Re: Handheld Techniques

People act differently than normal around giant cameras and gear. I generally chose to not use tripods in live events like that -- dynamic events where the subjects are not professionals. Not so much for mobility, but because of social quantum mechanics -- observing something changes its state. Yes, less camera shake does make you look better than Uncle Bob, but so does framing, audio, color balance, content coverage, and editing.

To answer your question, Chris... Try a cheap monopod; see if it helps. If you like using the monopod, buy a nicer, sturdier, lighter one. Personally, I think it doesn't provide enough stabilization to replace a tripod, and isn't small enough to be better than going handheld, but YMMV. Find ways to use your body or the environment to support the camera in three places -- ex., hold it with two hands on top of your head for high shots, hold it with two hands on your shoulder, on your leg, against a wall, etc. Set it on a table or some other flat surface and support the lens to get the correct tilt for what you need. Hold it against your chest. Get intimate with your camera and hold it close! And then use SmoothCam to clean up whatever jitter is left -- at least clean up rotation; translation shakiness is more forgivable than rotational shakiness. Rotational shake makes people feel seasick.

You'll definitely get better with practice, too. Good luck!