Short(er) Guy: How to shoot better at eye level
 

I'm about 5'5" and when I shoot people who are taller than me standing with the XL2 shoulder mounted, I have a bit of trouble "looking up" at them. The footage can just look slightly wierd. I'd rather have the lens at more of an "eye level" position.
Any equipment or technique recommendations?
Thanks!

I'm not as short as you, at 6'1", but have had some issues in the past shooting over crowds. I know it isn't the same, but... what I do, is I take the top box off of my rolling camera box, and stand on it. It boosts me that extra foot when I need it. Try that with a soft bag!

Rick,

I have the opposite problem, at six four, I have to crouch and slump to bring the lens down to 'eye level' for interviews and such. Best case scenario of course, use a tripod. But for run and gun, you're going to have to come up with a shoulder pad that sits on your shoulder and you rest the camera on that.

Or compromise with a 'monopod' that will set the camera at the right height, but allow you to pick it up and move in a hurry.

I've had similar problems with being too short, but I would suppose that this is an issue with everyone when the subject is taller than the camera-person. If you get too close, you can get the taller person's head in frame but only the top of anyone elses heads are vissible.

If it's really important that I get this person in frame, I'll twist the viewfinder down and hold the camera just high enough above my head to get it right. This would obviously be tough on the arms for any length of time... but for those relatively short (no pun intended) instances when I'm close enough to the person for this to be an issue, it works. For more lengthy shots, it might just be a good idea to move back so you can get everyone in frame from our [shorter] vantage.

I like the shoulder cusion idea.

Hey, thanks for the great ideas. I think that based on the situation, I can use one or more of the ideas!