Lights, camera, satisfaction!

With the advancement of digital video technology and the relatively cheap cost of digital editing software an even greater number of people are making their own home videos from the comfort of their home computers.

Shooting your own home video can be a fulfilling experience. It can also be a frustrating one, as you worry about light, focus and holding the camera steady. So before you rush out to shoot, take some time to read the following tips.

Get comfortable
• Before you do anything, read the manual that comes with your new purchase. Familiarize yourself with its multitude of buttons and special features and learn how to properly maintain it, to ensure optimum performance every time.

• Get a feel for your camcorder. While most digital camcorders are small and lightweight, you'll need to discover your own technique, so you're comfortable and relaxed at every shoot.

Be prepared
• There's nothing worse than running out of battery power when little Suzie is about to blow out the candle on her first birthday cake. Check and double check to make sure you have everything you need prior to shooting.
Note: Always carry at least one extra charged battery. Don't wait until your battery is dead before changing it. Your camcorder will come equipped with a battery warning light. When it starts flashing, take the next available opportunity to make the switch.

Check your settings
• White balance. This controls the way your camcorder sees the colour white. To avoid colour tints on your finished product, set this to automatic or the indoor or outdoor setting. The default settings aren't always perfect and can be affected by various things such as fluorescent lights or haze. When you have become more adept with your camcorder, follow the simple instructions and set your white balance manually to ensure optimum results.

• Focus. Again, set this to automatic until you're ready to advance into more complex compositions. By increasing or decreasing the camcorder's aperture setting, you can cause certain parts of a shot to become blurry, drawing particular attention to the people or objects that are in focus.

• Date stamp. The quality of many a video has been hurt by the infamous date stamp. Check regularly to make sure you haven't accidentally switched this feature on, as it will imprint the date and time over top of your video.

Avoiding camera shake
• Brace yourself. Lean against a wall or tree or prop your elbows on a table or other solid object. If the shot is short enough, try and hold your breath as you shoot.

• Never walk or crouch while shooting.

• Use a tripod. If it's a long shoot, it will be tough to keep steady throughout and you may want to look into buying or renting a tripod.

Page 1 of 2 -- Learn how to frame your pictures for maximum effect on page 2.