From the course: Video Journalism: Shooting Techniques

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Keeping your shots steady

Keeping your shots steady

One goal when shooting video is to avoid reminding viewers that they're watching video. You want them to suspend disbelief, to feel that they're experiencing your story. Well, one way to shatter that illusion is shaky shots. Jerky camera movements remind viewers that they're watching a video. Now that's not to say that all shaky shots are bad. They work well with fast action scenes, point-of-view shots, or quick edits, but in general, you want your shots to be steady, and the best way to do that is with a tripod, sticks in the vernacular. A good tripod has a solid feel to it and high-quality head that allows for smooth panning and tilting. So when you can, use a tripod. But sometimes sticks can be an encumbrance. They can slow you down. So in those circumstances, improvise. Lean against something. Put your elbows on a table or put the camera on a solid surface. So here are a few examples that I shot. (choir singing) This is the musical group that I sing with. It's called the…

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