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PERFECTING THE TECHNIQUE The art of the successful handheld documentary-style shot is not one that everyone can master, and it’s very easy to do badly as countless camera operators have proved over the years. For some the answer is to enlist a little extra help and to strap on an Easyrig, but from a personal standpoint Patrick finds that particular kit cumbersome to wear and he prefers to sit a camera on his shoulder and to rely on its balance and his steady hand to achieve a useable end result. “You need to be able to control such things as focusing, framing and exposure with your fingertips without having to look,” he says, “and the arrangement of the Fujinon Cabrio lenses is so good that it makes this task easier than it might otherwise be. Keeping things as smooth as possible is key and you’re looking for a steady frame line that isn’t bouncing around at all. “There are two levels of working with a camera handheld, and one involves having an assistant pulling focus for you. I prefer the other way, which is where the camera operator does the whole job themselves, and
that gives you a lot more freedom but it can be a challenging way to work.” The essence of great handheld work is that, while the viewer might be conscious of the fact that the camera is mobile, there is no jarring movement, no up and down as the operator walks along and no sudden, sharp side-to-side movements. Instead everything is smooth and considered, with the viewer at the heart of the action, seemingly reacting to what’s going on and looking around in a natural way. The immediacy and pace that such an approach makes possible is the reason why it’s such a popular contemporary shooting style, but the fact that accomplished operators, such as Patrick Stewart, make it look simple belies the skill that is needed to make it all work. That and the right choice of gear, and the role of the Fujinon Cabrios in taking their place at the heart of a well-balanced and intuitive set-up can’t be underestimated. They’re simple and straightforward to work with, beautifully engineered and are the optics of choice for a whole generation of professional camera operators.
THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE FUJINON CABRIO LENSES IS SO GOOD THAT IT MAKES THIS TASK EASIER THAN IT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE
MORE INFORMATION: www.fujifilm.com Patrick Stewart: http://psptv.com
© Sam Urdank
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MAY 2018 DEFINITION
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