Create a photograph or 2minute-video that illustrates "The Power of Light" or "what do you do with your headlamp?"
Short of ideas? For inspiration, check out the videos or photos from our jury.

Pay attention to your choice of music!
Select from among the 100 tracks Petzl has chosen for the contest. Feel free to use these tracks. If you'd rather use something else, make sure you have the musician's written authorization.

Those featured in your video must sign a release waiver. Please take the time to read the rules of the contest and make sure you understand your responsibilities regarding copyright, etc.

Don't rip off music!
You might be able to get away with it on YouTube but you'll never be allowed to use it commercially. Download the tracks on the music section, or get written permission from the artist who compose original tunes. Be sure to credit the music!

Duct tape for ever...
Have high quality duct tape with you at all times, I never leave home without it!

Consider shallow depth of field
Shoot wide aperture and telephoto lenses to blur out the background and focus the viewers attention on the subject

Tripod versus no tripod
If you want your film to look cinematic, glossy and beautiful take the time to shoot with a tripod and carefully compose your framed. If you want something more kinetic or scrappy feeling than you can go handheld and shoot looser.

Use additional lighting on your subject
Video cameras are not sensitive enough in low light situations, particularly at night. Therefore, be sure to always provide additional lighting on your subject (with another light source). This way you will see more than a white spot on a black background...

Don't have editing software?
Do a "shot/edited"! It is a very old process which involves editing the film directly while shooting. It is a bit more work during the shoot (you need to have the film more or less written before filming), but this process has the advantage of having the film ready to show at the end of the shoot.

Don't steal music!
All music is protected by international copyright. Use Petzl's audio bank when sound editing.

Trick the light
It is better to shoot at dawn or dusk, rather than in the dark of night. It is easier to see the elements, the movement, the characters, etc. Furthermore, compression (web compression, Youtube encoding, etc.) will considerably darken your image. Consider this phenomenon carefully: approximately ¼ of your light is lost between what you film and what will appear on Youtube. Don't film in "night" mode, unless you don't have another choice.

Be creative, but keep it simple!
The most complex videos are not always the best. A film with just one good idea that is simple and understood by many has a much greater chance of winning a prize. Don't put in too much dialogue, unless it is really necessary. The simplest ideas are sometimes the most difficult to imagine and produce. Always keep in mind: Would a person at the other end of the world who doesn't speak my language understand my message? In any case, always speak English in the film. Stick to a simple idea, but one that is well-delivered and surprising. Don't rush the ending – that's the most important thing.

Be aware of image rights
The people you are filming (if they are recognizable) must sign a release waiver. Take the time to make them sign this; it is very important to request the image rights of each person you are filming.

Think about your music
Don't take just any piece of music. Music is protected by copyright law, and you risk legal proceedings if you use protected music. Petzl provides a selection of music to help you create your videos. If you know musicians whose work is not under copyright and who agree to provide music for the TIKKA² CONTEST, be sure to have them sign all the appropriate documents for releasing their music.

Flash
You'll need a flash to stop the action, but don't let it overpower the scene. Getting the right balance of light is the crux of all headlamp imagery.

Not too dark
Don't wait until it's too dark out, try to catch that time about 35 minutes past sunset when the sky still has some blue in it.

Open your eyes
Keep your eyes open for smoke, flying snow, steam, any sort of particulate - they all make the beam more dramatic.

Framing is the foundation of image
Try to mentally compose your images by positioning your subjects, both by anticipation and by direct reaction to a scene. The sharpness (focus) and the light (exposure) will follow as a result of your composition.

Imagination
Directly related to framing, all the ideas and mental images of your images will make your photos more creative, whether you are preparing your shots in advance or totally improvising.

Have fun!
"We only photograph well that which we really like." I don’t remember who said this, but I believe it more and more!"

Patience
Take the time get close and observe the subject.

Experiment
Play with light direction and make several different attempts while moving the light source around.

Calm
Be still and patient with night breezes. Use big pieces of cardboard to create a wind stop.

Keep things moving
For action sports, music, fashion, and other eye-candy oriented content, I think it's important to have movement in almost every shot. If the subject isn't moving, then the camera probably should be. For our climbing material we've devised new ways to keep the camera moving smoothly throughout a shot using elaborate rope-rigging. Even for handheld stuff, it can help to use small body-moves to give a slight sense of planes shifting to keep things dynamic.

Be a tech geek
Modern production flow often requires a shooter to be much more than just a camera man. If you are putting together your own low-budget project, you need to have a broad skill set to keep everything together, and even if you are working for a legitimate client, you may be expected to run camera, run sound, and deliver rough cuts by internet all on a tight schedule. The new cameras mostly record digitally onto cards, so you have to travel with laptop and hard drives, and spend your evenings downloading, organizing, and duplicating files. One of the biggest challenges is staying on top of constant changes in workflow, keeping up with the latest gear and software updates, and finding the hours to shoot all day long, then download / edit all night.

Be realistic
Define your goals for your project based on the resources available and on realistic expectations. If you're shooting something spectacular that's never been seen before, just do it solidly and get it out there, and it will make an impression. If you're shooting something that's already been covered to death, make sure you are bringing something new to the table or there's no point doing it. If you have a huge budget and serious skills, then up the ante and blow everyone away with production value. If you have no money and little experience, find something unique that can make your project stand out against bigger productions - maybe a spontaneity or authenticity that bigger productions inherently lack, maybe humor or personal intimacy. These days there is so much video content everywhere that you need something unique to stand out. Figure out what you can bring to the table that's fresh, and then milk it!

Frame the shot
Always light and frame the shot so that it's homogenous.

Stationary lights
Use stationary lights (the ULTRA headlamps, for instance), which are easier to use than flashes.

Reflections
Pay attention to reflections that may change shapes of your subject.

About this video
This video was inspired by the viral cell phone and popcorn advertising campaign. So I adapted the concept to make it work with Petzl headlamps. Of course, the Petzl lamps don't create microwaves... I spent a several hours erasing the popcorn frame by frame!