Need a tip i am a lousy camera man

[Fishbonez]

I was filming for some friends, I enjoy this as much as flying. We had a blast but when I am behind the camera. I can not seem to keep the plane in the center of the picture and often it falls below and out of the picture. Any of you experts got any tips on how to keep the plane in the screen? I have tried with the camera to my cheak and the side of my nose but that did not improve any. Here are two examples of my lousy camera work.

and

 

[PaulT]

When the plane is close you seem to have less problems with centering. Your panning looks good and fairly steady.
I am assuming that you have a view finder and not a screen so what I would suggest is you try to keep both eyes open while shooting. This does a couple things that could correct your issue.

 

[pgerts]

If you are to close when starting then the plane will get small as soon as it comes a short distance from you.
Try to start filming standing a little distance away. If you are 10 meters away and zoom in the plane when you start then the plane will not get small as soon as it goes away in the air.

Try to ask the pilot not to fly to close to you and not to far away - 10 to 50 meters will get a good size of the plane.
Another thing is if the pilot can tell you what he intends to do and not fly "erratic" without any patterns that you can imagine and follow.

 

[Klonas]

Tell your friends to fly closer. And it's easier to keep the plane in center if it's a slow plane. That EDF jet seems to be very fast.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

When I'm shooting with a camera I can't see through the view finder as well as I'd like, I try to keep the camera perpendicular to the plane, and I just follow cover the plane with the camera. I don't look at the camera as much, as "look around" it as I shoot. It works for me.

 

[Fishbonez]

Hey folks thanks for all the quick replies. I will keep all this in mind. I do have a viewfinder and a screen but like flyingmonkey said I find it hard to use them. SO I have been using the camera in front of me/ Like an extension of my nose, like it needs one its big enough,

 

[FlyingMonkey]

I'll actually hold mine out about arms length. Often with both hands to keep it steadier, but sometimes with just one.

 

[jetpackninja]

A friend of mine actually glued a piece of tubing onto the side of his camera, even zoomed in it allows easy tracking of the plane. I'm no kind of camera man at all but with this tube arrangement I was even able to get good video.
This vid and some of the more recent vids on his channel were shot with this method:

 

[themajik1]

A friend of mine actually glued a piece of tubing onto the side of his camera, even zoomed in it allows easy tracking of the plane. I'm no kind of camera man at all but with this tube arrangement I was even able to get good video.
This vid and some of the more recent vids on his channel were shot with this method:

Looks like it works well... Can you show how its set up?

 

[Fishbonez]

Yes Jetpack I am quite curiouse to see what you mean because that was a good video

 

[ananas1301]

Can you show how its set up?

+1 I can hardly imagine it.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Pictures!

 

[Fishbonez]

Pictures!

Now thats funny I dont care what anyone says...Thats just plain funny

 

[Fishbonez]

Chellie, whome happens to be one of the coolest, has sugested one of these.


http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19572&highlight=rifle
I think it might work well. Any thoughts?
I know its on another forum but its still worth a look at :black_eyed:

 

[jetpackninja]

Link is broken?

 

[jetpackninja]

Hahaha, trying to get some pics of the setup.
one pic = one thousand words
Thanks for including the family reunion picher!

Pictures!

 

[Fishbonez]

Link is broken?

here lets try this one

http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19572&highlight=rifle

 

[jetpackninja]

That one works. Thanks!