Originally posted on https://omgphotos.com/5-tips-to-make-your-smartphone-video-look-better/

Trying to shoot better smartphone videos?

Wondering how you can get the best shots from your smartphone?

While just about every modern smartphone allows you to easily shoot videos with the built-in camera the results don’t always turn out as planned. If you want to get great video from your smartphone you shouldn’t leave it up to chance. A few techniques and tricks could make all the difference in getting better footage with your smartphone camera.

Luckily, we’re here to help you out. Below we’ll tell you how you can make your smartphone video look better than ever before.

1. Change the Basic Settings

The first thing you should do when trying to get better video out of your smartphone is to make sure you’ve optimized your camera’s settings.

Every smartphone camera has different quality settings that you can change from the built-in app. A few of the best things you can do to improve your videos is to change your video recording to a higher resolution, switch to a higher frame rate, and increase your audio bitrate.

However, be aware that videos with higher quality settings will take up more space than lower-quality videos will.

2. Shoot in Landscape

If you’re trying to shoot better videos on your smartphone, you should start shooting your videos in landscape. This means that you’ll be holding your phone horizontally rather than vertically.

Doing this will make the video appear similar to a typical video camera and will be more similar to human vision as well. The end result is that you’ll end up with wider videos that look more professional than typical smartphone footage.

3. Use the Right Lighting

Great lighting is also one of the keys to making a good smartphone video. If there is lighting behind the subject you’re shooting then your may not capture them clearly and they may have a halo of light behind them that distracts the viewer.

When possible, shift to the left or right in order to avoid shooting a video with this backlighting or even work to get the light behind you instead. While you can try more advanced lighting setups if you’re trying to shoot professional video, simply shifting your position can be helpful when you’re shooting on the fly.

If you want to get truly professional video with great lighting, however, you may want to consider hiring a videographer such as Gary Bilbao. You can check out his portfolio at http://garybphotography.com/.

4. Avoid Digital Zoom

If you want to shoot awesome smartphone videos you should also stop using the digital zoom function. Instead, it’s better that you move closer to the subject that you’re shooting.

While some phones have an extra telephoto lens built-in, most smartphones rely on digital zoom features only. Unfortunately, using these can be a mistake because it will reduce the resolution of the video and make it seem pixelated.

5. Learn How to Use Manual Controls

If you have time to learn more about general video techniques, learning how to manually control your video settings can be incredibly helpful.

Most smartphones are set to automatically adapt and change when shooting a video. However, this can lead to a lot of variation and mistakes when it comes to shutter speed, focus, exposure, and color balance.

Luckily, many smartphone manufacturers have manual controls built-in that can allow you to edit these settings yourself for each individual video you record. Learning how to use these can be one of the best ways to take your smartphone video from amateur to pro at a rapid pace.

Using These Techniques to Shoot Better Smartphone Video

If your smartphone video footage currently leaves a lot to be desired, you’ll want to try using some of these tips as soon as you can. By using these techniques and tricks you’ll be able to shoot impressive videos that look much better than the average smartphone footage.

Want to learn more about video and photography? Keep exploring our blog now to find more helpful articles and tips.