A pre-event shooting guide
Whoever's holding the camera — you, a guest, a hired photographer — a few minutes with this before the event goes a long way. Final results depend on the raw footage; we can enhance it, but we can't fix shaky, blurry, or poorly lit shots.
Universal golden rules
1. Keep it steady
This is the most important rule — shaky footage is nearly impossible to fully correct afterward.
- Hold with both hands.
- Lean on something solid — a wall, a chair back, a table, a railing.
- Stand with feet slightly staggered rather than straight up — it's steadier.
- Don't use digital zoom (pinch-to-zoom) — it hurts quality. Move closer instead.
2. Light it well
- Put the light source (a window, a lamp) behind the camera, lighting up the subject — not behind the subject, or you'll get a silhouette.
- Indoors, have people face toward the light rather than away from it.
- Leave the flash off — in most event settings it doesn't reach far enough to help, and it flattens the mood.
3. Shoot horizontal
Turn the phone sideways. Landscape footage edits and retouches best — keep the whole event in one orientation rather than mixing horizontal and vertical.
4. Leave room to edit
- Start recording a few seconds before the action begins and keep rolling a few seconds after it ends — it makes smooth transitions possible.
- For the same moment, a few different angles beat one long continuous shot — even with a single phone, just changing where you stand helps.
- For key moments (a toast, an opening line), grab 2–3 extra takes as backup.
Shot types & composition
Wide shot
Shows the space, the scale, the atmosphere — look for angles that convey how many people are there. Keep the phone level so the horizon is straight, and center key elements like a backdrop or logo.
Medium shot
The most common shot — the main action. Frame people from about the knees or waist up, and leave a little space in front of the direction they're facing so it doesn't feel cramped.
Close-up / detail
For a detail, an emotion, or something important. Tap the screen to focus manually — on the product for an object, on the eyes for a person.
Composition
- Check the background before you shoot — clutter, a stranger walking through, a harsh light source behind the subject all show up in the final photo.
- Turn on your camera's gridlines and place the subject on one of the intersections rather than dead center.
Final results depend on your raw footage — we can enhance it, but we can't fix shaky, blurry, or poorly lit shots. Following the tips above gives our AI the best material to work with.