Stock Video Gear Guide

For photographers, adding video to their portfolio may seem like a daunting task. Not only does it involve a new medium, it also means additional, oftentimes expensive, gear. In reality, photographers and easily transition to video with few key gadgets. Choosing the right piece of gear is often a challenge between balancing budget and creative goals. Here are three pieces of gear that could help the stock photographer add video to their portfolio without breaking the bank.

1. Hand-held gyroscope

Being able to shoot anywhere and everywhere is becoming more and more important for content creators, and steady footage could mean the difference between a clip that gets licensed and one that doesn’t.

One of the new gadgets that can make shooting stock video easier specifically for photographers is the new DJI Osmo Mobile. Essentially a hand-held gyroscope, it’s a great unit for photographers for a few reasons.

First, it is cost effective. At $299, this isn’t going to break the bank for a professional or enthusiast photographer. Second, it integrates what you already know – your smart phone camera. With the Osmo Mobile, you can take good HD or 4k video clips today using the existing camera app and have files ready to submit to stock immediately. Third, it doesn’t get in the way. The Osmo Mobile won’t fit in your wallet, but it will easily fit in your camera bag or backpack and is ready to go in seconds.

2. Video mic

One of the biggest challenges for people shooting with a DSLR is audio. Adobe Stock does not accept footage with music, but sounds and ambient noises are acceptable. While not all shots benefit from having audio, in many cases, audio can add to the mood and atmosphere of the clip and ultimately become a key differentiator in terms of how many sales the clip generates in its lifetime.

While most DSLR cameras have the ability to pick up audio signal, it’s the photographer’s responsibility to make sure it captures sounds. Missing audio can result in a shot that suffers.

Adding a whole audio setup can be intimidating and costly. Enter the R⌀de VideoMic Pro. It’s a no hassle method for improving audio on your DSLR without having to know a ton about microphones. As a directional microphone, it is following the camera and dramatically improves the audio quality that is captured. All you need to do is make sure you have set the audio input level correctly to capture the sound – pretty easy for even an amateur.

3. HD/4K camera

Lastly, if you’re looking for a HD/4k camera that can give you great quality, a ton of features including video stabilization, is waterproof, voice-controlled and doesn’t cost a fortune, then the GoPro Hero5 might be a good choice to explore. At $399 and it is an incredibly powerful device that allows you to enter the world of 4k. There’s more 4k content coming in to Adobe Stock than ever before and with each approved 4k clip you put on Adobe Stock, you are getting two versions to sell – both the 4k and an HD version.

Each of these items can help you into the world of stock footage or improve your content. Whether you’re capturing 4k with a phone, a DSLR camera or something like a GoPro5, each video clip that is approved and put on Adobe Stock will create an HD version giving you two products to offer. There’s never been a better time to get started with video or to grow your collection with Adobe Stock.

To find out more about how to submit and sell your video clips on Adobe Stock, visit our Contributor Portal.