Social Media Content Capture Guide

Welcome to the ultimate guide for capturing and editing content tailored specifically for Girl Scouts of Northern California! Dive into our best practices to craft compelling social media content that engages, informs, and inspires. Whether you’re showcasing adventures, celebrating achievements, or spreading the Girl Scout spirit, this guide is your go-to resource for making every post shine.

In this guide:

Quick Tips
What should I photograph or film?
Basic Composition and Framing
Lighting
Editing Videos
Writing Guide

Quick Tips

✅ Clean your phone’s camera lens before shooting to produce clear and sharp footage.

✅ Hold your phone with both hands or lean your arms on a surface for more stable footage. Use a tripod if possible.

✅ Position your subject facing the light. Avoid lights or sun in the frame of your shot, or lighting coming from behind.

✅ Keep your focus on your phone screen while shooting – it’s easy to get distracted and let the lens wander

✅ Stay close to the subject, filling most of the frame. Shots that are too far away can be distracting and difficult to follow.

✅ Record lots of shorter clips, rather than one long clip. This will make the editing process easier and your video more engaging.

✅ Shoot from different angles to add variety and interest. Move around, play with composition, don’t be afraid to try something new!

✅ And of course, have fun!!

What should I photograph or film?

We want to show girls in action, doing an interesting activity like an outdoor activity, community service project, or craft project! It’s best if they are smiling and engaged.

Ask yourself:

Is the subject in focus and well lit?
Can the faces be seen clearly?
Can you easily tell what is going on?
Are the subjects smiling?

Specific poses/shots we always need more of: 

Diverse subjects (age, gender, ability, and race) 
Dads/male relatives and girls 
Smiling and/or engaged in workshops/classrooms (so many frowny faces) 
Volunteers interacting with girls 
Single subject in focus with space to the side (for web and brochure banners)

Basic Composition and Framing

Rule of thirds – The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left, right, top, or bottom third of an image. By placing subjects or points of interest along these gridlines, photographers and artists can create more dynamic and engaging compositions.

⭐️ Use your phone’s built in grid to position your subject and check if your photo is level.

Leading Lines – Leading lines are visual elements that pull the viewer’s eye toward a subject or focal point. They can be anything — roads running off into the distance, an arm stretched out toward something else, tree branches rising toward the moon — anything that pulls attention toward something else. These lines can give flat surfaces the appearance of depth, dimension, and shape.

If you want to play with composition, move around. Simply changing perspective can mean the difference between a great photo and a conventional one.

Lighting

Position your subject facing toward a source of light.
Illumination originating from behind or the side of your subject can cause odd shadows and be unflattering.
Avoid having light sources/sun in the frame of your shot
Outdoor lighting in the shade or cloud coverage is best. Direct sun can create harsh and strange shadows, as well as be uncomfortable for your subject!

Editing Videos

Add subtitles to make your video more accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Doing so will also be helpful for those viewing your video without sound (e.g., if they are in a public place and don’t want to disturb others).
- It is best to use a white font with a black outline to make sure it is visible on all backgrounds.
- Place the text slightly above the bottom, to avoid being covered by the profile details.
Make sure that any text or decorations added to the video is in a space where it won’t be covered by profile details.

Example of text captioning location. The top is also a good location to place captioning.

Create jump cuts by editing out dead space or pauses in your video. This technique maintains the viewer’s attention and helps to prevent boredom.
Incorporate b-roll to help break up longer videos or parts of your footage that are less interesting. This keeps your audience engaged and makes your video more visually appealing. You can use videos you have taken, or you can use stock footage. Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/videos/) is a good resources for free photographs and videos.
If you’re going to use music, make sure it is copyright-free. I like to use Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/music/)

Writing Guide

Whether you’re new to communicating about Girl Scouts or a seasoned pro, here are some quick pointers and refreshers to guide you.

Say it straight, then say it great. Be clear and concise. Then find a way to add color where appropriate to make your content more compelling.
Say more with less. When we keep our writing concise, we invite readers to imagine more. We don’t have to spell everything out to be understood.
Big words aren’t always better. You don’t have to have a huge vocabulary to write well. Instead, inventively and imaginatively use words that everyone understands. Avoid using acronyms or jargon.
Read it out loud. Your own ears are your best editor. They can hear any bumps that need smoothing out.

Need Help?

Reach out to social@gsnorcal.org with questions or for support.

Follow us on social media! @gsnorcal

Thanks for helping us keep Girl Scouts safe, respectful, and strong—online and everywhere!