Your family is your most important investment. A family video is a great way to preserve memories and create new ones with your loved ones. From interviewing a grandparent to playing with your kids, every memory deserves to be preserved!
Here are five tips to help you get started filming better family videos:
Have Fun!
The most important thing is to have fun with it. That doesn’t mean you can’t be serious, but don’t make it so serious that it becomes a chore. From big events to small activities, just start recording to save those memories. Go out and have fun with your family, even if you’re not filming anything at all. It’s the time together that matters the most!
Get A Good Camera
If you’re going to be filming a lot of family videos, it’s worth investing in a good camera if you don’t already have one. You’ll want something that’s easy to use, takes decent quality video and photos, and has some sort of stabilization feature built-in (like image stabilization). Nowadays, most smartphones have advanced cameras with lots of capabilities and features. There are lots of options available depending on your budget, so shop around until you find one that works for you!
Use Natural Lighting
The best way to film family videos is by using natural lighting as much as possible. If there’s a window in the room where you’re filming, make sure it’s positioned directly behind the camera so that it lights up everyone in the room. It’s also important not to have too much light on your subjects’ faces because this can make them look washed out or even red in color.
Use A Tripod
When filming a family video, use a tripod whenever possible so that your camera doesn’t shake while recording. This will help keep all of the shots steady and help prevent blurry footage or shaky shots that make viewers feel nauseous after watching them! If you don’t have access to a tripod, try holding your phone or camera at arm’s length or with your elbows tucked in while recording so that it’s easier for you to stabilize your hands while holding it still during the shot.
Keep It Simple
Don’t be afraid to let your kids take the lead. You don’t have to have professional lighting or editing skills to film a great video. Just keep it simple and let your kids do some of the work.
Always Use the Back Camera
The front camera on your smartphone is meant for selfies only. If you must use it, make sure that you’re at least 3 feet from your subject and that there isn’t much background noise (like in a park). The back camera has a higher resolution and better color accuracy than the front camera.
Experiment with Angles
Make sure that everyone is in view of the camera, but don’t be afraid to experiment with angles. For example, try filming from above or below your subject or placing yourself at an angle behind them. This can help give your video a more dynamic feel and make it more interesting visually.
BONUS TIP! Use A Clean Background
The background plays a huge role in the story of your video. Try not to have anything distracting in the background of your shots; there should be nothing drawing more attention than the subject while filming. Don’t film yourself against windows either — this can cause problems with glare and reflections when editing later down the line.
The Next Step
We hope this post has given you a few ideas and techniques to try out on your next family outing. Whether you’re looking to film your vacation adventures or just a routine day out, we hope these pointers help make filming more enjoyable for everyone involved.
If you enjoyed this article on family video tips, or think we left out anything important, please leave us a comment below! For more family video tips, check out our Facebook group here. We would love to hear from you!
