Thanks to smartphones, recording and sharing videos has never been easier for utility communicators. Whether you’re capturing lineworkers restoring service after a storm or filming moments at community events, a high-quality video shares your message loud and clear. At the same time, shaky and poorly composed videos distract from your story.

Here are six tips to make sure your next video story shines.

1. Clean the lens

Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the obvious. We’re touching our phones constantly. We’re taking them out of our pockets and purses multiple times a day, so they’re bound to pick up a few fingerprints and smudges along the way. Take a second and give the lens a couple of swipes with a moistened cleaning wipe. No wipes? No worries — a quick breath and a swab with your shirt can get the job done, too.

2. Orientation

Consider where your video will be seen. Shooting for short-term social media posts? Aim for vertical shots. If you want your video story to be seen on other platforms for longer-term storytelling, turn your phone horizontally when shooting videos.

Shooting horizontally, also called landscape orientation, results in a more aesthetically pleasing experience for viewers, and it looks great across multiple platforms, especially on wide screens. Shooting this way also allows you to capture more of the surroundings in the video.

3. Stabilization

Nothing is harder to watch than a shaky video. A simple way to make your video better is by using two hands to hold the phone steady. Instead of extending your arms, tuck your elbows in close to your sides and hold the phone closer to your chest. If you’re in the field, look for a fencepost, wall or even a truck bed to help keep your camera still while shooting.

If a professional-quality video is what you’re after, consider investing in a tripod or a gimbal to give your arms a rest. Also, many newer phones now include image stabilization features that can correct for inadvertent movements during shooting.

4. Composition

Take a moment to compose your shot before pressing the record button. For example, if you are making a video in a controlled environment, maybe an energy efficiency tip or a tutorial on how to increase wireless signals in your home, look around and make sure the background is clear of anything you wouldn’t want people to see.

Do the same in the field. If you’re filming staff at work, make sure there are not lines or poles sticking out of heads. Remember, everything you show tells a story. Change your perspective slightly — up or down, side to side — to remove distracting backgrounds and strengthen the video imagery.

5. Lighting

Heard of the golden hour? Dawn and dusk are some of the best times to catch video outside when the sun is not bearing down overhead. But we can’t always control when we need to capture stories. If you’re outside in the middle of the day, avoid backlit settings. They can erase a person’s features on video and replace them with a dark figure instead. Hats cast shadows on faces, too, so ask people to remove them when possible to keep the lighting even.

When recording indoors, have the subject face a window if possible. If there is no natural light, consider purchasing an LED light ring. Light rings have become very popular and are an inexpensive way to make your video look professional.

6. Zoom cautiously

While the digital zoom option is a nice feature, using it while recording can result in an awkward-looking video. Instead, to keep the image crisp, take the time to frame the shot before recording and avoid using the zoom. Unless you’re planning to use the zoom distortion as an effect, get as close to the subject as you safely can to preserve the image quality.

Want to strengthen your stories with photography?

Chris Pietsch, director of photography for Gannett Newspapers in Oregon, is one of the featured speakers at StoryConnect 2024. Learn about our annual story-focused conference at storyconnect.com.