This was probably our most popular tutorial in the history of the Mac Pro Podcast. The concepts are simple and will work just as well with still images as with video.Click Here to watch the how to video tutorial in a pop up window.Click “read more” to read the full transcript.

Many of the techniques used on movie sets and in TV studios can be utilized in your own home while shooting that award-winning footage of your toddler toddling around the house. I’ll describe these steps as they apply to video, but all of these items will help you shoot better still photos as well.Use a Tripod

Probably the most important thing you can do is lock that camera down with a tripod. The least expensive tripods can be purchased at your local Mega-Mart or department store. This is a vast improvement over a shaky handheld camera that will make your family reunion footage look like The Blair Witch– sending everyone for their motion sickness medicine.But, as in all things, you do get what you pay for with tripods. If you’re serious about shooting something more critical, I’d recommend finding a pro video shop or website (B&H Video in New York City and on the web is an excellent first stop) and spend a little more on a tripod. The vital piece is the head– this is generally a fluid-filled mechanism that allows for smooth pans and tilts and will lock down tightly when needed.

Lighting

Another no-brainer for improving your shots is lighting. Are you on a budget? Those generic “shop-lights” with the silver domes are quite useful and can be found at your local hardware store. On a tight budget? We have a free, very useful source of light available for 12 hours every day– the sun.

Ok. So you bought those shop lights. Now what? There are all sorts of tricks and ways these lights can be utilized, but the easiest way to light your subject is with diffused or bounced light. Pointing that 100-watt bulb directly at the subject will lead to harsh results. Bouncing the light off a nearby white wall or the ceiling will diffuse the light considerably, leading to a more pleasantly-lit scene.

Additionally, diffusion gels can be bought online or at your local photo supply store. These are translucent pieces of film that you can attach to the light with clothespins Once the gel is on the light, you can point it more directly at your subject, and it will yield a softer, more diffused light.Got a second light? Experiment with it opposite your first light as a “fill light” or behind the subject as “back light”.

Framing

The placement of your subject within the frame can yield a more professional look. The “rule of thirds” is a simple rule to follow– imagine a Tic-Tac-Toe-like pattern in your viewfinder, with two horizontal lines and two vertical lines from side to side and top to bottom, respectively. Where these points intersect are the most interesting points to place the focus of your shot. Try placing the eyes of the person you’re shooting in one of the top two intersections of that Tic-Tac-Toe pattern.

Headspace is another concept to understand. It is more aesthetically pleasing to place the top of your subject’s head at the top of your frame. You can even “cut off” the very top if their eyes are at one of those “rule-of-thirds” points. The wrong way to capture the shot is having too much headspace . . . a big gap between the top of the frame and the top of the head.Get close! Don’t be afraid to shoot closeups. Utilizing the above rules, and by zooming in and / or moving closer to your subject, you’ll get that great shot you are seeking.

Depth of Field

My final tip is the understanding of the concept of Depth of Field. This is the amount, or depth (in 3-D space) of the picture that is in focus. If you’re shooting your child’s soccer game, you need a wide depth of field, so every kid on that soccer field is in focus. If you’re shooting a single subject, many times it’s more pleasing to have a shallow depth of field, where your subject is in focus, but everything else around them is softly out of focus.

Shallow depth of field can be accomplished two ways. If you have manual controls on your camera, adjust your aperture (or F-stop) to its most open setting, which is signified by its lowest number (probably F2 or F1.8). Then adjust your shutter speed accordingly to expose your subject correctly. If you don’t have manual controls on your camera, you might have a mode that is called “aperture priority”, sometimes denoted as “Av” mode. Choose this setting and dial the aperture down to its lowest setting, and the camera will automatically adjust the shutter speed to expose the subject correctly.

Furthermore, moving away from the subject and zooming the camera in all the way will further soften the surroundings.These are some easy tips to improve your shots. There are plenty of resources on the internet and in your local bookstore for further tips and in-depth exploration of these topics. With the popularity of DV cams, digital camcorders, and video and image editing software shipping free on your Mac, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be shooting like a pro!

Filed under: Tutorial, Video