Rebel T2i: Getting Steady Footage

When I decided to get a Canon T2i/550D for shooting video instead of a proper video camera, I knew there would be some significant challenges that I’d need to work around. One of those challenges is capturing audio (which I talked about here and here). Another big challenge is getting steady footage.

In the past, I’d been used to heavier cameras with stabilization built-in. When not using a tripod, I was able to get pretty darn steady footage. But now I’ve got to work at making sure my footage doesn’t look like I was shooting my kids soccer game with a FlipHD. Can you say EARTHQUAKE!?!

Okay, maybe it’s not quite that bad. But my point is this: you need to be intentional to get steady, professional looking footage.

Tools to Help

Lenses with Stabilization

When you are not shooting using a tripod or when you don’t really need your aperture super wide, a lens with built-in stabilization will help you out quite a bit. If you bought your T2i (or similar camera) with the kit lens, chances are you have a lens with Image Stabilization (Nikon & other third-party lens makers have other names for it). The kit lens is okay, but you’ll probably want a lens with a constant aperture so you can effectively zoom without cutting your light intake. Here are a couple recommendations.

Why Shoot RAW: A Practical Example

This is my first post since becoming a dad! Yay! I have the most beautiful daughter, Sophia, who you will see showing up quite frequently. And today she will make her debut.

A couple days ago, my wife was sitting outside with our daughter—who was probably 5 days old at the time—and she folded her little hands and started smiling. It was the cutest thing ever. So, Rachelle quickly ran inside and grabbed the camera and snapped a shot just before Sophia’s little expression had changed. Her face was priceless.

Unfortunately, the photo was incredibly overexposed. The camera had been left on manual mode and set for our inside lighting. Luckily, we shoot RAW format instead of JPEG. This made it possible to save the photo and edit it into something decent.

Photo Gear Decisions

I had a hard decision to make recently. With my daughter set to arrive in about 7 weeks, I needed to add something to my photo gear to help me be prepared. I know… you don’t NEED photography equipment to be prepared. But I wanted to get something to that will help get the shots that I wanted to get.

I had two items that I had been watching: Canon’s 85mm f/1.8 lens and a Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash. My dilemma was that I only had enough money for one of these. I knew the decision had was going to come down to what would help me the most in getting baby photos. Here’s the debate that went on in my head.

Rebel T2i: Audio Option Comparison

A couple months ago, I posted a quick audio test for shooting video on a Canon Rebel T2i/550D. Today, I decided to shoot another quick T2i audio comparison that includes using the onboard mic, a Røde NTG-2 shotgun microphone, and a Zoom H4n digital recorder.

I know it’s not super pretty, but I think you can assess the difference between the options. If’s it’s helpful to you, let me know and I’ll try to post more videos of this sort.

P.S. If you want a little more info, leave a comment or check out my audio setup post.

Photographer’s Rights: What You Need To Know

I am one of those individuals that walks into a situation and always figures out what to do if there is a confrontation. Yet, I don’t think I’ve ever really had a “confrontation” (aside from a pushing match in junior high).

As a photographer shooting in various locations, it is always good to know what your rights are for taking photos. I found this downloadable PDF that clearly explains what you would need to know if confronted. This is something that I’ll be keeping in my camera bag!

Source: The Photographer’s Rights
Via: ProLost