DIY Shoulder Rig For $80 and Hoodman Loupe Modification Tutorial

Recently, IndieBudgetMovie left a very nice comment on my youtube video illustrating how to modify a Hoodman Loupe using a Delkin Pop-Up Shade so it can be attached directly to the LCD on your DSLR. If you haven't seen my Hoodman Modification Tutorial, and aren't happy with your LCD view finder and how it attaches, check out the tutorial above.

In any case, it turns out IndiBudgetMovie is a master of DIY as well, and put together this awesome video showing off an adjustable shoulder rig he made for $80 using a drywall square. What's great about this build is that it can easily be adjusted to fit many different types of shooters and styles. I've seen a lot of shoulder stabilizers built from PVC, which works well, unfortunately, once all the parts are connected, it can't be easily adjusted. This rig looks very solid, and not to difficult to build.

Combined with the Modified Hoodman Loupe, this will look like a pretty professional rig, and will be very functional. IndieBudgetMovie says he's going to try out my modification, so maybe he'll put together a follow up video. I'd be excited to see someone else using the modded Hoodman Loupe.

To date, this makes two people I know of who have used my tutorial to ditch the rubberbands, and secure their view finders in a better way.

I'm glad to see other people benefitting from it. After all, that's why I made the video in the first place.

A Day of Equality, Acceptance, Joy, and Celebration- Gay Pride 2010

Gay Pride 2010 New York from David Frey on Vimeo.

Here is the video I shot and edited of the Gay Pride Parade in New York City. I shot this completely handheld, using a Canon Rebel T2i/550D with a Sigma 18-55mm f2.8-4.5 and a Canon EF 28-105mm f3.5-4.5.

I've lived in Greenwich Village my entire life, and never once saw the Pride Parade take place. I'm not big on crowds, or loud music, but when my boss from T.C.I. College said that he was going to be marching in the parade with some students, I figured it would be a great event to film.

On Sunday June 27th, My boss was late, and no where to be found, and the mob of students who were supposed to show up diminished to one young girl and her adorable daughter. It wasn't the turn out I was expecting, nor would the video I had intended on shooting work without students. However, it opened up some other possibilities.

While walking around the staging grounds looking for my boss, I saw the essence of the parade. The Pride Parade, in and of itself in philosophical terms. The Parade is about so much more then the organizations that march in it. It's about happiness, joy, equality, celebration of liberty, and well of course pride.

The original video idea was very different, more of a mini documentary of why students from T.C.I. were marching in the parade, but I'm very happy with how the project turned out. In fact, I had such a good time, seeing people just being happy and having fun, that I am hoping to participate and film in next years Gay Pride Parade.