Demonstrate Your Credibility

Demonstrate Your Credibility

A Powerful Video Starts with Easy Listening

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You can use whatever video gear you have to share experiences and expand relationships, but it’s best to use it in such a way that it makes it easy for your audience to receive the information you are giving.  What you should be aiming toward is helping the viewer get involved and continue listening to your message.
For example, if you use a cell phone or camera (using the built in microphone) to make a video, one thing to keep in mind is that the microphone is only able to clearly pickup what is loudest, closest to it. In order to get audio that easy to listen to, there are a few basic things you should be doing.
Find the quietest place possible to record and get very close to the person who is talking.  If there is any other sound in the environment it will be distracting and can make it very hard to understand what is being said. 
Remember that many of the people who are going to view your video are most likely not willing to work hard to get your message.  Make it easy for them to hear it and they’ll thank you with their time and attention.

How To Make Your Videos Sound More Intimate and Personal

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This is my first ever Vlog post!
Watch and listen as I demonstrate the difference between using a lavaliere type (miniature, pin on) microphone and the on-camera mic.  You can hear how the camera mic sounds more distant and more of the room noise and echo are picked up.  Most of the time, the closer you can get the microphone to the source of the sound you are recording, the better your recording is going to sound.

Be Aware of the Available Light

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Sometimes you will be able to move the people or things you are filming so that some of the brighter light in the environment you are shooting in is shining directly on them (or is not shining directly on them – depending on the light available to you in the scene).  It may be a bit awkward at first, but video can last forever and a moment of tension may quickly be forgotten.
If you can’t move the subject, move the light (for example, reposition a lamp or open [or close] a window shade), if possible, or (if you are unable to move the light or whatever you are shooting) move your camera so that the lens is aimed at the side of your subject that is lit by whatever light is in the environment.  This is especially important when most of the light is coming in from the windows.  Doing this will allow you to see more detail in the video image and make your footage look much better than most home movies.
One thing to be aware of is that many cameras have some sort of auto-iris adjuster built into them.  This feature makes the lens close down and not allow as much light in (when the scene is very bright) and open up to allow more light in (when the scene is darker.)  This is great when you are in a hurry and can’t set your iris manually, but it is an obvious sign of less-than-excellent camera operation.  This is especially true when the iris adjusts several times during a shot.  Remember that the camera is automatically guessing what the best iris opening is and it often guesses wrong.
You can learn to take advantage of an auto iris with some practice (using the above techniques) and then develop the technique of setting the iris manually (if that feature is available on your camera.)