Travel Tip Tuesday | Taking Phone Videos
7 Tips | How to Take a Good Video with Your Phone
Recording a video has never been easier on your smartphone. There are a lot of little things that you can do to make a video that you shoot interesting and worth watching. With a little practice and a few key tips, you can start recording video footage with your smartphone. Below we have listed a few basic tips to help you shoot the best video that your smartphone allows.
1) Clean the Lens
This is such a basic suggestion, but one that is often overlooked. It takes a mere second to wipe down your lens with a moist swab. You can even clean the lens with eye glass cleaner.
2) Check Your Settings
On an Android, the settings are inside the main camera app, and on an Apple, the options are under Photo and Camera in the main settings menu. You will find a variety of video settings to choose from. The two most standard choices are 1080p at 30 frames per second which gives the footage a smooth look like you would see in real life and the 1080p at 60 frames per second which gives you more of a cinematic look and fluid video. There is also a slow-motion video option. The new smartphones have the ability to shoot in 4K that captures the most detail possible. If you shoot 4K you will take up a lot more space than if you shoot at 1080p.
3) Stabilize and Brace
In order to get smooth footage find a way to brace yourself and hold the camera as steady as possible. One trick of the trade is to tuck your elbows into your side as you hold the phone in front of you with both hands. You can also use something in front of you to brace the camera to support it. If you really want a steady shot get a tripod. Many selfie sticks come with a built-in tripod as well that will come in handy.
4) Lighting Tips
Natural light is the easiest light to shoot in, the trick is to make sure that the sun is shining on the object or face that you want to shoot. Always make sure the sun is to your back and not to the back of your subject or else the image will look like a silhouette. If you are shooting outdoors in the morning and in the afternoon the sun offers softer light and longer shadows. An overcast day can diffuse harsh light for a dreamy feel. If shooting in a dim or dark setting one light can create distracting shadows in your video. If it is dark or dim, you may want to bring in additional lighting to capture the cleanest image.
5) Try the Timer
Your smartphone has a time delay and a timer. For a steady shot, prop up your smartphone and set the timer for a ten-second countdown, that will give you time to get everyone in position!
6) Shoot Sideways
Although this is somewhat controversial, if you hold the phone horizontally to shoot video, it will look better when viewed on computer screens or on your TV. Horizontal shots are better for group and landscape videos.
7) Zoom In
Cameras also have a zoom option and help you get closer to the subject without moving. Using the zoom feature means you can catch more detail, play around with it but don’t get too close because of the blur factor.
It is always best to start practicing shooting video before you leave for your destination to get the hang of the way you want your video footage to look. We hope these introductory tips inspire you to try the video features on your smartphone or that they offer some insight on how to improve your photography on your next escorted tour. Happy shooting!