As the the growth of live video continues, people everywhere are capturing and recording moments with their SmartPhones. However, what a lot of live videographers haven’t realized is that their videos aren’t as stunning as they could be.

Yes, there is a right and wrong way to record a video on your SmartPhone. When the virality of your video is at stake, it’s crucial to do it the right way.

There’s no need to panic, though, because we’ve got you covered with the Best Tips for Recording Live Video on Your SmartPhone:

1. Rotate Your Phone Sideways When Recording

First things first, you MUST record your video horizontally on your smartphone. Orientation is everything and it won’t be right if you record your video vertically.

Think about it: a desktop is horizontal. A TV screen is horizontal. You may not be thinking about what you will do with your live video after you record it, but chances are you will distribute it and it will need to be viewed in a widescreen format. Just flip the phone sideways: trust us.

2. Use Both Hands

This may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many captured moments have become nothing but blurry and distorted shapes because the person filming didn’t hold the phone steady while recording. Using both hands to hold your smartphone as close to your body as possible can greatly enhance the quality of your live video recording.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Close

Attempting to shoot a live video without being close enough to your subject can completely ruin the quality of your video. This makes it difficult to see the action of your video (which is the entire point of a live video), and using the zoom results in unfocused images. Getting close to your subject or whatever you are recording is the best way to ensure your video has better image quality and focus. Not to mention, it’s a great excuse to push your way to the front row at the next concert you attend!

4. The Flash is Not Your Friend

It’s never easy to find good lighting when recording, especially when you’re spontaneously recording a live video. Whatever you do, though, try to avoid using the flash on your smartphone. The LED lights that smartphones are equipped with can skew the color temperature of photos and videos due to the excessive brightness. We know you can’t exactly control the natural lighting of your setting, especially when recording at night. Still, if you take just a second to look for another light source before recording your video, you will be pleased by a better final product than if you had used the flash.

5. Camera-Enhancing Apps Are Your Friend

While your smartphone camera will do the trick for recording live video, it still doesn’t have the same capabilities as an actual video camera. If you really want to record a high-quality video, you can download apps for your smartphone that will enhance and increase the features of your camera. Apps like Top Camera ($2.99) will give you the ability to use a slow shutter mode and High Dynamic Range shooting. There are also a variety of apps that can add digital zoom and stabilization. It all depends on what you want and what you’re willing to pay for it.

6. It’s All About What You Do With It

In the end, no matter how great of a video you have managed to record on your smartphone, it all depends on what you choose to do with it. Editing your video is the last and probably most important step before distributing it. Whether you plan on making a movie, a video advertisement or just a video for personal use, you’re going to need access to video editing and movie making software. Transitions, music and other effects can make or break the quality of a video. With the demand for video growing across all platforms, it’s important to make sure your video has the best potential for reaching your audience and that can all be done through finding the right video editor.

Well, what are you waiting for? Get out there and capture moments with live video on your smartphone!

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