Make: Technology on Your Time Volume 38

10 Tips for Making Great Build Videos

Written by Becky Stern

EASY

1. Your light is more important than your camera

Shoot near a window (but out of direct sunlight) during daylight hours. Fill from the complementary angle with a daylight-balanced softbox or clip lights diffused with tracing paper. If you’re a night owl, you’ll need a lot more lights.

2. Use a tripod

A cheap tripod is better than no tripod; for years I used a $15 Sunpak with no complaints. Some fancier models cantilever over your bench, or if your bench is sturdy you can use a clamp-on articulated arm, like my Manfrotto Magic Arm and Super Clamp.

3. Shoot while building. Always ...