heres a really simple way to rig your DSLR to your body for those high-action, POV-type shots(think skiing, biking, motocross, etc). No expensive helmet-cam rigging required. All you need is a bungee cord.
Check it:
Most cameras come standard with a neck strap. Youll need to make sure this is attached. Next, hang the camera from your neck. Good, now you look like a tourist. Chances are your camera is hanging somewhere near your stomach. Youll probably want to shorten up the camera strap so that the camera hangs over your chest. Unless your tummy is sporting a six pack (Ive got a six pack IN my tummy), youll find it much easier to wear the camera higher so its pushing against your chest rather than gut. To accomplish this, I had to shorten my camera strap by tying a knot in it.
Next, attach the bungee cord, hook facing out, to one side of the strap near the body of the camera. Wrap the bungee around your back and hook it to the other side of the camera strap. Done. Thats it. If the bungee is the right size, you should feel the pull of the bungee holding the camera tight against your body. Notice as you move, the camera moves with your body. Now your hands are free to hang on to the handle bars, ski poles, or dog sled(?).
Heres a clip of me on my trusty lil Suzuki 450GS. This was shot with a Canon MKII and a 17-40mm f/4. The POV riding shots were accomplished with the bungee-mount method.
A couple things to note:
* You should be slightly uncomfortable. In order to hold the camera tight against your body, youve got to get the bungee cord relatively tight. If your torso goes numb and you cant feel your legs, its too tight.
* Try to find a bungee cord with plastic hooks. Plastic is less likely to scratch your camera and less likely to poke you in the sides. Do not attempt this mount if you are ticklish.
* This method holds the camera tight for most lateral forces, but the camera is still free to bounce a little up and down. For jarring activities like running or pogo sticks you might want to add a vertical strap as well. Let me know if you find something that works.
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Jesse Rosten is a filmmaker and photographer currently based out of Northern California. Hes a fan of creativity in all its forms.
April 07th, 2010
