1. When you are shooting outdoors, keep the sun behind you when possible. Take a look at the shadows before you begin recording.
2. Move the camcorder as little as possible. Use a tripod to steady your shot. A tripod will be one of your best investments.
3. If you have to go handheld, pretend that your camcorder is an explosive that will go off if you mishandle it.
4. Use manual focus whenever possible. Autofocus may make things easier, but ultimately, using manual focus will make you a better videographer. Plus, you won’t be locked onto the wrong thing.
5. When you are shooting, give yourself extra time for editing. This means to shoot a scene for an extra few seconds before and after the images you truly want to record so they can be easily removed with your video editing program.
6. Position yourself, or use the zoom to compose your shot. Avoid zooming while you are shooting – it is too easy to under or over-compensate while zooming. If you do zoom or pan, don’t do so until at least 10 seconds of filming.
7. Carefully plan your shot before shooting. Be aware of the background behind what you are filming, any loud sounds like airplanes flying overhead.
8. Set the white color balance before shooting whenever you change locations. It will keep any people in your video from looking like an alien.
9. Keep your average shooting time between 5 and 10 seconds when possible. Don’t just shoot a static scene for 30 seconds or you will lose your audience.
10. Don’t make a bid deal about your presence. If possible, you want your subjects to be unaware of your presence so that your shots don’t look posed. If your subjects are aware of you, tell them to act naturally and to avoid looking directly at you and the camera.
Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the camcorder and its controls. Nothing will ruin a shot faster than you trying to find a control while you are filming. If you are recording audio, avoid talking and don’t say cheesy things like “Okay everyone, smile!” If you just want family pictures with smiling faces, you should save yourself a lot of time and money by just using a digital camera.