The newest in their suite of awesome gear is CineMoco—a motor controlled dolly and slider for video and timelapse photography. They just launched on Kickstarter and have already reached their goal, but trust us, you’ll want to get in on this project.

Check out everything that CineMoco can do in this video.

To join in the fun, pledge to their Kickstarter campaign here. To learn more about the rest of the Cinetics family and how fabulous they pair with GorillaPod Focus and GorillaPod SLR-Zoom, check out CineSkates and CineSquid!

So here we go …

1. Don’t forget a tripod!!! Bust out your iPhone + GorillaMobile or GorillaPod and position it appropriately to capture the action. Watch out for trees, buildings and other spectators who might block your shot.

2.  Turn off the flash! 

3. Use out our free camera app Frame X Frame.  Choose the Time Lapse setting. We’d set it to take 1000 shots at 2 second intervals to capture the most of the show as possible. Set yourself up for success, which means lots and lots of shots. Sit back, enjoy the show and let Frame X Frame do all the work for you!

4. Use a self-timer (also a feature on Frame X Frame) to avoid camera shake when you hit the shutter button.

5. Test out long exposures. An app like SlowShutter will do the trick.

What are your fireworks photo tips? Have a favorite fireworks photo? Share in the comments and we’ll add them into this post.

Their Kickstarter Campaign has taken off and they’ve already received five times their funding goal! (Congratulations guys! You rocked it!) Clearly, they’ve hit on a revolutionary new concept that will change and improve photography, cinematography and social networking. This video demonstrates Galileo’s capabilities, showcasing several awesome time-lapse videos.  Enjoy!

Galileo Time-Lapse Demo from Josh Guyot on Vimeo.

To learn more about Galileo visit Motrr. To get your hands on one, fund their Kickstarter Campaign.

Cinematographer/Photographer Zach Settewongse is the creative mind behind COLORFULgrey, a video production company that specializes in commercials for television and web. His motto is “Live life, capture it”, which is something that JOBY can definitely get behind. A big fan of the GorillaPod for both personal and commercial work, Zach was also the winner of  JOBY’s Stop Motion Addict Contest from 2010. We’ve asked him to share his insights on creating stop motion and timelapse videos using the iPhone.

First, here is Zach’s award-winning stop motion video.

JOBY Frame X Frame contest: Zach Settewongse from COLORFULgrey Zach Settewongse on Vimeo.

Hi Zach, can you share a bit of what’s behind your stop motion video?

The video looks simple enough, but actually it took a lot more work than I originally thought. There was a ton of planning and staging of props. I started planning at 10am and finished at midnight. First, I looked at all my stuff lying around for ideas. Then I sketched out the sequence. Next I mounted the iPhone to the ceiling of my garage by the attic hatch so I could still see the screen with my head in the attic. Once I started the time lapse, I realized couldn’t do it alone. So I recruited my wife to help me and I started again. All the clothing and items were pre-staged just out of frame so I could get to them fast. Then I edited the video in Adobe Premier adding titles and sounds. Sorry for the cheesy music, I wanted to make sure I used open source (non-copyrighted) midi files.

What is your advice for folks who are interested in creating a stop motion video?

1.  Draw up a story board. Advance planning helps make your video seamless.
2. Secure your iPhone using a GorillaPod and take test photos to find the edge of the photo area. (You want to make sure the camera doesn’t shift during filming because that will ruin the stop motion effect).
3. Stage all of your props just outside of the photo area.
4. Set the camera to thirty second intervals in JOBY’s Frame X Frame App or recruit a friend to trigger the shutter.
5.  Editing! I used Adobe Premier to edit my video, but my best advice would be to keep your videos short—about 90 seconds or so.

JOBY Note:  If you’re planning to devote some serious time to your stop motion video, we also recommend you put your phone in airplane mode (Settings > Airplane Mode) and connect your phone to a power source. 

Another JOBY Note: Check out Photojojo’s Ultimate Guide to Timelapse Photography for a super detailed explanation of this whole process from set up through editing. 

 You’ve also used your phone to make timelapse videos.  Tell us a bit about that. 

LA to Reno from COLORFULgrey Zach Settewongse on Vimeo.

I love to break the rules and a camera phone is a great friend in mischief. For a while I was on a timelapse kick with my iPhone. I would create timelapse videos using JOBY’s Frame-X-Frame app while flying. Before I took off, I would start the app and place the phone in the plane’s window facing out, start recording, then shut the shade so the flight attendant could not see it. At the end of the flight you end up with a cool timelapse of your journey. Just don’t forget your phone in the window! I know, I know you’re not supposed to have your phone on during takeoff and landing. So here’s where I’ll say, “I’m positive JOBY, Inc does not approve of breaking FIA rules.”  But, I don’t work for Joby, I just love their products and I never had a problem.

What other ways do you use phone photography? 

My phone is my publicist! What do I mean? Well, I always take a photo of myself taking video/photos on location and using my sponsors’ products. Not only do my friends enjoy seeing what I’m currently working on, but my clients do as well.  It only takes a second to ask someone to snap a quick camera phone pic of you working or snap a self-portait using a timer and a GorillaPod. I usually post these photos to Facebook or my blog. Photos help me to create a more personal relationship with my clients and I have found that every one of my clients like seeing their company’s name in post. For me social media marketing is where the majority of my leads come from and camera phone photography is a big part of that.

A quick reminder on the purpose of the contest for new arrivals:

Of course, what would be a contest without prizes:

PRIZES
–Grand Prize: 7D + GorillaPod Focus plus Ballhead X plus featured at Renderyard film festival
–2nd prize: choice of GorillaPod SLR Zoom plus ballhead and your choice of a GorillaTorch Blade or GorillaTorch Switchback
-Runners Up: prize: GorillaMobile for iPhone 4
–Fan Favorite: Point and Shoot Camera

And now, the winners…

GRAND PRIZE

2nd Prize
Action Drawing by: ivnt6558

Caterpillar by Stefano

We would like to thank our awesome contest judges; Mark Reid, Founder and Director of Renderyard Short Film Festival, Estafania Merino, Co-Director of Renderyard Short Film Festival, Trevor Hardy, Animator of Watermill Farm on Nick Kids, Gregory Han of Apartment Therapy and pro-photographer and JOBY pro-team member, *Safe Solvent.

PS Congrats winners! Please contact send me for follow up at EWeinstein @ JOBY.com

Enter today!

As  a refresher here is what is at stake:

PRIZES
–Grand Prize: 7D + GorillaPod Focus plus Ballhead X plus featured at Renderyard film festival (link to: http://www.renderyard.com/)
–2nd prizes: choice of GorillaPod SLR Zoom plus ballhead and your choice of a GorillaTorch Blade or GorillaTorch Switchback
-Runners Up: prize (10 winners): GorillaMobile for iPhone 4
–Fan Favorite: Point and shoot Camera

To enter the STOP MOTION ADDICT CONTEST
1. Download Frame X Frame free from the iTunes Store
2. Shoot a killer stop motion video with Frame X Frame
3. Upload the video to your YouTube account and share in on this page
4. Get your friends to vote by giving it a thumbs up
5. Repeat! (Up to 3 entries per person)

ENTRY GUIDELINES
•Winners (except for the fan favorite) will be judged by an esteemed panel of judges based on –25% Creativity, 25% Technical Skill, 25% Virality, 25% Overall execution
•3 stop motion entries per person (must be shot using Frame X Frame app in either continuous or manual mode)
•Videos cannot exceed 3 minutes
•Contest ends 5/31, Winner Announced 6/8
•Fan favorite will be based on # of thumbs up to the winning entry (thumbs down will not impact fan favorite calculations
•Entrants must have actually taken the video. Purchased or stolen images or videos are not permitted.
•Edgy and creative is good, but pornography will be removed. JOBY ultimately reserves the right to disqualify entries it deems inappropriate.
•Contest is open to eligible participants, 18 years of age or older. This contest is void where prohibited. JOBY employees or family members of employees are not eligible. JOBY reserves the right to disqualify entrants or photographs it deems inappropriate or offensive. Entrants must be the rightful owners of any/all copyrights associated with submitted image(s) or video(s), or else must have explicit permission to distribute the image(s). Copyright violations will result in immediate disqualification. By submitting an image entrant retains ownership of the image or video, but grants JOBY an unrestricted license to publish, promote and reuse the image or video in perpetuity. In the event that a selected winner resides someplace where terms of this contest are prohibited or is found to have violated the terms and conditions of the contest, that winner will be declared ineligible and a new winner selected. All decisions of JOBY, Inc. are final. The names of winners will be posted by 6/8/2011 at: http://joby.com/blog.

This week a deluge  hit San Francisco, inspiring some members of the office to come to work in head to toe rain gear. While not winning any fashion awards, it probably did make for a more comfortable day at the office.

This magical video caught using a Lumix camera on a GorillaPod makes me, a lover of densely populated cities, want to get on a plane. I particularly enjoy the rhythm that occurs due to the trams starting and stopping.

Hong Kong: North Point to Western Market by Tram from David Gilbert on Vimeo.

GorillaTorch Flare was highlighted in Parents Magazine this month. It does look quite fetching against a turquoise backdrop.

The Friday before a long weekend here in the States, how lovely. My dance-loving-mood continues this week with a 80′s inspired groove fest with a dancing GorillaPod by Justin Bolduc Turpin.

GorillaDance from Justin Bolduc Turpin on Vimeo.

Feeling the need to travel, but not quite ready to pay for a ticket to Barcelona? David Kenny stitched together a series of lovely time lapse videos from a trip.

Barcelona, Spain portrayed through timelapses. from David Kenny on Vimeo.

This week we had two amazing stories sent into customer service.

The first comes from Australia, here’s what Lance Royce had to say:

“I live in Cairns Queensland Australia and in the aftermath of the Cyclone this month we lost power for almost four days.  We had a gas stove to cook on, but no clean light to see what we were cooking, so I got my Gorillatorch and attached it to the metal range hood (see attached pic’s).  We also used it to light up our living room by pointing the Gorillatorch on the white ceiling giving us a brighter area to help read and see better.

Thank you Joby for a fantastic, practical and useful product.”

Another customer, came up with a great new use for the GorillaMobile Ori – the workout.

I love the rainbow effect of the store aisles from the long exposure photo shot using a GorillaPod attached to a shopping cart by Dr Syntax.

And now for some valentine’s lovin’…

The GorillaPod video made the top Valentine’s picks for US Magazine.

Not to be forgotten, the GorillaPod Focus got a great write-up by Layers Magazine.

As a lover of modern dance, the lyrcisim and amazing lines of this first piece is just gorgeous. Without a clear plot and with a song that  can be both uplifting and sad depending on the listener, “The Thought of You” is a must see.

Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.

The begining of this Valentine’s movie is a little odd, but as it progresses the stop motion is tender and sweet (ok and maybe a little sachrine), but fun just the same.

As you can probably tell from the selection, I am a wee bit of a romantic.  So with that in mind, Happy Valentine’s Day from JOBY.

Welcome to Friday and hopefully the start of a lovely weekend. This first  image is absolutely adorable at first glance…although it becomes a little more sinister as you take a deeper look. These precious fimo characters seem to be having a jolly good time at play with hearts and love in the garden. But then there seems to be a pile of (dare-I -say-it) poop next to them. And, the GorillaPod monster does look like it is about to feast on the cute little bunnies. Maybe the carrot will be saved by the bunnies -  clearly they  are way more interested in each other than the whole idea of eating.

I love the lighting in this beautiful study of childhood and well sharpened colored pencils by Stefan Bassman.

Not sure if this was shot with a GorillaPod or not, but it is interesting and so I thought it was worth including. This video is a compilation of time-lapse videos shot from hotel room windows over the course of a year by Phillip Bloom. It is an interesting way to look back on a year. I think if I were to do it for last year, it would include a few slightly less picturesque views of air shafts and alleys.

Finally, a great write-up of the GorillaMobile Yogi on Gear Diary. I am not so clear, why you would want to wear the Yogi as a necklace, but I am eager to find out more.  This use on the other hand would come in very handy.