How to shoot great video with your smartphone

Last Updated on November 10, 2023 by TM

Smartphones are becoming cheap but high-quality tools for shooting and editing videos that are available to almost everyone. Even professional video content creators see it as a viable option in certain situations. However, if you don’t have the right technique, you will likely get poor-quality video. Shooting a video is never easy, and the same goes for the case when you are using a smartphone. You should be well aware of different aspects of shooting with a mobile phone. In this article, we are going to share some key tips to help you make better videos with your smartphone right away.

1. Focus on the Orientation – 

The simplest general rule is to make sure that you always keep your smartphone horizontal when shooting the video. This allows the audience to view the video in full size on a monitor or television screen. Filming doesn’t seem to be a major problem. But when you play the video anywhere else, especially outside your smartphone, two large black bars on either side of the screen will appear in a landscape setting.

That is the reason why it is a good idea to use horizontal orientation and offer a better viewing angle to the audience. You can definitely use the vertical setting in case you don’t have any background to cover.

2. Always Use a Tripod – 

Not using a tripod when shooting a video on your smartphone is a stupid thing to do. Your videos will be shaky when you are using a smartphone because not every phone comes with OIS or optical image stabilization features. It is only available in high-end devices, and if your phone lacks it, the best way to keep the video steady is by using a tripod.

Different kinds of tripods are available out there. You can choose any one of them, and you’ll be able to see a major difference in the video quality. Your content seems to be more professional and stable than what you were making before.

3. Shoot From Different Angles – 

When you are shooting with the help of a smartphone, you need to utilize the benefit of different angles. When you are placing your shots from many angles, it allows you to bring more creativity and professionalism to the video.

After you have taken the master shot, you can essentially add some close-up touches and include some creative angle shots to complement the main video. This will definitely give you an edge over the videos that focus on only one angle. You should learn more about how you can use different angles to create a cinematic moment.

4. Use a Good Video Editor – 

If you are shooting a video on your smartphone, you must use good video editing software. Nowadays, video editors are equipped with high-end features and functionalities that allow anyone to create a wonderful effect in their videos. These editors help you to adjust the video brightness, saturation, color gradation, etc.

All of that allows you to get the best version of your smartphone video with all the essential elements present in it. There are many professional video editors available for mobile phones. Do check them out in your app store and learn to use any one of them now.

5. Avoid Digital Zoom – 

There is nothing worse than digital zoom. Fortunately, we are in an age where many of the best smartphones have optical zoom or no zoom, so you can zoom in without losing a lot of detail. To be able to zoom in while recording without losing the sharpness, you need a device that offers the right optical zoom.

If you have a smartphone with more than one rear view camera, one of the additional lenses is often a special “telephoto lens.” If you do not have a smartphone that comes with an optical zoom feature, you should get closer to your subject or use an accessory such as the clip-on lenses.

6. Make the Most of Natural Light –

 This is often neglected, but using natural light is one of the best ways to get the maximum out of your phone camera. Smartphone cameras usually struggle in artificial lighting conditions, which is why you need to shoot your video in natural light.

Try to shoot your video in the daytime when there’s enough sunlight. This will help to revamp the overall clarity of the video and allow you to get the edge. If you are using artificial light, you need to make sure that you use a tripod to stabilize it.

7. Make the Most of Slow Motion – 

The majority of smartphones these days have the option to shoot videos in slow motion. This can be a game-changer if you can shoot a slow-motion video in the right manner. Slow-motion videos help to add a particular depth to your shots, making them more interesting and resourceful. You can learn more about how to use slow-mo shots to create a wonderful effect and make your videos look more professional.

8. Use the Highest Resolution Quality – 

When you are shooting a video on your smartphone, you must use the highest resolution available. This will ensure that your camera captures the best quality video, and it won’t be affected when you are editing or uploading the video. You will see that post-processing of a video is going to reduce the quality by a few degrees.

So, it won’t matter to you when you are using the highest quality since it is shot in 4K or 1080p. Use additional storage to avoid any issues with the storage space in the smartphone.

 The Bottom Line

So, these are a few important things you need to keep in mind when you shoot a video using your smartphone. Make sure to follow all the points that we have discussed, and you’ll be in a better position to create more engaging smartphone videos from now on.