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Gorillapod Archives - Page 3 of 15 - JOBY Blog

Three Tips To Make You A Better Vlogger With Valentina Dang

By | Gorillapod, JOBY Ambassadors, Travel, Tutorial, Vlog, YouTube | No Comments

JOBY Ambassador, Valentina Dang shares three helpful vlog tips on how to use GorillaPods to make your videos more watchable.

#1 Stabilization

No one wants to continue watching a shaky video. The GorillaPod acts like a buffer to dampen your arm movements for a smoother video.

#2 Use Your Environment

Give some context to where you are vlogging from. You’re telling a story and you need a setting. Make sure the viewers can see where you are and not just an up close selfie.

#3 Perspective

Having multiple angles in your video will help make it more entertaining. Using multiple GorillaPods setup around your shot location will go a long way to creating a better overall final video.

 

Check out the JOBY gear Valentina used in her video.

Valentina is a makeup artist/travel vlogger. Check out all her social channels for more great content including her recent trip to Iceland, where she put her JOBY gear to great use.

YouTube    Instagram    Twitter    Website

Capturing Dramatic Urban Photography With Neal Kumar

By | Gorillapod, Photography | No Comments

My name is Neal Kumar, a Chicago-based photographer, focused mostly on urban photography. I usually shoot with both a Canon 6D SLR and an iPhone, and I have the extra gear to help me shoot with both of those. While my Canon body isn’t too heavy, some of the lenses I use can add a lot of weight which makes having a sturdy tripod essential.

The Gorillapod Focus is perfect for this setup and is very stable despite harsh conditions. In Chicago, it can get quite windy, and in those situations, I like to spread the legs of the tripod out wider to increase stability. To be safe, I often adjust the legs without the camera attached, so that I can ensure the set up is secure before resting my camera on the tripod. Once I have the legs set, I will make fine adjustments using the ballhead. Sometimes I will even use Live view on the camera screen so I can make adjustments without having to look through the viewfinder. I use the Gorillapod for light trails, moving clouds, and night shots.

Ever since the iPhone first came out, new apps have been developed that allow the phone’s camera shutter to stay open longer to capture motion, light trails, and night shots. In most cases, I will use my Gorillapod with the iPhone attachment and ballhead. Again I like to get the Gorillapod legs set up before attaching my phone, and then make small adjustments with the ballhead. The beautiful part about the ballhead is that you can take both landscape and portrait shots with the iPhone by tilting it 90 degrees.

For night shots I like to use Cortex Cam which has fast focus and a relatively short shutter speed which decreases the chance of blurriness.

AvgNiteCam is great for capturing motion during both day and night. To capture the action of moving clouds or bodies of water, I like to use 16-64 shots depending on how much movement I want. However, the more shots I take, the long the shutter is open and the higher the chance of getting a blurry shot. Be sure to turn on the timer so that when you press the shutter button, you aren’t shaking the phone while the shutter is open.

Lastly, I like to use SlowShutterCam to capture light trails from moving objects such as cars or trains. This app is also useful for capturing motion while shooting from the very back window of subway trains in cities like Chicago and NYC. This is the one occasion where I don’t need a Gorillapod since I’m able to firmly hold the phone against the glass looking straight-on with the tracks. You can adjust how long you want the shutter to be open, but I like to keep this on “bulb” which allows you to stop the shutter whenever you feel like you have captured enough motion. I almost always keep the app in “Light Trail” mode, and use a sensitivity of ¼ or ⅛.

Check out JOBY Ambassador, Neal Kumar’s photography on his social channels.

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Instagram

JOBY #SchoolPridePOV Spotlight featuring Trevor Mahlmann

By | Gorillapod, Pro Spotlight, The Crew | No Comments

This month we’re featuring our #SchoolPridePOV Ambassador, Trevor Mahlmann. Trevor creates wondrous long exposure shots of the stars and beyond when he’s not in class at Purdue. Listen to what he has to say about his gear and check out his channels for more!

https://www.instagram.com/tmahlmann/

https://twitter.com/TrevorMahlmann

https://www.facebook.com/TrevorMahlmann

http://www.tmahlmann.com/

Don’t forget to get your entries into our #SchoolPridePOV Sweepstakes, for a chance to win $1,500 worth of camera gear! Details here: http://joby.com/schoolpridepov

What’s your favorite JOBY gear and why?

My GorillaPod Focus w/ BallHead X is my favorite because I use it the most.  It is a very sturdy and easy way to set up a shot quickly without getting out a bulky tripod, allowing you to get in lower situations you couldn’t reach without it.

What gear do you use?

I use a Canon 7D MKII, Canon Rebel T5i, GoPro Hero 4 Black, and a DJI Phantom 4 as my primary capture devices!

What is your favorite image you’ve posted and why?

My favorite image has to be the one below because of the craziness of it all. I still wonder to this day what made me think of that when I sat down on my flight.

What drives you to create?

Sharing awesome scenes I can be a part of with anyone and everyone I can so they can enjoy it too!

What’s the next piece of gear on your wish list?

5D Mk IV, definitely a full-frame body.

What’s your life outside of photography?

Student at Purdue, busy engineering student! During my summertime, I chase the photography projects I dream up during the school year.

What’s your dream job?

Astronaut. Flying in space, maybe step foot on Mars one day.

Any advice to those starting out?

Shoot everything, find what you like to shoot and hone in on it, perfecting your skills. Share those beautiful scenes with as many people as possible!

Step Into The World of Steel Wool Spinning with Dale Mears

By | Gorillapod, Photography, Uncategorized | No Comments

JOBY advocate Dale Mears took some time to walk us through his world of steel wool spinning photography. He’s been perfecting his style for a while now and recently came up big, winning a popular online competition versus many other talented spinners. Read his journey to spark some ideas in your photography!

I started spinning steel wool after seeing a shot online and instantly knew it was something I wanted to try. I went and bought myself a metal whisk, some steel wool, and some rope and called up a few friends.

I didn’t have a clue exactly what I was meant to do or what would happen, so I set my camera up on a GorillaPod and headed out to our local park at night to find some tunnels. With cameras set up and on a release shutter, we lit the wire wool, and I instantly knew it was something that I would have to do again. Sparks flying everywhere and the whole tunnel lit up was a real thrill. Back to the camera and waiting for the exposure to finish and up flashes the preview, we thought “wow, let’s do it again” and again and again. Our images got better each time and over a few months we tried a few locations and left it there.

A couple of months later I had a conversation with a friend of mine who said: “I know where there are some fields full of helicopters.” We had to visit the field, so we went a few times to grab some new steel wool shots.

We have since visited some cool location here in the UK based in Nottingham.

I have always had a thing about light painting and seeing what I can do with a camera and some cool toys, so this is the perfect hobby.

Earlier this year, I was asked if I wanted to take part in a UK competition called Battle of the Underdogs, an invite-only steel wool spinning competition over on Instagram. Of course, I had to say yes. The competition gives twenty contestants who have been spinning steel wool but were are not well known for it, a good chance to get some exposure.

It all started over at @steelwooldaily_uk and was a knockout format head to head. It was the best thing having to shoot specifically for the competition and go up blind against a competitor. The competition was judged by two well-known judges one of which Sergey the founder of Light Painting World Alliance so had to go large with the shots.

The competition went well and pushed me to travel with friends to some cool locations like a church carved into sandstone recorded to exist from 1658, some fresh graffiti ridden tunnels and a disused railway where we used the signal posts to club up high.

I ended up winning the competition thanks to the judge’s votes and, of course, a number of JOBY fans who gave some of my images a vote. A massive thank you from me!

If you haven’t had the chance to check out steel wool spinning, go and give it a go. If you need any tips check out the JOBY labs video guide!

My main piece of advice for someone wanting to start is to buy a nice comfortable dog lead and a good sturdy medium sized metal whisk. The dog lead will prevent you getting some real sore blisters. Make sure you have a sturdy tripod – I love to use my GorillaPod Focus + Bullhead X or SLR-Zoom as I can pack them in my bag without the hassle of carrying a big tripod and you get a nice low perspective. Use grade 00 or fine steel wool as this burns much better. Make sure you have some old clothes; a hoodie works nicely, so sparks don’t go down your back. Please be sensible and keep an eye on your surroundings, so you don’t burn anything.

Check out my channels and feel free to get in touch.

Instagram

Facebook

Instagram Spotlight – Hugh Roberts

By | Instagram Spotlight, Photography | No Comments

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JOBY Instagram Spotlight | featuring @boomeister_ru

This month we’re featuring Hugh Roberts. Hugh originally caught our attention with his mystical slow shutter images, and we became captivated by how he saw his hometown – Cape Town, South Africa. Check out Hugh’s feed and get ready for some jawdropping images that will inspire you to get out and explore!

Hugh Roberts  |  Age: 36  |  @boomeister_ru  |  instagram.com/boomeister_ru

Cape Town, South Africa

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Instagram Spotlight – Nikita Ducarroz

By | Instagram Spotlight, Photography | No Comments

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JOBY Instagram Spotlight | featuring @nikitabmxgirl

This month we’re featuring Nikita Ducarroz. We all follow people who just make us laugh, entertain us, or whom we just admire. Nikita is one of those people whom doesn’t take herself seriously even though she’s seriously talented. As one of the only females in the world who can backflip a BMX bike her Instagram feed is full of action, spills, and a behind the scenes look at the making of a pro at the start of her career. Follow @nikitabmxgirl today and add some excitement and silliness to your day.

Nikita Ducarroz  |  Age: 19  |  @nikitabmxgirl  |  instagram.com/nikitabmxgirl

Northern California

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Pro Spotlight – Chris Higgins

By | Photography, Pro Spotlight | No Comments

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JOBY Pro Spotlight | 13 Questions for a Pro Photographer |Chris Higgins

This month we’re featuring professional photographer Chris Higgins. You might remember Chris from our video “What Does It Take To Get The Shot – Caving” where Chris took us hundreds of feet below the surface and scared the @##@! out of us. Since we meet up with Chris a year ago he has been summiting peak after peak across the world. Follow Chris’s social sites and you’ll be in store for a view of places 99.9% of us never see.

 

Chris Higgins |  Age: 27   |  Tennessee, USA

Facebook: facebook.com/chrishigginsphotography

Instagram: instagram.com/chrishigginsphoto

Webpage: chrishigginsphoto.com

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JOBY Labs

JOBY Labs | Steel Wool Photography

By | JOBY Labs, Photography | No Comments

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JOBY Labs | Episode 1 | Steel Wool Photography

We are constantly inspired by our JOBY advocates on Instagram and after seeing some really amazing Steel Wool photos, like the ones below from @thebumonboard and @monodelespacio we decided to give it a go ourselves.

And so was born JOBY Labs. It’s a new video series where we tackle photography and video trends and explore the fun side of Photo & Video. Follow along as we learn, have fun, and get a bit crazy with our cameras.

JOBYLabs-Advocates

 

JOBY Labs | Episode 1 | Steel Wool Photography

In this episode we see what it takes to burn steel wool, check out camera settings, and then kick it up a notch. How often do you see a 2ft. ball of steel wool on fire, much less throw a bunch of sparks at a firefighter?! And that’s not even the half of what we experienced. Be sure to watch the video for this and so much more!

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Canon 5D mkIII | 16-35mm | f/2.8 | f220 | 8 second exposure | ISO 100

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Canon 5D mkIII | 16-35mm | f/2.8 | f220 | 20 second exposure | ISO 100

Watch the full video on our YouTube page now!

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What does it take to get the shot? CAVING

By | Learn from a Pro, Uncategorized, What does it take to get the shot? | No Comments

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Photographer Chris Higgins shows us what it takes.

ChrisHigginsPhoto.com

I think we’ve all seen those amazing caving photo images and looked at them in awe, but just what does it take to get those shots? A few months ago I came across a photo by Chris Higgins that was a top five winner in a JOBY, Lowepro, & Outex  joint contest. It started me thinking about all the difficulties capturing just such a shot might entail. So after a few emails back and forth I was off to Tennessee with Joey Hiller (JOBY Web Designer).  Assuming you’ve watched the video I’ll be elaborating a bit more below about what you don’t see, all the gear, and Joey will chime in with his perspective.

 

 

Never again! -Zach

“Never again” we’re the first words out of my mouth as we emerged from the cave. I’ll straight up say it right now; I had an amazing time but hundreds of feet underground, completely covered in mud, and mostly in complete darkness wasn’t for me. This is odd as I’m drawn to extreme activities but I’m also a clean freak. All I know is this was one of the rare times I thought I’d gotten myself in over my head and I’ve literally  crawled out under the wing of a small plane mid flight to get a shot.

BehindTheScenes

BEHIND THE SCENES:

The video is made up of a combination of two days of caving but for the sake of storytelling we combined them into one. The first day we were in the cave 12 hours and it was almost all rappelling. We came out of the cave at about 1:30am and were freezing after climbing up the waterfall. We then had to ride in the back of Chris’s jeep for an hour just to sleep on the ground in a cow pasture. You can probably already guess; I didn’t sleep. The second day we entered a second cave and were in the cave 8 hours. Day two was almost all crawling on our stomach. It was 2000+ feet in and 2000+ feet out. At 4 hours into it on the second day I called it; we had the footage we needed and I wanted to take a shower and crash in a hotel bed.

TRAINING: Joey has experience outdoor climbing and he is comfortable around ropes. I have a lot of structure/ building exterior climbing and rappelling experience but using a different rappel device. Our training with Chris literally was 5-10 minutes each where we both had tried to go up and switch over from the ascenders to the descenders (rappel device). I messed this up both times which resulted in the descender opening. If I had an issue while climbing back up the rope and needed to make a change over to the descender I would have to do it right. On Joey’s ascent before me he had an issue with his crawl (the ascender close to your chest that holds you in place) and almost had to make a change over. The crawl was slipping and not grabbing the rope securely. After he finished his ascent he lowered his harness  and gear down for me to use. I had to use it for my ascent; so you can see why I was a bit nervous.

GEAR:  As you can see in the closing shot we took a lot of gear into the cave with us. Most of it was ropes but I’ll list out everything we used to film it and what Chris brought.

Chris”s Higgins Gear: Nikon D7000, Sigma 10-20 lens, JOBY GorillaPod HybridJOBY Flash ClipLowepro Dryzone 40L When outside of a cave Chris has a variety of other lenses and uses a Lowepro Photo Sport Pro 30L AW and a JOBY GorillaPod Focus with Ballhead- X.

Chris's Gear

Zach’s Gear: Canon 5D mkII, Canon 50mm f/1.2 L, JOBY GorillaPod Focus with Ballhead- X, six JOBY GorillaTorch Flare 125’s, Lowepro DryZone 200, Rode Mic

Zach's Gear

Joey’s Gear: Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera, Panasonic Lumix 14mm f/2.5, JOBY GorillaPod Focus with Ballhead- XLowepro DryZone 200, two JOBY GorillaTorch Flare 125’s

Joey's Gear

I couldn’t have imagined myself actually doing this. – Joey

“There was really nothing that could’ve prepared me for this trip. The conditions in a cave are truly some of the hardest I’ve dealt with. It all became obvious when we first entered the cave. With camera rubbing against the rocks and a 150 foot rope around my shoulder pinning me in place, I stopped feeling the jet-lag and the reality of what we were doing really set in.

To get quality video in the cave I shot with the Black Magic Cinema Camera which has a native ISO of 800 and generally performs beautifully in low light. I paired it with the Panasonic Lumix 14mm f/2.5, which isn’t the fastest lens of all time, but has a nice field of view and has the added benefit of being only a $300 replacement if destroyed.” – Joey

Joey Hiller

Chris Higgins

 

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