Position
- Shoot horizontal (landscape orientation)
- Make sure no objects block the camera
- Background
- Zoom
- Zoom with your feet, not phone. Zooming with the camera causes quality loss.
Camera
- Take video or photo with a smartphone
DO NOT use a computer camera unless that's your only option.
Stabilize
- Use a tripod or rest your phone on something flat
- Avoid moving around
- Avoid fast moments
Audio
- Avoid background noises if possible
- Stay inside (avoid wind noise)
- Don't touch the camera, as the mic will pick up those sounds
- Use a mic if you can, like iPhone headphones or AirPods)
Lighting
- Avoid harsh light or dark shadows
- Keep consistent lighting if possible
Sharing your video with us
We ask for you to upload your video to Google Drive and share it with hmhein@g.syr.edu
If you're unfamiliar with the university's G Suite, please see the instructions here.
Other drive services like Dropbox, WeTransfer, etc. work as well but we prefer to stick with university supplied software.
Formatting your media for a website
If your media is to be uploaded to the college's website, vpa.syr.edu, please see guidelines for formatting video/photo/audio/content for more info.
Simple how-to take photos demo