Week #2
Steady now, steady. The most obvious clue that a video clip was shot by an amateur is if it is shaky. A tripod is your best friend. Use one in every possible situation! If you absolutely must go hand-held, be as steady as you can. Here are a couple of tips when you have to leave the tripod behind:

1. Find something to prop on like a fence or wall.
2. Pull (zoom) out as far as you can. A close shot will accentuate your movements.
3. If your camera cannot be shouldered, buy an adapter that allows you to prop it on your shoulder or a brace that will secure it otherwise to your body (ex. a Steady Stick

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Week #1


Here is your tip of the week and it is about your focus. Not how deeply in tune you are with your surroundings, but your camera's focus. NEVER USE THE AUTOMATIC FOCUS UNLESS YOU HAVE TO. Get use to adjusting the focus yourself. If you are trying to make your videos look more professional, one of the ways to do so is to not let the shot go in and out of focus. When the camera is set to "auto focus", lighting changes and movement of your subject can cause the focus to fluctuate. Practice your focusing and learn which way the focus ring should be turned to bring shots into focus in the foreground and background.

Bonus Tip: If you are setting up a shot (have not starting recording yet), zoom ALL the way into your subject, focus, and then pull back to the distance you like. This will keep your subject in focus no matter how far you pull back or push in.