Investing time and effort in your camera shots while recording on location is one of the most rewarding yet challenging aspects of video production. Before heading out to record video, repeat this mantra: Make every shot extraordinary! First and foremost, stabilize your camcorder, using a tripod, monopod or gorilla pod. Remember to manually set your camcorder’s white balance for each recording location and focus for every shot.

Look for interesting shots and angles that will add variety to your work. Start with a wide, establishing shot and then use your optical zoom to capture closeups. Record entrances and allow a subject to enter and exit the frame in one continuous clip. Shoot from several camera angles – ground level, knee, waist, shoulder and above the head.

Use natural reflections (mirror, eyeglasses, windows) to add dimension to your shots. Create the appearance of depth by framing your subject using elements from the environment (branches, fence posts, doorways). Compose your shots to include foreground and background elements; position people on the Z axis, one in front of the other, and slightly staggered on the X axis.

Include lines in your composition to help create depth, attract attention to a particular area, give the illusion of motion and create a sense of direction (ex., the vertical line of a building to accentuate its height, the horizontal line of a waterfalls to convey timelessness and permanency, or the converging lines of a boat dock or river that direct the viewer’s gaze to a point in the distance).

Remember: Work for those creative shots that will best convey your story!

Written by Kate Lee, Smith College Senior Media Producer