With the proliferation of smartphone technology has come the hyper-advancement of the cameras and recording devices that are built into them. Ordinary citizens are able to capture historic events, children can capture breathtaking images, and musicians can bust onto the scene by using this technology. Business owners and entrepreneurs can also use this technology to create videos for their products and services that helps drive more traffic, and help you increase leads, sales or profits from your website.
Tips on How to Shoot the Best Possible Videos with Your Smartphone’s Camera
- Inform Yourself! Take some time to get to know your smartphone’s camera. Different smartphones will offer differing degrees of control over the resolution, exposure rate, and tinting of the image. Before shooting a video, test these options and make note of the differences—and your preferences.
- Keep Steady! Shaky video footage may be acceptable when shooting a children’s soccer game, but for professionals looking to sell a product or explain a service, steadiness of hand is a must. Handheld smartphone stabilizers will keep things steady if you must hold the smartphone while shooting, whereas tripods can be set on a steady, level surface for stationary shoots. Both of these options start at very affordable models, but can get pricier, depending upon the requirements for the shoot.
- Audio? Yes, the audio portion of a video is as important as the visual, but is often harder to capture well. Smartphones do come equipped with internal microphones, but ambient noise can easily interfere if the shot is being made outdoors. Many built-in microphones do not have a great range, making for a grainy, distant sound quality. Oftentimes these obstacles can be overcome by using an external, lavalier microphone. These microphones can attach directly to a person’s shirt so that the audio does not need to travel as far as the camera, providing for the clearest audio possible.
- Apps! Many downloadable applications are available to assist with the production of videos. These apps can help with tinting, adding graphics and music, and even with sharing via social media. These can be tuned during the editing process, which, if you have downloaded an app, can be completed right on your smartphone!
While not all smartphone recording devices are made equal, most are perfectly usable for professional-looking videos. Even if a video is not shot on the most advanced device, downloadable apps provide a variety of options to customize recordings, and lavalier microphones will greatly improve the quality of the audio recording. With a steadying piece of equipment and a bit of knowledge, you can easily create a professional marketing video.
