I love field work - especially when the technology works

With hindsight, I really should have double-checked before the meeting which button to press to start video recording...

It's strange the things we forget when we are under pressure! I'd had my training in how to use the camera from the wonderfully talented and excellent teachers at No27 Media. We had needed to start with "this is how to switch it on", and then we'd got a long way in a short time. And I had been practising how to edit footage since. I can now subtitle and get a video onto YouTube.

But...

Come the pressure of real life field work, and numpty me was floundering around having forgotten the second step. I got it switched to video. But then couldn't for the life of me remember how to start recording - although thankfully I did remember that a little red light would mean I'd found the right button.

Actually, it did no harm. Someone else was able to sort me out. And me floudering around certainly did a lot for undermining the default dynamic of "me powerful researcher, you less powerful participant".

Videoing is a interesting expereince, especially in a public area. I'd carefully selected and reserved a table where no-one could accidentally end up in shot. The camera was set up, and carefully checked to make sure no-one would walk past or appear in the background, but that all of us could be seen.

And then we had the interesting moment. Tucked away from us was a children's chalk board area. There was no chance of getting any of the kids on camera. They wouldn't walk near the camera lines to get to the chalk board. The camera was pointing away from the chalkboard area.

I have kids, so I really shouldn't have underestimated children's ingenuity, randomness and curiousity - or the desire to suddenly play tag under and round the cafe tables... That was the moment when the tripod got knocked off the carefully selected angle and little kids who haven't signed informed consent might possibly have ended up peering down the lens for a milli-second before I rescued and re-angled the camera. If that did happen, I'm going to be so grateful for that video editing lesson!

I didn't dare check last night whether the camera had actually recorded the meeting. I didn't even dare check that the voice recorder (my backup) had worked.

As it turns out, I am pleased to announce that despite my clumsiness and ignorance, my research is now the proud parent of almost two hours of footage. Wish me luck as I get transcribing and analysing!