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shakran · 08-09-2007, 01:18 PM

I'm a TV photojournalist KFG.

There are two schools of thought on the handheld vs. sticks. I'm from the school that says the camerawork should not be noticed, and should mimic the human eye. Unless you're in the habit of jumping up and down while watching Grandpa pour the ketchup, I think it should be steady

Also, and this is just me (well, me and the entire NPPA

) I don't buy the argument that we should shoot as though we were in an earthquake just because the audience is used to it. We're also used to bad TV shows like Big Brother, but that doesn't mean we who make content shouldn't try to do better

If you have to go off the sticks, use a steadicam or if you can't afford one (I'm assuming you're shooting with a small cam, not the fullsized ENG cam) make one by getting a tripod, attaching it to the camera, keep the legs folded, but extend them a bit, lock the head down, and hold it by the head. . . The legs extending below your hand will form a counterweight that will help keep it steadier without being rock solid.

Now if you're going to mimic a home video, then off the sticks is OK, but do it as all one shot - -this could work too if you do it well enough. But if you sequence and edit the shots, it no longer looks like a home movie.

08-09-2007, 01:18 PM	#12 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	I'm a TV photojournalist KFG. There are two schools of thought on the handheld vs. sticks. I'm from the school that says the camerawork should not be noticed, and should mimic the human eye. Unless you're in the habit of jumping up and down while watching Grandpa pour the ketchup, I think it should be steady Also, and this is just me (well, me and the entire NPPA ) I don't buy the argument that we should shoot as though we were in an earthquake just because the audience is used to it. We're also used to bad TV shows like Big Brother, but that doesn't mean we who make content shouldn't try to do better If you have to go off the sticks, use a steadicam or if you can't afford one (I'm assuming you're shooting with a small cam, not the fullsized ENG cam) make one by getting a tripod, attaching it to the camera, keep the legs folded, but extend them a bit, lock the head down, and hold it by the head. . . The legs extending below your hand will form a counterweight that will help keep it steadier without being rock solid. Now if you're going to mimic a home video, then off the sticks is OK, but do it as all one shot - -this could work too if you do it well enough. But if you sequence and edit the shots, it no longer looks like a home movie.