I can’t tell you how many of my backpack journalism students lose critical visual and audio information because they are not connected to their characters with headphones. Once your character is out of eye sight and you are not listening to him/her over the wireless microphone, you’ve cut yourself off not only from what’s happening […]
Backpack journalists should document characters as they move from one scene to another. Always shoot the journey, be it by foot, car, plane or train. Shoot his/her feet hitting the pavement, hands on the steering wheel, face in the rear view mirror. Shoot through the windshield and out the window as the scenery passes by. […]
Point your left toe toward your subject and your right toe straight out in front of you. This is the way boxers and martial arts experts stand when confronting an opponent. Watch boxing or martial arts films to see what I’m talking about — how to properly position your feet for maximum stability and maneuverability. […]
Backpack journalists use tripods on a limited basis, as this allows us greater mobility and less intrusiveness. So learn how to turn your body into a tripod. Turn your left hip toward your subject. With your left hand as a base holding the camera, tuck your left elbow into your left rib cage just above […]
To maximize the effectiveness of your backpack journalism tools, learn how to hold the camera properly. Use the left hand as a base upon which the camera rests. Keep your fingers of the left hand free to manipulate switches, buttons and focus/zoom rings. Grasp the camera firmly with the right hand. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPVk08kRg8w.