A camcorder is a point-and-shoot device. This does not mean, however, that the real work ends when you point the camera at your subject and hit the red button. If this is all that you intend to do, then don’t expect any form of recognition or appreciation in the future.

You need to learn the most basic video shooting techniques even when using consumer cameras. Most of the guiding principles employed by professional filmmakers in their masterpieces also apply to your home videos and school projects. Knowing the rules they follow and the steps in their execution will help you improve your work.

The objectives of this page is to give you a crash course on video shooting techniques. We also aim to give tips on how you can maximize the use of your camcorder. All these are applicable to every type of video you’re planning to shoot, including short features, documentaries, and regular home videos.

1. Activate the auto-focus feature of your camcorder.

Assuming that you’re a beginner in the field of video production, it is best that you use the auto-focus setting of your camera. For one thing, it is hard to adjust the focus of your lenses using the all-in-one buttons of your camcorder. Time constraint is also another factor. Adjusting the focus of your camera will take time - something you don’t have the luxury of while shooting live events.

In addition, you may not be able to visually assess the sharpness of your video using the viewfinder. This is also the case when you use the camera’s small LCD screen when manually adjusting focus. The only problem in auto-focus mode is the blurring caused by the automatic adjustment of the camera when your subject changes distance from your lense. This may be recorded in the final video, but will last only for a few seconds.

2. Do not shoot against the light.

Shooting against the light is one of the common mistakes committed by camcorder users. Do you ever notice that your subject is too dark while the rest of the background is too bright? When this happens, you may either be shooting opposite the main source of lighting in the room, or you may have included the light source itself in your frame.

What you can do is reposition your camcorder. Choose a position where that the light source is behind your camera and is casting its luminance on your subject. When using the auto-lighting feature of your camera, it’s aperture also tends to close when a strong amount of light is in your frame. Experiment with its manual settings and see how you can make both your subject and background well-lit.

3. Light your scenes properly.

When shooting outdoors, remember that there’s a difference between daylight and sunlight. In most cases, it is the former that you’ll like to use in your scenes. Daylight provides just about the right amount of brightness without exposing your subject too much.

For indoor scenes, incandescent lighting is better rather than fluorescent lights, which can create bluish rays on your video. Turn on all light sources, if necessary, to achieve a crisp and well-lit video. You may also manually adjust the aperture of your camcorder to get the right amount of brightness in your scenes. To some extremes, manual aperture adjustments can give you the visual impact you desire independent of the actual lighting condition in the room.

4. Use a tripod fit to your camcorder.

Fluid-head tripods are best in facilitating camera movements, like pans and tilts. The head of this tripod is well-lubricated so your camcorder remains steady while you move it.

The use of a tripod is also beneficial when shooting long scenes, conversations, and interviews. Sometimes, you simply have to lock the tripod in place and you barely need to move it, especially when taking long shots (full-body shots).

5. Support your arms in handheld shots.

There are times when it’s advisable not to use a tripod, especially if it’s too much of a hassle to do so. For instance, if you’re shooting a subject that is constantly moving, or when a tripod will be a distraction. The least that you can do in these instances is support your arms.

One of the things you can try is place your other hand on the wrist or elbow of the arm taking the shots. You can also rest your arms on a stable surface to help stability and lessen the stress and weight of the camcorder.

6. Ensure the smoothness of your camera movements.

Camera movements can be as simple as pans, tilts, and zooms, or can be as complicated as dolly zoom and crane shots. No matter what type of camera movements you plan to execute, the important thing is to keep them smooth, steady, and consistent.

Constant practice is needed in order to achieve good camera movement. You also need to know the right speed when moving the camcorder. It should not be too fast as to distract the audience, nor be too slow as to bore them. The pace of the movement should also be consistent and jerkiness is a mortal sin. Most of all, camera movements should be done for good reasons, and not just executed for fun.

7. Frame your shots creatively.

Framing videos with a camcorder is like taking photos. You may opt to follow guidelines, but you can totally forget them and frame the way you like. Traditionally, there are three things you have to remember when framing: headroom, cropping, and the rule of thirds.

Headroom requires you to leave a small amount of space on top of your subject’s head, applicable to shots other than close-ups. You should also not crop your human subjects at their joints, like the knees, neck, and trunk; otherwise, your video will create the illusion that nothing is beyond what your frame shows.

Then, there’s the rule of thirds. Simply put, it calls for more dynamism and interest in your shots by putting your subjects off -enter and more on the lines marking the thirds of the frame. Despite its name, it is not a hard and fast rule, and you can always place your subject in the center when needed.

8. Experiment with camera angles.

The fact that you’re merely using a camcorder does not mean you don’t have to find angles the way professionals do. Remember that camera angles have meanings attached to them and have an effect on the impact your videos make.

For instance, shooting from below the point of view of your subjects makes them more dominant, while shooting from above tends to belittle their domineering property.

9. Attach an external microphone.

Most camcorders have omni-microphones that capture sound from all directions. These cameras have a port to that you can connect an external microphone to so you can produce better audio. Use an external mic for better sound quality, especially when interviewing and recording conversations.

Unidirectional microphones are best if the set or venue is crowded and noisy because these mics get only the sound from the area at which they are pointed. You can also use an optional zoom-mic that adjusts sound capture where you focus your camcorder.

10. Avoid using your camcorder’s built-in effects.

You may think this advice limits the use of your camcorder. On the contrary, you may gain a more professional-looking video when you try to avoid these effects, especially if you intend to edit your videos later.

For instance, the backlight feature of your camcorder seems to add luminance in a rather dark scene, but you may end up having a washed-out video. If you fail to follow any of the lighting tips above, the editor of your video may do a better job at enhancing the brightness of your shots.

You may also be tempted to add transition effects between your shots using your camcorder. Again, it is best that these effects be added during the editing phase. During this time, they can be undone and won’t affect the original copy of your work.

With advancements in technology today, most consumer cameras are capable of creating great videos. Of course, you cannot compare camcorders with high-definition cameras worth thousands of dollars, but at least you can get the full-worth of these cheaper alternatives by following these tips.

 

 

(You may have all the know-how and the expertise when it comes to creating the coolest videos with your camcorder, but do you know if your camcorder has all the important features you need? If you need tips on getting a camcorder with all the right stuff, Check out Top Ten Important Features in a Camcorder.)