if you've come up with amazing course content you probably want amazing course videos that match the
quality and professionalism of the information you have to share which means you've got to get
a super fancy camera right what if I told you you could make an amazing professional video
with something you carry around in your pocket every day what if I told you you can make an
amazing professional video with something you carry around in your pocket every day something
you carry around in your pocket oh my goodness who keeps putting stuff in my pocket what if I
told you you can make an amazing professional video with something you carry around in your
pocket every day the video technology in this device has grown by leaps and bounds in the
past decade following just a few tips you can make an impressive professional-looking video without
spending thousands of dollars on a special camera let's get into it hello creators I'm Ben Toalson
from Podia where we empower creators like you to make a living doing what you love the camera in
your phone is pretty amazing just a few years ago even some of the most expensive consumer
video cameras didn't shoot 4k now you've got a camera in your pocket that not only shoots 4k
but also has a powerful sensor and software that rivals many of the go-to cameras in the video
content industry I'm going to walk you through seven tips to help you get the most out of your
phone's camera I'll be showing you tips using my iPhone but many of these can work with other
devices as well tip number one stabilize your shot having a steady static shot can instantly
make your video look more professional at the very least you want to put your camera down on
a surface that won't move or shake better yet use a tripod with a smartphone adapter so you
can have more control over the position of your shot if you search i phone tripod on amazon you
can find something that works with your setup for less than twenty or thirty dollars I'll be sure
to link some suggestions for this and other useful items in the description tip number two make sure
you're properly framed in the video this part is actually a bit challenging if you're doing it on
your own it can help if you have someone else to sit or stand in your place as you adjust the
camera if you're on your own try to use something that's already in your shot for reference or use
some type of object as a stand-in you want to make sure you're not too close or too far away
phone cameras typically have a wider angle lens which means it has a wide field of view so you
want to err on the side of being closer try to position the camera so that you are framed from
about mid chest up and have a bit of space above your head also this may go without saying but just
in case be sure to turn your phone sideways and make sure the camera icon is oriented correctly
so you don't accidentally film everything in portrait mode tip number three consider what's
in your background if you're delivering your course content on camera you should be the focus
of the video having unnecessary items in your background can be distracting so you'll want to
remove anything that doesn't belong like to use dishes laundry or paper clutter well you don't
want your background to be distracting you also don't want it to be too boring consider adding
items that fit with the context of your lesson or are consistent with your brand to add a little bit
of visual interest tip number four think about the lighting you don't need special lights but you can
make your video look professional by setting up closer to an existing light source like a
window I've made some videos that go in-depth on the three-point lighting technique but a simple
way to achieve a similar effect is to set up with some natural light off to one side and some kind
of reflective surface or a softer light on the opposite side tip number five consider using a
separate audio source earpods not air pods but ear pods actually record decent sounding audio
you can set these up like a lapel mic and attach the microphone section near your collarbone
or you can clip it to a tripod there are also external microphones that are designed to work
specifically with iPhones and can plug directly into the Lightning port you can do a search for
iPhone lapel mic or iPhone condenser mic to find a microphone that works for your budget
again I'll link to some recommendations in the description below tip number six think about your
audio quality before you set up test the audio in the space where you'd like to record you want to
make sure there isn't a lot of ambient noise like road noise or an AC unit and you also want to make
sure there isn't a lot of reverb usually spaces with hard floors and high ceilings tend to eight
more reverb so you'll want to try to set up where there's carpet and maybe some cushioned furniture
to absorb the sound I like to do the clap test to see how noisy a room is if I hear a lot of echo I
know it's going to be difficult to get a clear recording but if it sounds dull it's probably
just fine for recording if your ideal recording spot has a lot of echo consider bringing in a
rug and some cushions to help deaden the sound a little bit tip number seven lock in your focus
and exposure the native camera app on your phone comes with a focus and exposure lock feature you
can lock in the focus and exposure by tapping and holding the focus box for a moment until it says
AE / AF lock on the top of your screen if you can get someone to help you set the focus and
exposure as you sit in the spot where you'll be recording if you're working on your own try to
find a surface that's about the same distance you'll be sitting from your phone and that's
also reflecting about the same amount of light as your face it may take gathering a few test
shots before you get it where you want it but this will ensure that the lighting and the focus will
not change while you're recording bonus tip use apps to take advantage of extra features there
are many great camera apps on the market that can expand your iPhone cameras capabilities one of my
favorites is camera plus it allows me to easily set my frame rate resolution color temperature
focus and much more this is a bit more advanced so if you're just starting out it might be good
to just stick with the default camera app if you'd like me to make a video about camera plus and some
of its extra features let me know in the comments below it really is incredible what you're capable
of producing just with your phone's camera it really goes to prove that it's not necessarily
having the best camera but knowing how to use the one you have that can make the biggest
difference were you surprised by any of the tips in this video which of these tips will you use
to make your next video let me know below in the comments if you found this video helpful and you
want more content like this be sure to click the subscribe button and hit that notification
bell so you'll be sure not to miss anything thank you for watching and I'll see next time