Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
– Arthur Ashe, American tennis player.
People often think they have to have fancy equipment to do their own social media photos and videos content. But we’re here to debunk that notion!
All you need is an electronic device, your smartphone, tablet or laptop, as long as they have a camera. That’s it. And this holds true no matter which platform you creating content for, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.
So, let’s get into the specifics:
Number 1: check your specs! Use a device with an HD camera for the clearest image. Most people’s smartphone cameras work well enough. But start off with whatever digital camera you feel most comfortable with. Then, work your way up to a device with higher resolution as you gain confidence.
Comfortable with a tripod? Terrific! Skip this next step.
But what if you don’t have a tripod? No problem!
Use whatever you have around the house. Books stacked on a table, a windowsill for the phone to lean on, or placed against a wall.
There’s also the method that we prefer to use, which involves stacking anything in sight until our phone stops wobbling around.
Pro Tip: get yourself a gimbal stabilizer to avoid any shakiness. Especially if you’re filming with your hands or using a selfie stick.
Now, can we get a watt watt?! Cause here’s a bright idea:
Indoor lighting can work very well. Just pick a room where the ambiance you’re aiming for is best. Our favourite hack is to face a north-facing window or place your object in front of a north-facing window. That will give a nice even light without sunlight streaming in. Definitely do not have your back to the window. That will create a bright backlit scenario and your face will be in the dark.
If you don’t natural light to work with, you can easily use lamps around your home. The trick is to set the lamps up and look at your face, or the object you’re shooting for shadows and adjust. Ideally, two of the same lamps positioned at 45-degree angles from yourself or your subject will produce the closest to a ring light effect, providing they are shining a similar light on you. Choosing the same kind of lamp with the same kind of light bulb will really help you figure this out. And yes, we’ve also been known to use a computer screen to light our faces!
We’ll let you in on a little secret, though.
We heard the BEST lighting is in the fridge. No for real, Kylie Jenner said so. And if it’s Kardashian-Jenner approved, it’s worth checking out for yourself, right?
How are we sounding so far? Because we’ve got a few more tips if you’re considering producing content with sound.
The beauty of filming right on your smartphone is the already built-in sound. No need to invest in any fancy microphones. However, we recommend you:
By putting these tips together, you can start filming like a pro while maintaining your budget (and no one will know 👀).
Your turn! How do you stay on a budget when it comes to doing your social media?
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