How to record outdoor videos on a smartphone

How to record outdoor videos on a smartphone

We share 12 practical tips, techniques and recommendations to improve your outdoor video recordings

"You should make more videos."

This has become a request as well as a complaint from our friends and readers at Atlas & Boots. Admittedly, video played the third violin on our travels after writing and photography.

Peter has a degree in film, but photography is his first love, so video is banished on our travels - the author - because he cannot do both at the same time. I admit that I took this task very seriously on our big trip abroad. For example, the film material that I shot at the legendary town of Rano Raraku on the unique Easter Island was only four seconds.

alt = “How to take outdoor videos on a smartphone”> Atlas & Boots My video material here was exactly four seconds ...

Over time, I have learned that our outdoor video material is one of the most important things that our readers enjoy, so I started taking it more seriously. I am not able to carry professional video equipment around with me, so Peter spent some time to teach me how to absorb outside videos on my smartphone and refer to relevant resources. Here are the best information that I have put together so far.

Invest in quality

If you do not invest in professional video equipment, invest in the next best. As Peter says in his guide for photo equipment, it pays off in the long term to spend money on decent equipment. We have just upgraded on a Google Pixel 2 XL, which is widely considered the best smartphone for video recordings.

alt = “How to shoot outdoor videos on a smartphone pixel-2 ″> Google The Pixel XL 2 has up to 128 GB hard disk-ideal for 4K videos

The camera processes the image resolution very well and has a panel of f/1.8, which means that it works well in situations with little light. The true winner is the improved processor that delivers ultra-high 4K video. The Pixel 2 XL also has one of the largest hard drives for a smartphone with up to 128 GB-ideal for bulky 4K videos.

After all, it also offers free and unlimited storage space for all of our photos and videos in their original quality. So far we have been satisfied with the pixel and will use it on our upcoming trips to Australia and New Zealand in anger. Watch this room.

Do not use the standard video app

Almost all videos on the YouTube channel from Atlas & Boots were shot with the standard video app of the smartphone. A much better option is a premium video recording app like Filmic Pro. At $ 14.99 it is not the cheapest app in the store, but the quality difference is worth the money.

The functions include zoom with variable speed, variable image rates of up to 240 fps on the latest devices and complete manual control over focus, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, color and color temperature. If you know what you do, a special app can lift your video far beyond what is common on a smartphone.

Learn basic techniques

smartphones make it easy to show and record, but learning some basic framing techniques will significantly improve your outdoor video.

• Third rule: Divide the recording vertically and horizontally into thirds and frame the action in one intersection of two points and not between them.
• Photograph in landscape format instead of portrait. Most screens are horizontal and show ugly black beams on both sides when they photograph vertically.
• change your perspective when taking pictures. Use different angles and depths. Chew the same action more than once if possible. The clips can later be sewn together in a liquid shot.
• Take some setup recordings: Think of the outdoor video as a whole. Is it a good idea to film some setup recordings to offer context and switch between scenes?

Consider storyboards

In general, I just appear and shoot. Sometimes I am lucky, such as when Mount Yasur decided to blow two seconds into my intro below and add a pinch of drama. Sometimes I land with a smorgasbord of film material.

To raise your outdoor video to the next stage, first consider storyboarding. What is the main statement of the video? What is the master's shot? What pictures will add? Who will you shoot? What will you do or say? Do you have to shoot several times?

This does not have to be a planning at Stanley Kubrick level; Only a little foresight will probably be enough. Five years later, the film material that Peter produced on his K2 base camp was of much better quality.

switch your phone into flight mode

On some smartphones, the recording is stopped by default when an incoming call. This can be frustrating if you have been waiting for a certain recording for a long time.

switch on the flight mode to avoid unwanted distractions and interruptions. This also contributes to the preservation of the battery life.

Set the exposure and focus manually

point-and-shoot can work well if you film in natural light that is not too bright. In most cases, however, they would do well to manually adjust and block exposure and focus. This creates smoother and more consistent film material. You can find out how this works in the operating instructions of your video app.

Learn LO-FI stabilization

If you have space for additional equipment, consider a gliif tripod bracket for smartphones. The gli fits the size of your phone and cover and can be attached to a tripod for smooth outdoor videos.

If you (like me) want to limit your backpack to the bare essentials, learn some LO-FI stabilization techniques. Instead of keeping up your smartphone, use both hands and cross your elbow for stability on your body. As a result, unwanted movements are not eliminated, but the wobbling cam effect is minimized.

To absorb movements, move your entire upper body, not just the camera. As a result, external videos are absorbed much more smoothly.

A cost-effective and effective way to combat condensation is a Humonitor Anti-Fog use. Place these small pads in the camera housing to absorb trapped moisture and prevent condensation from forming on the lens. Each set is sufficient for 4-5 applications and can be dried and used in an oven (three minutes).

wear a portable charger

If you film with your smartphone for a long time, it is a good idea to take a replacement battery or a charger.

We are nowhere to travel at Atlas & Boots without our MSC Power Stick. As mentioned in 8 important gadgets for safe travel, the stick offers a full load for most smartphones and is only slightly larger than a lipstick enough to store it in your daily backpack.

Without them I couldn't have included everything I wanted on our Salkantay Trek after Machu Picchu.

just continue filming!

Film as much as your smartphone memory allows it-not only the action, but also general views. Make many pictures of entering, the conversation, the landscapes and all interesting special features on the way.

If you feel like you are filming too much, you will bet that you have more film material if you come home - as I did with this video by Mauna Kea.

If you are worried about filling your memory, you should consider curating on the way. On the Mount Yasur volcano, I filmed one minute and then deleted if the volcano did not explode. This was a better strategy than filming continuously for five minutes and ultimately capturing an explosion that would waste space for four minutes.

make sure not to be too ruthless. More is more when it comes to processing. And of course make sure that you do not miss an excellent recording because you are too busy rumbling around your film material.

Comment later add

bad tone can ruin great outdoor video recordings, so you should stay calm when filming and later add your comment about the ambient noise. This ensures a clearer story.

If live comments are important, you have two options. The LO-FI solution is to try to shield the microphone in front of the wind and speak directly into it. The better solution is to buy a microphone for your smartphone, which is more expensive, but ensures far better audio quality. Try the Ampridge Mightymic S or the Rode Smartlav+ from

will be well edited

Similar to how I suspect multi-cuisine restaurants, I am also suspicious of people who claim to be "writer, photographer and artist" or something.

In order to be good - really good - in one of these things, it takes time and dedication. Saying that they are all three means basically admitting that they are a thousand all -massa, a master of nothing. Based on this philosophy, I fought against learning any video editing for a long time.

I now come to the realization that I can improve my video editing skills without striving for the status of a videoographer. I start with the basic mechanisms of Final Cut Pro X. Then I go to the finer aspects of video editing (soundtrack, sequencing, etc.).

In view of my shortcomings on the Easter Island, I don't have to make an effort to see an improvement!

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

 .