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DIY Archives - JOBY Blog

How to Create a Levitation Video by #JOBYAmbassadors Leamotion

By | DIY, Gorillapod, How To, JOBY Ambassadors, Tutorial, YouTube | No Comments

Have you always wanted to make something levitate? Through the magic of After Effects, #JOBYAmbassadors Leamotion and her GorillaPod brings you an in-depth tutorial on how to create video magic in a few simple steps.

Follow Leamotion on all her channels.

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“GorillaQuad” Quadcopter Creates Awesome Aerial Photography

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Petr Jan Juračka is a professional science photographer, based at Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague in the Czech Republic. Every day, he takes on the challenge of taking shots of various objects, from really small microorganisms to aerial shots of large areas. In the latter case, he decided to build an amazing tool—a quadcopter. Petr is much more  a photographer than engineer, so he improvised in the creation of his quadcopter. Still, he’s been really satisfied with his unique “GorillaQuad”. Using his invention he can capture very professional (and strikingly beautiful!) aerial images on very low budget. Check it out and get inspired!

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Quadcopters are becoming really popular these days. Their prices are falling strongly down and you can see them flying over almost every big sports events. The bird’s eye view is an attractive perspective, showing simply more. Although it looks easy, flying with these drones for shooting is very demanding activity and requires a lot of training.

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“I decided to buy a quad and supposed it will be another accessory, just easy way how take shots from above…” Petr says. “However, it was much more challenging than I ever thought. I got injured during the first fly, the quad fall down and broke many times. Moreover, I was disappointed with the image I got from the small sport camera on the board. For the stills, I wanted to rebuild my quad into something bigger holding advanced compact camera shooting in RAW. Gorillapods were my choice, as I was used to using them for other types of photography before. GorillaPods make really easy to rotate my camera as I wish, and it is easy  to fold up my quad for traveling. Other professional photographers might might make fun of how it looks, but they have to admit it works.”

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Petr’s GorrilaQuad consists of the quad (Czech DIY frame, cheap Chinese electronics, propellers from US) and two gorillapods – one serves as quad foots, second holds a camera. Their weight is 270 & 30 grams, what is just acceptable for flying – GorillaQuad can still fly about 5 minutes per battery, which is enough time to take breathtaking stills from the air.

“It is quite new solution for me, we constructed that in my favorite camera shop last week. So these images are really first shots I took using gorillas on my quad, but hopefully not last. I really, really like it!”, Petr adds.

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Do not forget to visit Petr website, or follow him on Facebook or Twitter to see more amazing photography! Thanks Petr for taking the time to chat with us today!

 

Father’s Day 20% Off Sale! Find Great Gifts for Dad!

By | Gorillapod, Gorillatorch, Photography | No Comments

We know how tough it can be find a great gift for dad for Father’s Day. Dress shirts are boring, ties are passé, socks are well, socks. This year get your dad a gift that he’ll really put to good use! Plus, from June 1st through June 16th, we’re offering 20% off our favorite gifts for Dad!

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Need help finding a gift? Check out our Father’s Day Gift Guide below! 

Does your dad like photography? Try our GorillaPod SLR-Zoom. A super lightweight and super flexible tripod he can take anywhere to capture unique photos wherever his adventures take him.

Is Dad a pro photographer or videographer? Check out our GorillaPod Focus. A professional grade tripod with a ton more flexibility than most, it’s perfect for a dad who’s looking to get creative with his photography.

Maybe Dad is the type to hike a mountain, ride a bike or run through city streets—all to get the perfect shot. He’ll love our UltraFit Sling Strap! Designed to allow you to cinch your camera tight against your body but still have for quick and easy camera access, it is perfect for the adventurous and active photographer.

Or perhaps Dad really enjoys DIY projects around the house or tinkering with his classic car? GorillaTorch Flare has six light settings, magnetic feet and is water resistant, making it the best way to light just about any task handsfree!

Is Dad the outdoorsy type who loves to spend his time camping in the great outdoors? Then GorillaTorch Switchback is for him! A 2-in-1 lantern that can convert into a headlamp, he can use it grilling, setting up a tent, or even on a night hike up Half Dome.

Use code DADROCKS at checkout to receive 20% off these great gifts for the dads in your life!

 

 

Ultimate Hands-Free CREE LED Flashlights!

By | Gorillatorch, New Product Launch | 3 Comments

Everyone’s favorite flashlights GorillaTorch and GorillaTorch Flare are now better and brighter than ever!  Just in time for summer, our GorillaTorch hands-free flashlights are the perfect companion on your next adventure. Not only are they super bright, they are water resistant, withstand drops of 6 feet, have super strong magnetic feet and feature our signature flexible ball and socket legs. They’re clearly the most versatile flashlight on the market and the most fun too!

GorillaTorch 100 now boasts 100 lumens of bright white light! It is 50% brighter than the original version and comes in three great new colors—charcoal, lime and dark blue.

Check out the new GorillaTorch 100 product video for even more ideas about how to put your GorillaTorch to work this summer!

GorillaTorch Flare 125 is now 25% brighter and has a max power of 125 lumens.  It sports both white and red LEDs and a snazzy strobe function.

Join the JOBY team on a camping adventure, complete with cards, star gazing and a campfire in our GorillaTorch Flare 125 product video.

To celebrate our better and brighter flashlights, we’re having a giveaway on Facebook! Share your summer outdoor aventure plans for a chance to win a GorillaTorch of your own! Enter to win today!

Tips from a Pro: Iconic iPhone Self-Portraits

By | Friends of Joby, Gorillamobile, Gorillapod, iPhone, Photography | 3 Comments

This month on the JOBY Blog, we’re all about iPhoneography. We think phonography is totally rad—three cheers for creative expression on the go! Plus, nothing beats a lightweight and decent camera that you always have with you.  We put our heads together with some other phone photography experts to bring you tips and tricks, awesome apps, video tutorials, and maybe even a contest or two. Stay tuned!

JOBY Pro Team Member photographer/videographer Martin Reisch (aka *safesolvent) has been a GorillaPod-enthusiast for several years and is one of our biggest fans. Armed with a GorillaMobile for iPhone 4/4s, his unique iPhone self-portraits have become quite iconic. Recently, he was featured on the Instagram Blog and we cannot deny that he’s taking the digital photo world by storm.

Though Martin is Montreal-based, he has been traveling all over the US and Canada on a variety of photo and video projects. We’ve been following his travels on Instagram (@safesolvent) and Twitter and we caught up with him to chat about his unique approach to photography. To take part in iPhone Photo Month here at JOBY, he recorded video tutorials that illustrate how he uses the GorillaMobile for iPhone 4/4s in his iPhoneography.

How has the GorillaPod changed the way you shoot with your iPhone?

The GorillaPod has changed the way I shoot in so many ways it’s hard to really put it into a single context. It’s like the first time you take your camera off automatic mode and realize that you can trick it into exposing for one area and then shooting another. Gorillapod essentially removes the “I have to be holding it” part of the photo equation and yet adds this “ceilings and fences can be surfaces too” element. In fact, most of the time, I’m actually putting equal amounts of effort into finding interesting places to shoot as well as finding a place to put my Gorillapod. I’ll often see a potential spot that I can hang or grip my Gorillapod onto and THEN see what it gives through the camera. For most photographers, it is usually the other way around. It certainly opens up a lot of opportunity for uniqueness in my photography.

What is your best usage tip for the GorillaPod?

It’s maybe not the best tip, but certainly something I’ve learned from using it over the years (wow, it really has been a while I’ve been using em!).I’ve noticed that often you only need two legs to grip, you can use the third one to sort of give the stability by bending it into an angle and having the foot rest/push off to counter-stabilize.

 

 Aside from the GorillaPod, what are your favorite apps or tools for iPhone photography?

Clearly I’m a fan of Instagram, but i don’t consider it a tool because for me it’s more of a platform to share. I’m a huge fan of @taptaptap’s Camera+. It’s essentially the first thing I open when I’m shooting and also often the only app I use to edit. I have started to play with the Slow Shutter app for nighttime shooting and iI’m very impressed by Photoforge 2 app for masking and heavy duty, complex edits. But for the most part, I like a clean image with a bit of contrast boost and a little cross process filter both of which can be done in Camera+.

Your locations are always breathtaking. How do you find the locations for your photography? What location inspires you most?

I’ll be honest, it’s not usually THE location or A location that inspires; it’s really a combination of the music on my iPhone while I’m wandering around, the light and architecture of a place, and whether or not I’m in a rush. Actually, the time factor doesn’t change anything. If i’m in a rush, I’ll USUALLY be late because for some reason that’s always when all the other factors come in to play and just blow me away, like a lensflare from the sun hitting a building and reflecting onto the ground. People have started to comment that “*safe solvent™ time” is 15-20 minutes behind reality.


 I know I get camera-shy when I’m shooting in public places. What is your advice for the aspiring self-portrait photographer?

It’s the same advice I always receive when I tell people I can’t dance … Pretend like nobody is looking and nobody care. Though I still don’t take that advice in regards to dancing, I often pretend like nobody is around when I’m taking my self-portraits because I know how being self-consciousness affects the final shot. You can tell—even on a small iPhone screen—if someone is not in the moment.

We’ve noticed that in most of your portraits, you’re wearing headphones. What are you listening to when you shoot?

I can’t deny how big of a Ghostly  and Moodgadget fan I am. During the last year or two, I’ve been listening to A LOT of their releases and even had the chance to meet and work with a few of them. The best part is they are almost all also on Instagram! I really like including the music that I was listening to while shooting in my photo tag. For me, it’s as important as the GPS / Foursquare check-in data. When people look at my photos, they always ask, “Where the hell was that?”.  And the follow up question is usually, “What were you listening to?”.  Actually. the REAL number one question is,  “Aren’t you worried someone will steal your iPhone/Camera while you shoot those super far away self portraits?” I’ll save that answer for another time!

To view more of Martin’s photo and video work, visit his website. And be sure to follow @safesolvent on Instagram!

DIY with iPhone 4 – How to Build a Steadicam

By | creactive, DIY | 5 Comments

Hello mechanically minded photographers out there!  Here is a fun weekend project, easily explained and with some very impressive results. This step by step approach to building a Steadicam is super informative, easy to follow…of course doing it might be a whole other ball of wax.  As always, be careful when handling heat and pvc piping. Yep, Mom was right about playing with fire.

Friday Finds: Make the perfect weekend project, Gorillapod hitches a ride, Love is in the air, REI anniversary

By | Friday Find, Gorillapod | No Comments

Happy 3 Day Weekend Creactives!

What to MAKE this weekend

Our love for Make Magazine grew even more this week with the roll-out of their remote controlled camera. Able to receive a signal from up to 2 miles away, this do-it-yourself device is made by hacking together a simple digital camera and a walkie talkie. Of course, everything is better with a Gorillapod.

A Ride on the Wild Side with Gorillapod

While we don’t condone or suggest that you test this out  with your own camera and Gorillapod Magnetic, it does make for an amazing video.

Love is in the Air

Apparently, some Gorillapods know how to perch themselves just right to  inspire their own love songs.

Others, just have to show up. DISCLAIMER: If you are easily offended do NOT watch this video.

Celebrate with REI

It’s that time of year again, as part of it’s yearly anniversary sale (ironic how that happens), REI has given Joby a place front and center in the San Francisco store. Apologies for camera quality, apparently we didn’t have  enough cameras around to take a sharp picture:)

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