Handheld Techniques

[Chris Bryan]

It didn’t take too much digging to find, but I found it. Videomaker also has a podcast with lots of great free videos covering editing, sound and video.

https://www.videomaker.com/vidcast/101/

[Zane Barker]

Now the BIG question for you is what type of camera do you have? I have seen wedding shot by so called professionals on everything from a cheep soccer mom camera to a variacam and everything in between.

So if you let us know what type of camera you have we can give you some better tips.

There are no “technical solutions” to your “artistic problems”.
Don’t let technology get in the way of your creativity!

[Chris Bryan]

I shoot with two Panasonic DVX100B’s. I’m interested to hear how the type of camera I shoot with will affect advice on handheld techniques.

Perhaps others will be interested in hearing about Steadicam equipment and other such gear, however, besides picking up a monopod with a fluid head, I at this time am not in the market for any such devices.

My previous post in this thread includes a link to a video that describes some techniques in how to actually hold the camera to get better shots and that’s what my question was initially. I’m interested in hearing some tried and true methods from others working in the field.

[Zane Barker]

I have an FX1 which is close in size to your camera and I use this and LOVE it.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/98762-REG/Video_Innovators_106_S_800_Pro_Shoulder_Support.html

I removed the front handle and just keep right hand in the camera hand strap on the controls and place my left hand up near the lens. To hands plus your shoulder gives you 3 points of contact and makes the camera much more stable.

And because you have 2 cameras you should have one stationary on a tripod that will give you basic coverage that you can cut to when needed, like if you need to move with the mobile camera. Your stationary camera on the tripod is also the camera that you feed the audio from the sound system into because you dont want a cord running to the mobile camera.

Hope this helps.

There are no “technical solutions” to your “artistic problems”.
Don’t let technology get in the way of your creativity!

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[Mark Suszko] “In a pinch, to save money, you might find a cheap but sturdy used tripod with pan head and re-build it into a monopod by amputating two legs and the spreader mechanism. How elegant it looks would be up to your mechanical skills. I made one once in a cave from a box of scraps, but I don’t like to talk about it…
“

😉