I really enjoy shooting automotive work. I create a monthly video post with my friend Harry Wagner for the Nitto Tire sponsored Driving Line YouTube Channel. So I end up shooting a lot of off road content there. I also have my own outdoor adventure YouTube channel, All-Terran Family. Check out the Reel!
How I Shoot Solo Automotive Video
When I shoot these videos it's usually just me. But I shoot with two cameras and, always get two angles on thee shoots. Here's some tips for solo shooting automitive video content.
Use Identical Cameras
I shoot with Sony A7siii and FX3 cameras. While not identical on the outside, they are on the inside. So they behave the same with respect to lighting, focus and color.
Use a Tripod
You can't shoot two cameras at once like a gunfighter, even if you're shooting run-and-gun. So I put one on a tripod. The camera on the tripod is usually shooting at 70mm or longer. This makes for a cool shot as the vehicle moves through the frame and you focus on a smaller part of the vehicle as it gets bigger in the frame. If I use a wide angle, I'll shoot it at 20mm and let the vehicle get as close to it as possible. You'll see the vehicle enter the frame and spend a lot of time in frame before exiting, makes for a cool shot and you get to see the whole vehicle.
Use a Gimble
With one camera on the tripod I'll usually shoot a second on the gimble. Usually with a wide angle lens, but sometimes with a longer lens, usually 50 - 75mm. For the kind of content I shoot, the viewers want to see the whole vehicle, so I try to get one shot that shows it all. If I'm shooting a more stylistic video, or one where you want to focus on logos, or specific products, then a gimble with a longer lens is absolutely beautiful and so unexpected based on how most gimble shots are done.
Know When to Use Autofocus
Autofocus is a godsend for videography of all kinds. Except when it isn't. When I'm shooting with a Gimble, I'll almost always use autofocus with focus tracking. I touch on the vehicle and that focus point stays there while the camera moves around. Works great.
For the camera on the tripod, I'll always use manual focus. I focus on a point where I think I'll get the most interesting detail and leave it there. I start recording, give the driver the go ahead and then run around with the camera on the gimble.
