How to Shoot Good Video and Photo

Want to shoot video and photo that doesn’t suck? You’re in the right place.

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It starts with heart and passion. That’s how things go from good to great. People ask me all the time how I shoot the way I shoot, and the honest answer is: it’s a feeling. It’s passion. It’s heart, soul, and a whole lot of dedication.

First, the thing nobody wants to hear

You do not need to be rigged out with thousands of dollars of gear to take a good photo or shoot good video. I’ll say it again. Don’t let gear stand between you and your creative passion.

And about that passion, sit with it for a second. Are you doing this because you love it? Really ask yourself, because at the end of the day, that’s what matters. Do what you love, not what everyone else is doing. I can spot someone who’s truly passionate about their craft in about two seconds.

How to take a good photo

Practice, practice, practice. That’s what makes you better. Take your camera everywhere. Shoot every genre you can. Try every setting just to see how it changes the image. And learn the exposure triangle.

The exposure triangle

Want to get comfortable in manual mode? The exposure triangle is your cheat sheet for how ISO, shutter speed, and aperture work together.

ISO is your sensor’s sensitivity to light (old-school film speed). Higher number, more sensitive. Think 100 to 400 for daylight, 800 to 6400 for low light.

Shutter speed is how fast the shutter closes. Faster speeds freeze motion, perfect for anything moving. Slower speeds let motion blur happen, like the dreamy rush of water in a stream.

Aperture controls how much light comes in. The smaller the number, like f/1.2, the more light. It also shapes your look, from a blurry background at f/1.2 to everything in focus at f/22.

My favorite photo settings

In good light, here’s one of my go-to setups for photo:

Aperture: f/1.2

ISO: 100

Shutter speed: 1000 or higher

Expose for skin tones (not too dark, not too bright) while protecting your highlights so you don’t blow them out.

My favorite video settings

In good light, here’s a go-to for video:

Aperture: f/1.2

ISO: 100

Shutter speed: always double your frame rate. Shooting 60fps? Your shutter is 1/120 or just above, never below.

Creative rules are meant to be broken, but learn them first.

With those settings, bright light becomes nearly impossible to manage without an ND filter to cut some of it. Think of an ND filter as sunglasses for your lens. Expose for skin tones, protect your highlights, and let the ND do the heavy lifting. Honestly, it’s hard for me to shoot without one. The cinema cameras like the Canon C70 have ND filters built right in, which is the dream. No more screwing anything onto the front of your lens, just tap a button.

Want my exact settings in one place? Grab my free video settings guide. It’s the cheat sheet I wish someone had handed me when I was starting out.

Movement, and lots of it

When I shoot, I move. My body moves, the camera moves. It’s a freeform flow. I’m talking with my clients while they move, but I promise I’m moving way more than they are. High angles, low angles, always chasing the light. Because it really is all about the light. If you’re standing still in one spot, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Move.

I’m not big on stiff, posed shots. I want small, constant movement, shot at a high shutter speed to freeze it. Movement tells more of a story than someone standing still staring at the lens. There’s a time and place for a posed shot, but the most beautiful images almost always come to life in the in-between.

Handheld or gimbal?

Both, for different reasons. And notice tripod is not on this list. Take it off the tripod.

There are very few exceptions. A tripod is for interviews or long-format moments, like a wedding ceremony. Otherwise, off it goes. Shooting is a dance, and tripod shots aren’t part of it.

I buy cameras with in-body image stabilization, or IBIS, because it’s a must for handheld work. Without it, you’ll get noticeable shake. I also buy my lenses with image stabilization (IS). Here’s how my shots break down: about 10% handheld, 80% on a gimbal for tracking something that’s moving, like a bird or someone walking, and 10% on a tripod, only if I absolutely have to.

A few things to remember

Don’t wait for the perfect time, because it’s never coming. Buy a camera, borrow one, rent one. Just start.

Practice. Ask questions. Send me a message and I’ll answer. I’m on every platform, and I’m always happy to share what I’ve picked up along the way.

And most of all, have fun. Be kind to yourself. It’s about the journey, not the destination. If you’re not having fun doing what you love, go find the thing that makes your heart sing, and do a lot more of that.

Hope this helped. If it did, let me know.

Jen Sawyer

Looking for the gear I actually use? Everything I shoot with, plus my favorite travel and lifestyle finds, lives in one spot. Shop my gear and favorites on ShopMy.