shooting handheld - tips/ideas?

N

nobbystylus

Well-known member
I'm travelling around Vietnam at the moment with my GH1 and am loving what i'm getting, using the kit lens (with a Fader ND), pancake 1.7 and my FD 1.4. Of course all the stuff i'm doing on a tripod, using the kit lens and zoom, is coming out great. I can be quite far from my subject (interesting people at interesting places, doing interesting stuff) and still compose nice shots. But there are a lot of occasions when i'm moving through a crowd (markets etc) and to get a tripod out is just not appropriate, ie will raise eyebrows, cause a crowd to gather etc. I'm doing quite a lot of stuff handheld and using my gorilla pod/monopod for quick composing, resting on my shoulder or hips, but would love to hear anybody's tips on shooting handheld, or with very minimal kit, and staying low key but steady. I'm trying to shoot nice real life imagery, while being quite 'fly on the wall'.

Any thoughts on using a small cam like this 'on the run' but still getting good, steady, shots, with minimal equipment? I'm trying a few tai chi techniques out (relaxing the arms and grip, loosening the joints, breathing slowly) which certainly help, but would love to hear any other techniques or ideas.
 
I use an old SpiderBrace because it is very light but any shoulder brace will work with this technique - instead of putting the brace on my shoulder and creating an intimidating image I tuck it under my arm and shoot with the swiveling LCD. Very stable, mobile and no camera-brace hitting people at face level. Works great, especially since it allows the cam to be close to your body so you shield it.
 
Using the kit lens really helps with its built-in image stablization. Are you using your Gorilla pod like hand grips? That's what many are doing to minimize the shake of hand-held. I've found that shooting 720p looks better than 1080p when doing hand-held because the rolling shutter effect is lessened. Your tai chi techniques sound like a good idea, too. When I'm shooting hand-held with the GH-1, as soon as I find my shot, I take a big, deep breath, then as I'm operating the shot, I exhale very slowly, and pan or tilt my camera half as slow as I think is natural (unless I'm following a moving subject, in which case I just keep up with it).That seems to minimize shake and create a nice, fluid look to the shot. Holding the camera out as far from your body as possible can also help, if you can still see the LCD! :-)
 
Someone mentioned on one of my previous posts to use the neck-strap trick. That seems to work well...
 
great ideas ! yes i've been using the gorilla pod in a variety of ways but its handy to use as a hand grip with either two legs against the body, and one leg as a grip for my left hand and one hand on the camera body. Its pretty cool but your head is not quite the right distance from the camera and my neck doesn't like constantly looking down at the LCD!

Tai Chi has been very helpful, keeping the knees slightly bent, relaxing the hips, shoulders and your grip, and allowing your weight to move from one leg to the other, can create some fluid and nice steadicam ish movements.

I'll try the neck strap trick too.

Keep em coming guys!
 
mkeep said:
:embarasse I've been shooting with it off this whole time. I thought I read that the OIS screwed with the video quality somehow?
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Only if you have it stabilized as on a tripod -- can get some unexpected jumps.
 
I think the OIS is ok. Just try it . Make the same hot with and without OIS and see, if the image is "screwed".
Definitively, it makes it easier to shoot out of the hand.

What also works quite well is, if you have a thin cord and make a loop. Put your right hand through the loop and drop the rest of the cord to the ground.
Then step on the cord that is on the ground and make sure, that there is tension in the cord.
This stabilizes your hand and with that the camera in your hand.

Alternatively you can tie the cord to your belt having the loop on the other side , so you do not have to step on the cord.

Works quite well, is extremely small and really invisible, does not cost anything and nobody really sees what you are doing, especially when the cord is tied to your belt.
 
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What I also do is to use a small bag of rice underneath the camera (OIS on on the kit lens). If its completely hand held the extra weight helps with the higher frequency stuff (which is very disturbing), and you can place the camera with the bag underneath on almost anything which is around and get a nicely stabilzed shot with the right angle, without messing around.
 
GMC said:
What I also do is to use a small bag of rice underneath the camera (OIS on on the kit lens). If its completely hand held the extra weight helps with the higher frequency stuff (which is very disturbing), and you can place the camera with the bag underneath on almost anything which is around and get a nicely stabilzed shot with the right angle, without messing around.
Click to expand...

I hear Zacuto is coming out with their new Zice-Zag any day now. Rumor has it at less than $100 (including lanyard).
 
I always limit my breaths when holding in the hand. Like you are about to take your shot with a rifle you exhale slowly. I also found that if you swivel out your LCD and hold that gently with your one hand and the camera in the other you get a more stable shot. Doing that you can also tuck your arms in where your elbows are up against your chest and in close. Then you just twist your entire torso to look around instead of your arms. Hope that helps.
 
Since I do about all my shoot the way the OP describe what he wanna do, I toughtI could maybe try to share.

I usually always carry my monopod (anfrooto+ the little 2 pan way head + quick release), and if I goota do a travelling I either (depending on angle or anything) make the monopod rest mon shoulder and put my lowerpro slingshot brace (sorry I'm french i don't know how to say that) over it and use the handle of the little head as a handle and use the other hand to control focus.

The other way to do it is to make the monopod and handle like it was a 90 degree axe you put on hand on the monopod and the other one on the other axis so you kinda have control over both axis. This one doesnt work if you have any zoom/focus action todo.
 
An adjustable monopod tucked into your pant waist is quite steady for most applications when running around. Definitely keeps you with a minimal set-up as well.
 
is that a monopod in your pants or are you just happy to see me?

I have yet to buy a GH1/7d but on my camcorder I found attaching a light weight to the bottom of a half slightly extended monopod helps a fair bit. Just remember to hold it at the balance point
 
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