Here are some really useful tips when it comes to taking photos, recording your videos and up-ing your audio game.
Photography Tips (General)
These tips are for everyone. They are easy to follow and will make the biggest improvement to your photography.
- Try and use diffused light, as it's the most flattering (think of a cloudy day).
- Avoid direct light, as it can cast harsh shadows.
- Natural is best; make the most of light from windows.
- Use large, reflective surfaced to bounce light around. Like a sheet of A3 paper.
- Not a camera whiz? Don't worry - the automatic mode on most cameras and phones will get the job done.
- Avoid overly busy backgrounds - they are distracting.
- Be aware of your surroundings - think about what is in your image.
Photography Tips (Pro)
These tips are for people who have a more capable camera and don't mind changing settings.
- Consider using a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field. This blurs out the background whilst keeping your subject in focus.
- A narrow aperture, like f9, is ideal for landscapes (as it gets more in focus).
- A wide aperture, like f2.8, is ideal for portraits (gives nice, blurred backgrounds).
- Caution, anything below f2.8 might make focusing difficult due to the shallow depth of field.
- Adjust your ISO in low light. The higher the ISO, the greater the light sensitivity is - but - the image will be grainier.
- Adjust your white balance to compensate for the warmth of the light available.
- Shoot in high-quality JPEG (or RAW if you have access to professional editing software).
Audio
Good audio makes all the difference. If you're just recording audio, here are a few tips.
- Don't worry about expensive equipment; most phones have good microphones.
- Find a quiet place with soft furnishing (they absorb echoes).
- Avoid echoey rooms.
- Be mindful of your movements, as the microphone will pick up noise.
- Be mindful of background noise and objects making noise (like a squeaky chair and outside traffic).
Video
The above tips also apply to video, but here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Think about orientation - are you shooting in landscape or portrait format.
- Keep your camera as steady as you can - consider using a tripod.
- Think about the points you want to cover in your video - make notes.
- Try and avoid reading off a piece of paper directly.
- You don't need to professional edit your videos to get your point across. But if you want to edit them, iMovie or Windows Editor can help.